THE WELL OF SAINT NOBODY (2023)

He had met her three times and three times forgotten all about her...

William Barrow finds himself in lonely retirement in West Cork. Once an internationally renowned pianist, a terrible skin disease has attacked his hands and made it impossible for him to perform. All he can play, haltingly, is Ravel's Concerto for the Left Hand.

Tara is a piano teacher with barely enough pupils to pay the month's rent. In the local café, the elegant writing of a job advertisement catches her eye: 'Wanted. Housekeeper.'

She begins to work in William's house, keeping to herself the knowledge that they have met three times before – encounters that have changed her life, to which he is oblivious. When William stumbles upon a well in the back garden, Tara finds herself longing for revenge. She spins tales of a mythical saint, of the healing powers of the water and of the moss that surrounds it. But as the moss begins to heal William's troubled hands, the lines between legend and reality begin to blur, and past and present collide in unexpected ways.

Gripping and lyrical, The Well of Saint Nobody is a story of love, secrets and the elusive possibility of second chances.

Product details

Published 2023

ISBN 9781804549827

Imprint Apollo

Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

Dimensions 198 x 129 mm

Praise for The Well of Saint Nobody:

“Gripping, eerie and poignant, a love story of music, storytelling and a secret past with a dark twist that brings redemption. Elegant and lyrical, this is a really beautiful novel.” Simon Sebag Montefiore

“[An] eloquent and moving story, tinged with nostalgia, the author confirms his status as a visionary of both page and screen. Highly recommended.”  The Lady

The Well of Saint Nobody is a gentle, compassionate exploration of love and loneliness in later life.”  The Business Post