Book Review: Where They Lie | Claire Coughlan

Claire Coughlan’s debut novel Where They Lie is an immersive, literary thriller about an ambitious young female journalist whose investigation of a long missing actress will take her through the misty streets and tangled underworld of 1960s Dublin—and force her to confront the dark, long buried secrets of her own past.

About the Book | Where They Lie

Dublin, 1943

Actress Julia Bridges disappears. She was last seen entering the house of Gloria Fitzpatrick, who is later put on trial for the murder of a woman whose abortion she facilitated. But it’s never proved that Gloria had a hand in Julia’s death—and Julia’s body has never been found. Gloria, however, is sentenced to life in an institution for the criminally insane, where she’s found dead a few years later from an apparent suicide, and the truth of what happened to Julia Bridges dies with her.

Until . . .

Dublin, 1968

Nicoletta Sarto is an ambitious junior reporter for the Irish Sentinel when the bones of Julia Bridges are discovered in the garden of a house on the outskirts of the city. Drawn into investigating the 25-year-old mystery of Julia’s disappearance and her link to the notorious Gloria Fitzpatrick, Nicoletta becomes immersed in the tangled underworld of the illegal abortion industry, stirring up long-buried secrets from her own past.

A beautifully atmospheric, timely thriller, Where They Lie uses a murder mystery as a lens to focus on the long struggle of women fighting to achieve autonomy and succeed in a man’s world.

Review | Where They Lie

“Some stories demand to be told. They keep coming back, echoing down through the decades until they find a teller.”

I found Where They Lie to be a beautifully written, atmospheric, literary thriller set in Ireland in 1968. Those who know the history of Ireland know that religion and the Catholic church often feature at the center of political and social issues within the country. Coughlan’s book brings a story about a fledgling journalist into the heart of those issues, offering commentary on the gender imbalance and the prejudice that women face when they act in ways the church and society may disagree with.

In 1943, an actress named Julia Bridges disappeared. She was last seen in Dublin entering the home of Gloria Fitzpatrick, who was tried for murder after assisting in an abortion that ended in the death of a woman named Elizabeth Rourke after complications with the procedure. Gloria will later take her own life when committed to an institute for the criminally insane. There was no evidence as to what role (if any) Gloria may have played in Julia’s disappearance, nor was it discovered what happened to Julia.

Until Christmas Eve, 1968 when Julia’s corpse is discovered in the garden of a house on the outskirts of Dublin. A young reporter named Nicoletta Sarto is working for the Irish Sentinel and has recently moved into a flat away from her mother when the discovery is made. Nicoletta happens to answer the call about the bones, sending her heart racing and drawing Nic into the mysterious case of Julia Bridges.

As Nic begins to investigate the cold case, she uncovers details that tell a very different story than the one that was published after Julia’s disappearance. Nic knows that this may be her chance to have a big story that will earn her credibility as a journalist. She pursues her investigation with tenacity, even if some of what she finds may hit uncomfortably close to home.

Coughlan draws from her own experience as a journalist to add authenticity and depth to Nic’s story and investigation. Nic is a woman working in an industry that is predominantly male, and she faces discrimination and misogyny as she works to be seen as equal at a time when women are seen as anything but.

Coughlan’s portrayal of Dublin in the late 1960s is like a glimpse into a different world. Today Dublin is seen as a cosmopolitan city, but the Dublin of the past felt more like a countryside village where rumors and gossip spread rapidly across the town. Nic herself can be a mysterious figure, and it was clear that there were a lot of pieces of her past that were yet to be revealed. Flashing back in time and forward again, Coughlan weaves the story together in a dazzling and satisfying conclusion to the story.

An engaging and atmospheric novel featuring standout female characters and intricately plotted mysteries.

Thank you to Harper for my copy. Opinions are my own.

About the Author | Claire Coughlan

Claire Coughlan has worked as a journalist for the past 18 years, most recently writing for publications including BookBrunch.co.uk and the Sunday Independent. 

Claire has an MFA in Creative Writing from UCD. In 2017, she was mentored by crime novelist Tammy Cohen as part of the WoMentoring scheme. She has previously been the recipient of Arts Council funding, as well as a literature bursary from Dublin City Council. She is currently receiving mentoring as part of the Words Ireland mentoring programme, funded by Kildare Arts Service and the Arts Council. Where They Lie, published by Simon & Schuster in February 2024, is her first novel.

She lives in Co Kildare with her husband and daughter.