A Keeper

I am a huge fan of Graham Norton so I took A Keeper with out even reading the description....I mean come on Graham Norton is amazing so I know it was going to be amazing!

A Keeper was a creepy yet beautiful journey of self discovery with a twist of drama and mystery. This book is a must read!

This was my first book by the brilliant Graham Norton, but it won't be my last! He has a wonderful way of being witty and sensitive at the same time and I truly enjoyed The Keeper!

Though this book is a thriller, the underlying theme seems to be about motherhood (and to a lesser extent fatherhood) and the lengths that flawed parents will go to for their equally fallible children and how that cycle will continue ad infinitum. I really enjoyed the writing, the setting, and the plot. A quick and enthralling summer read.

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a Kindle ARC of A Keeper.

I'm a big fan of Graham Norton and his hilarious talk show so when I saw he also writes books, I had to request this.

And it was a surprise, in a good way!

The premise sounds straight forward but its anything but. There's creepy suspense, plenty of drama, and a bit of a mystery all tied in and Mr. Norton does it quite well.

Elizabeth Keane returns to Dublin after the death of her mother, Patricia, to oversee the sale of her home.

As she is cleaning up the remnants of her mother's lonely life, she discovers a cache of letters that will take her on a journey of self discovery, the origins of her birth and help her understand her mother a little better.

There is more drama courtesy of Elizabeth's son, Zach, which some readers noted was too much or unnecessary but I understood the purpose of it.

The juxtaposition of Zach's dilemma may seem melodramatic but it serves to parallel what Patricia did years ago in relation to Elizabeth.

There's one scene I felt was out of context, when an acquaintance propositions Elizabeth, figuring she's out of town so she might enjoy a wham, bam, thank you ma'am.

I have no idea why this scene was necessary because, at first, this guy appeared like a gentleman but now looks like a creep. Was this moment added to highlight sexual tension and loneliness between the both of them?

If so, a better scene could be crafted!

Elizabeth is a decent character; I wouldn't call her sympathetic, I didn't like her but I could understand her actions and decisions.

Patricia was a nice surprise; I started out not liking her, but as we are given insight into her past, she develops a strength and courage she never knew she had that enables her to forge a life for herself and for her daughter, Elizabeth.

There are some triggers here; depression, kidnapping, and quite a lot of sadness tempered with good stuff, too; resilience and patience, heart and love.

Overall, I enjoyed Mr. Norton's writing and the story, which was darker than I imagined a talented and funny man would write.

Elizabeth Keane is on the hunt to find out the dark past of her parents. Told from two time periods, the story arc unfolds perfectly. I would add this to your fun beachy-reads list this summer. Dramatic, humorous and surprisingly creepy at times.

I thoroughly enjoyed Graham Norton’s storytelling. Great character writing and had some twists that didn't make it too predictable. I look forward to reading another book from this author.

I received this ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley.com for an honest review.

Creepy! This novel-mystery was a pageturner from the start. Weaving the present day characters with the characters of the past moves well and keeps the reader entertained with all the goings on, then and now. Elizabeth returns to Ireland to settle up her late mother's estate and finds herself in a mystery about her mother's past and her own identity. Very good writing and a clever story; I enjoyed this book very much.

Having previously read and thoroughly enjoyed Graham Norton's previous novel Holding I was looking forward to reading his latest work of fiction. And I must admit that I was not disappointed as Norton again weaves the theme of a long buried secret that has resurfaced against a rural Irish background. The plot resolves around the chance discovery by Elizabeth Keane (who has returned from America to sell her recently deceased mother's house) of letters that appear to reveal the identity of her previously unknown father. The story alternates between chapters devoted to the present and past as the mystery is unraveled and revealed.

Secrets, past regrets and failure to come to terms with the past are constant themes of the book and this is all exacerbated by living in a rural community where ostensibly everyone knows everyone else's business but in reality this is very far from the truth. The descriptively skilled writing gives a real sense of the geography and topography of the area and one at times can almost feel the sea breeze and can clearly visualise the isolated farmhouse set below the ruined castle. There is an eclectic mixture of mystery, humour, suspense, loss and even horror together with a cleverly woven present day story developing back home in Elizabeth's America that suggests that the present could well be imitating the past.

A darker and more intense novel than his first this certainly had me pleasantly engrossed in the story. It is hoped that Norton will continue to find time to write more fiction as he clearly has demonstrated a talent for telling a tale.

