Rosemary Ahearn-Hasara

I'm Irish and have a special soft spot for Irish writers, including the author of this book Paul Murray (I loved his book Skippy Dies). I also have confidence in well thought out and respected book reviews, especially coming from the NY Times--This book, The Bee Sting--has been at the top or in the top 5 of all of those reviews. The Bee Sting is the best of both worlds for me and I have been in book Heaven reading it (I'm not QUITE finished reading it yet but will be soon; I only started with it 2 days ago but couldn't read much Thursday and Friday because of work commitments, have spent most of today reading it, it is THAT good that I just can't put it down). It is VERY well crafted, well written with fully fleshed out characters and plot; you feel for each of the characters in their own suffering, and rejoice in the small things they find joy in (I won't give away any spoilers in explaining that). For those that are on the fence, read this book as soon as you can. It is one to savour for the ages, to read now and read again often. It is hard to top the late great Walter Macken's book The Grass of the People, in my eyes as the best I have EVER read, but Paul Murray's The Bee Sting sure comes close.