The Doomsday Club

Reviews / Votes

a fun horror using creatures from Irish folklore. This is perfect for fans of DREAD WOOD -- Sifa Elizabeth Reads Adventure, fantasy and humour mix together playfully in this novel, as do colloquial and inventive use of the English and Irish languages, while landmarks of Dublin city also play a prominent part. -- CBI's The Best Irish Books of 2025 The Doomsday Club is an action-packed mystery thriller catapulting the mundane lives of four sixth-class schoolboys into a terrifying world of heart-pounding suspense and mythical monsters, all right on their Dublin doorstep. Kevin Moran has masterfully weaved banter, bravery and wit into a class-act adventure of ferocious foes, mythical mysteries and unlikely friendships. A gold-star-sticker of a story! -- Eve McDonnell [Kevin Moran] is a brilliant writer; a natural storyteller who knows exactly how to add suspense and adventure -- Niamh Garvey Kevin Moran is such a witty writer. The way he catches the humour, tension and mischief of these 12 year olds is brilliant. You will love this book -- Olivia Hope excellent ... full of action, with an age-appropriate sprinkling of horror and lots of humour -- Sarah Webb will appeal hugely to fans of Eoin Colfer and Dave Rudden. Featuring characters who are bang up-to-date, this zingy novel borrows from Irish mythology while exploring themes of friendship, bullying, bravery and growing up -- Aoife Murray, CBI's Inis Magazine 5 stars - a very exciting story, difficult to put down ... Kevin Moran is a natural and very talented writer and this is the first in what promises to be an excellent new series -- Books for Keeps' Book of the Week zippy ... brilliant, brilliant debut novel ... a real adventure -- Elaina Ryan, CBI on Ireland AM A crackin', creepy read with expert storytelling that will take you places that exist only visited before in your nightmares, this is great! Excellent characterisation introduces the reader to the boys, who are just like some you'll meet in school. Their exploits are riveting and yes, very dangerous. Breath-taking horror (age-appropriate, of course) sparkling with the right amount of humour and tension, it's a real 'can't-put-down' tale that will make your hair stand on end, while gritting your teeth and chuckling at the superb wit. Suspenseful, intriguing, at moments terrifying...a great "school" adventure with a genuine hint of heart...and an Irish-speaking, shape-shifting monster that is not quite as frightening as you might think at first. Fabulous, just fabulous! -- Fallen Star Stories Beginning in an ancient primary-school building, but featuring characters who are bang up-to-date, this zingy novel borrows from Irish mythology while exploring themes of friendship, bullying, bravery and growing up. No time is wasted in delivering the reader straight into the action alongside Jack, Conan, Yash and Jerry, classmates who wouldn't exactly call themselves friends but find themselves banded together once they witness a shape-shifting creature emerge from a portal right outside their school yard during a rainy-day detention. This confident, enjoyable debut will appeal hugely to fans of Eoin Colfer and Dave Rudden and with a second book in the works, there's plenty of adventures ahead for the Doomsday Club! -- RTEjr This confident, enjoyable debut from author Kevin Moran will appeal hugely to fans of Eoin Colfer and Dave Rudden. Beginning in an ancient primary-school building, but featuring characters who are bang up-to-date, this zingy novel borrows from Irish mythology while exploring themes of friendship, bullying, bravery and growing up. No time is wasted in delivering the reader straight into the action alongside Jack, Conan, Yash and Jerry, classmates who wouldn't exactly call themselves friends but find themselves banded together once they witness a shape-shifting elk/bear/raven emerge from a portal right outside their school yard during one rainy-day detention. The title will resonate with somewhat older readers: this gang of misfits have the misfortune of being thrown together a la The Breakfast Club, and their strength lies in their differences. Adventure, fantasy and humour mix together playfully in this novel, as do colloquial and inventive use of the English and Irish languages, while landmarks of Dublin city play a prominent part ... the boys' new-found close friendship and the book's judicious use of Irish mythology would lend itself well to new adventures -- Childrensbooksireland.ie deals with peer pressure, bullying and the ups and downs of friendship with honesty and kindness. It's a fast-paced read, ideal for keeping more reluctant readers engaged and the horror, while genuinely pulse-raising, is just the right amount of scary for its readership -- Irish Independent Old Ireland and modern Ireland combine in this epic adventure, primary school teacher Moran captures the voice and dynamics of boys on the cusp of secondary school effortlessly in this funny and dramatic highstakes story -- Irish Examiner a fast paced read, ideal for keeping more reluctant readers engaged. The horror, while genuinely pulse-raising, is just the right amount of scary for its readership -- Belfast Telegraph brilliant ... definitely one for the summer reading list -- The Primary Planet a fast-paced read, ideal for keeping more reluctant readers engaged. The horror, while genuinely pulse-raising, is just the right amount of scary for its readership -- Independent.ie a huge adventure! A terrifying monster, flashes of lightning and a crumbling mansion throw Jack, Conan, Yash and Jerry into a perilous adventure. As they deal with creatures from Celtic mythology, midnight cemeteries and navigating parents and teachers, the gang find themselves in the ultimate doomsday scenario. The Doomsday Club is a brilliant Key Stage Three adventure that will keep kids reading -- ScopeforImagination Elaina Ryan of CBI says: 'a homegrown talent ... inventive [use of Irish in the book]'