Didn't expect this from a TV host, but it is well written. I heard him say in an interview that wrote what he knows, and that came through. I hope he writes more.

I really appreciate the ARC for review!!

I’ve loved Graham Norton’s talk show for years. He’s such an interesting character and funny too. What I never expected was that he would be a brilliant novelist. In fact, I didn’t even realize it was the same Graham Norton when I started this book. What a surprise!

A Keeper follows the lives of Elizabeth and her mother. Elizabeth is a divorced single mom raising her son in NYC. She returns home to Ireland to sort her mother’s affairs after her passing. The old house is just as she remembers, but while there, she stumbles upon some letters that her mother had tucked away in a box in the closet. Elizabeth was raised believing her father had passed away very young, which is why she was raised by a single mother. Could the letters be a clue to the truth about her past?


The novel jumps back and forth between Elizabeth’s current situation and her mother’s past. Each chapter reveals just a small portion of the story in a perfectly woven fashion. Surprises abound, along with a good dose of humor. I truly enjoyed this one. I would recommend over and over again.



This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com close to publication date.

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

I have watched The Graham Norton Show since it first appeared on BBC America. Reading his 2nd fiction novel, I was interested but skeptical. He is a funny talk show host but I was not sure if he could write a family drama novel. I found A Keeper to be well written and enjoyable.

The novel has two timelines running through it. The present-day focuses on Elizabeth Keane, a divorced New Yorker who returns to Ireland to settle her mother's affairs following her death. The past is set 40 years ago and focuses on Elizabeth's mother. Elizabeth, in the present, uncovers family secrets and lies, and wonders if she ever knew her mother or herself at all.

Norton's sense of humor peeks through in some scenes, mostly dark humor. Because of his stage persona, I expected his writing to be edgier. With Norton's writing style, he is able to create people that feel real, with real lives, with real problems, and with real drama.

I knew Graham Norton wrote a few nonfiction books but not a fiction book, Holding, in 2016. I have added it to my "want to read" list and will look out for more fiction from him.

This review was published on Goodreads on 4/29/19. It will be published on Philomathinphila.com, Smashbomb, Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on its release date, 8/13/19. When available, the review will be published on Scribd.com and, using Overdrive, will be rated in 9 libraries.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book and had no idea Graham Norton was an author too. Well I’m officially a fan!

This story alternates between ”then” and “now” as Elizabeth Keane dives into the past of her now deceased mother, Patricia. She returns to Ireland to sift through her mother’s belongings and comes across some letters written by her father, Edward Foley. Thus begins the crazy unraveling of secrets that leads Elizabeth on a bit of a wild goose chase in search of answers.

It’s difficult not to give too much away, but this book really was an intriguing look into a mother’s past that was completely unknown to her daughter. Elizabeth was pretty much blindsided by some of the revelations, and while coming to terms with her own family’s heart-breaking and dramatic past, the present on-goings with her son Zach are just as tense.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, and I think it showed the strength of a mother’s love and how far she will go to protect her children, no matter the circumstances. Highly recommend!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2802255768

After Elizabeth's mother dies, she comes back to Ireland to settle affairs. Elizabeth discovers a long-buried secret that reveals to her the father she never knew. Thus begins her journey into her mother's surprising past. Told through multiple perspectives and timelines, the story of Elizabeth is slowly revealed. Suspenseful, charming, and funny .

I really enjoyed reading this book and finished it quickly. Because of the author’s ‘other’ job, I assumed it would be somewhat humorous, but it is decidedly not. It’s dark and unsettling but also highlights the strength and resolve it takes to navigate life. I enjoyed the book being told in alternating chapters of Then and Now and looked forward to what was happening in both spheres. It was a different read than my normal, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Oh my gosh what a wonderful book. This is a proper story and Graham Norton is a wonderful writer.
I laughed, I cried and I was sorry when the book ended. I wanted more of the story. I want to say so much more but I don't want to give anything away. I'm looking forward to Mr. Grahams next book.

Wow what a surprise this novel was . As a huge fan of Graham Norton’s talk show I had no idea he was a brilliant writer . Elizabeth Keene returns to Ireland to sort out her Mother’s estate after her death . She wants to wrap things up quickly and go back to her life and son in America .. However she soon finds out she has inherited another estate from the father so never knew .. told in two timelines this wonderfully suspenseful gothic story will keep you reading all night .

