Prestige Drama

“Séamas O’Reilly has created a vast mosaic of voices, each sparkling with heartache and wit. I’m in love with every character in this novel, and like most prestige dramas, it ended far too soon.” —Caroline O'Donoghue, author of The Rachel Incident

A dazzling novel about a community where an upcoming film production brings their past into sharp focus—and nobody’s version is the same. 

In Derry, the locals are already in a twist about the arrival of Hollywood actress Monica Logue to research her role for a show about the Troubles—and then she goes missing. Everyone has a story to tell—about Monica’s possible whereabouts, and about the historic events that brought her here in the first place: the show’s screenwriter, desperate for this last shot at success; the grieving mother whose story he’s adapting; the ex-IRA member who knows the price of survival; the local psychic who’s seen too much ... 

Prestige Drama brings to life a chorus of characters as they locate themselves in Monica's disappearance, and in the truth about their own history. From the author of the acclaimed memoir Did Ye Hear Mammy Died?, Prestige Drama is heartbreaking, hilarious, and profound, an indelible portrait of a community both obsessed with its past, and desperate to forget it.  

Featuring an ensemble cast of narrators: Charlie Bonner as Mickey, Charlie Kelly as Kevin, Diona Doherty as Lucie, Eleanor Methven as Ann-Marie and Eileen, Frankie McCafferty as Finbar, Ian McElhinney as Bogle, Jamie Beamish as Jonny, Kate Handford as Monica, Kathy Kiera Clarke as Dympna and Deirdre, Melanie McHugh as Joan, Niall Wright as Turlough, and author Seamas O’Reilly as Diarmuid.