The Good Mistress
A moving, beautifully written and unputdownable read from the bestselling author
Published on 15. April 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
416 pages
978-1-3997-1416-7 (ISBN)
Description
'Draws you in and doesn't let go ... perfect for fans of Meg Mason' Edel Coffey
The affair is over - so what does she have to lose?
Juliet never planned to be the other woman, but Rory was the only man she'd ever loved. Then he went and died. At his funeral, Juliet hides shamefully at the back, while his wife and their son rightfully grieve up front. What does her life look like now, without him?
Erica was the perfect wife, but Rory knew things about her that no one else can ever know. And now she's left with a question she doesn't want the answer to: had she lost Rory long before he died?
Maeve, Rory's childhood friend, now a bestselling novelist, appears to have it all - except any time for herself. Between her exasperating husband, two teenage sons, and ailing mother, Maeve's success feels hollow. And when she uncovers a disturbing secret, her carefully constructed life begins to unravel.
As three women's lives collide, they must reconcile the realities of love, betrayal, and the limits of forgiveness - because what does it truly mean to be 'good', anyway?
'Tender, raw and moving ... I was drawn in from the first page' Sinead Moriarty
The affair is over - so what does she have to lose?
Juliet never planned to be the other woman, but Rory was the only man she'd ever loved. Then he went and died. At his funeral, Juliet hides shamefully at the back, while his wife and their son rightfully grieve up front. What does her life look like now, without him?
Erica was the perfect wife, but Rory knew things about her that no one else can ever know. And now she's left with a question she doesn't want the answer to: had she lost Rory long before he died?
Maeve, Rory's childhood friend, now a bestselling novelist, appears to have it all - except any time for herself. Between her exasperating husband, two teenage sons, and ailing mother, Maeve's success feels hollow. And when she uncovers a disturbing secret, her carefully constructed life begins to unravel.
As three women's lives collide, they must reconcile the realities of love, betrayal, and the limits of forgiveness - because what does it truly mean to be 'good', anyway?
'Tender, raw and moving ... I was drawn in from the first page' Sinead Moriarty
Reviews / Votes
I was drawn in from the first page. A tender, raw and moving story about characters you grow to care about and get to truly understand as their layers and complicated history are peeled back, chapter by chapter * Sinead Moriarty * I loved The Good Mistress. Juliet, Maeve and Erica all stole my heart in different ways and they will steal yours too. Anne Tiernan's characters feel like friends, they draw you in and don't let go and you care very deeply about what happens to them. I was hooked and adored these characters. This is also such an accurate portrayal of the midlife female experience, complete with guilt and exhaustion and frustration and renewal. It is a hugely uplifting read. It's also emotionally gripping, filled with secrets and tension and betrayal. This book is beautifully written and is a really emotional read. Anne is a skilful, emotional and really funny writer. This is a wonderfully balanced novel - funny and sad in equal measure, and about the very relatable and painful process of women losing and rediscovering themselves in midlife. I loved this. Perfect for fans of Meg Mason * Edel Coffey * Absorbing, propulsive novel ... Anne Tiernan ... is a gifted writer - her voice is as fresh as Meg Mason's and as spiky and humorous as Zoe Heller's ... The Good Mistress is full of humour and pathos * Irish Times *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Castleknock
Ireland
Product notice
Paperback (UK-trade)
Dimensions
Height: 232 mm
Width: 153 mm
Thickness: 31 mm
Weight
502 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-3997-1416-7 (9781399714167)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Born in Zambia, Anne Tiernan grew up in Navan, County Meath. She studied English Literature and Psychology at Trinity College Dublin and spent seven years working in banking. Anne left Ireland with her husband in 2004 to travel the world, arriving in New Zealand in 2005 where they still live - now with three children together.
She is author of two novels: The Last Days of Joy, which was shortlisted for the Kate O'Brien Award 2023, and The Good Mistress.
She is author of two novels: The Last Days of Joy, which was shortlisted for the Kate O'Brien Award 2023, and The Good Mistress.