Young reviewer Harry says: 'brilliant, if you like mystery and fantasy you will love this book ... the author's use of language is brilliant and I was hooked from the very first chapter' -- RTE Radio's Oliver Callan show a brilliant book ... fantastic ... plenty of cliffhangers -- Tracy McEneaney, Waterford Libraries As soon as I started to read this book I know I'd love it and I adored every second of it ... fabulous -- SarahReads4 an excellent debut novel, action-packed thriller about four friends, they find themselves in the middle of a terrifying mystery ... full of cliffhangers -- Waterford Libraries' Tracy McEneaney Adventure, fantasy and humour mix together playfully in this novel, as do colloquial and inventive use of the English and Irish languages, while landmarks of Dublin city also play a prominent part. -- CBI's The Best Irish Books of 2025 A fast-paced read, ideal for keeping readers engaged, and the horror, while genuinely pulse-raising is just the right amount of scary for its readership -- Irish Independent adventure, fantasy, and humour mix playfully in this novel, as do colloquial and inventive use of the English and Irish languages, while landmarks of Dublin City also play a prominent part in the action -- Irish Examiner absolutely fantastic debut ... action-packed thriller - Books of the Year chosen by Waterford Librarians Tracy McEneney and Jennie Loughran



-- RTE Radio 1's David McCullagh show if I was young this is the one I would have run for ... a great book for 8 to 12 year olds -- Darina Molloy, Mayo Libraries on RTE Radio's David McCullagh show Kevin Moran ... a name to watch out for -- RTE Radio's David McCullagh show fantasy, realism and cohesive narrative combine in this impressive debut by writer Kevin Moran. Mixing humour and fantasy, an unwilling gang of mismatched adventurers play out their story in the heart of Dublin city, as they prepare to finish primary school. The inventive use of both colloquial English and Irish languages, mixed with rich mythological storytelling and great laughs, make for an enormously fun read -- Inis Magazine a fast-paced read, ideal for keeping more reluctant readers engage. The horror, while genuinely pulse-raising, is just the right amount of scary for its readership -- Independent.ie Combining fantasy and realism, along with a cohesive narrative telling a believable story, The Doomsday Club is an impressive debut by writer Kevin Moran. Mixing humour and fantasy, an unwilling gang of mismatched adventurers play out their story in the heart of Dublin city, as they prepare to finish primary school. The inventive use of both colloquial English and Irish languages, rich mythological storytelling mixed with great laughs makes for an enormously fun adventure. -- KPMG Children's Books Ireland Award Winner 2026 - Eilis Dillon Award