That's the Why

In 1969, seven-year-old Madge Whelan's world changes when her mother becomes matron of a nursing home. Madge and her family suddenly find themselves in a strange new environment, full of characters and chaos. What follows is an uplifting story of how a close-knit family adapts to their new life. After a few years and an addition to the family, the Whelans move to a new house across the road. The arrival of their new housekeeper, Lizzie, an orphan from a convent, introduces Madge and the Whelan family to a different reality and the hardship that lies beneath the surface of their otherwise contented lives. In this, her debut novel, author Margaret Harvey takes readers on a heartwarming journey to a vanished Ireland. Through the eyes of several lovable characters, Harvey tells a beautifully realised story that will remind readers of both the beauty and the hardship of those bygone times.