This is the first title from Graham Norton I have read and I loved it. From start to finish this book keeps you hooked and is very hard to put down.
The development of the characters is fantastic and gave me a great picture of them in my head.
The only thing I felt missing was a little more detail at times especially with Elizabeth's family in the shop as I feel there was good scope there to create a little humour in the book with those characters.
Overall highly recommend this book. It would be a great holiday read

Was excited to read this family drama set in Ireland. I love dual timeline family stories full of secrets and hidden pasts. I found the writing somewhat melodramatic and was surprised that this story received so much publicity. I think Graham Norton definitely has a future as an author, but this particular plot didn't have my attention fully.

Elizabeth Keane returns to her birth home in Buncarragh, Ireland, to disperse her mother’s estate and settle the selling of the house. She wants nothing and if she could help it she wouldn’t want the memories, either. It was always just Elizabeth and her mother all of her life, just the two of them. All questions about her father went unanswered other than to say he died very young and was a lovely man.
The only part of her mother’s story Elizabeth knows is the part everyone knows, that Patricia cared for her sick mother till the end, then miraculously had a gentleman friend, a rushed wedding and a baby no one could explain. In Ireland that was fodder for the rumor factories who lived for such stories.
Now as she is going through her mother’s things Elizabeth finds a box with letters, a baby bootie, a photo and a name and after wondering her whole life who would not investigate? She knows where to start when, upon opening the mail that had piled up she finds one from her mother’s solicitor.
Told in alternating times, now and forty years before, we learn of Elizabeth’s life gone wrong, and her mother, Patricia’s story. Elizabeth is in Ireland, divorced with a teenaged son who isn’t where he is supposed to be at the moment and not liking what she hears from her ex. Patricia, forty years earlier, ran toward a future she thought she would surely miss if she didn’t take this chance.
I can’t say too much here, I don’t believe in spoiler alerts and really don’t appreciate them when I’m interested in a book. All I’ll say is there is an “ah ha!” moment in the end where the author proves there is nothing new under the sun.
Graham Norton is a storyteller for sure.

'A Keeper' by Graham Norton is brilliant. Utterly brilliant. It is an enthralling tale which perfectly balances the past and present. Norton has proven to be a natural storyteller with the ability to populate his books with characters the reader can relate to. 'A Keeper' is awash with well-written moments of poignancy and despondency. But, to his credit, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This book is a rewarding read of the highest order.

Set in the 70’s and today, A Keeper is the story of two families and their uncertain history.
Elizabeth was born and raised in Ireland, but left as soon as she was able, to attend school in America. Now, she’s in her 40’s and her mother has passed away, leaving their family home to Elizabeth.
Upon returning, Elizabeth finds a box of old letters to her mother, from Edward Foley. Elizabeth knows this is her father, but was told he died around the time of her birth.
Her mother’s solicitor informs her she is also the new owner of a home close to Cork. It’s the old Foley homestead, which confuses Elizabeth. She decides to investigate and learn more of her roots.
This is well written and an interesting story.

A Keeper by Graham Norton

I haven’t read any of Graham Norton’s other books so I didn’t know what to expect with this one. Well, I was pleasantly surprised! All I knew about the author is that he’s the hilarious host of a TV show in England. I had relatively low expectations but hoped for a decent story. I was actually blown away how much I liked the book and how amazing Graham’s writing was.

When Elizabeth Keane returns to Ireland after her mother’s death, she’s focused only on saying goodbye to that dark and dismal part of her life. Her childhood home is packed solid with useless junk, her mother’s presence already fading. But within this mess, she discovers a small stash of letters—and ultimately, the truth.

Forty years earlier, a young woman stumbles from a remote stone house, the night quiet except for the constant wind that encircles her as she hurries deeper into the darkness away from the cliffs and the sea. She has no sense of where she is going, only that she must keep on.

This is an excellent novel with the thread of suspense running through it. I especially enjoyed the setting of Ireland, the dual timelines of Elizabeth and her mother, and the feelings of longing and love in each chapter. Now I need to get my hands on Graham Norton’s other books.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Due out in August but out now in the UK.

Cleaning up and out after a parent's death can be a revelation for lots of reasons. But when following the threads of some family mysteries reveals even more mysteries, things can get complicated.
When Elizabeth tries to trace her biological father, she discovers a background far different than anyone could imagine.
There was madness, conspiracy and duplicity, kidnapping, drugging and a baby.

I am often wary of authors whose other life is on TV, this was a nice surprise.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and the author Graham Norton for my E-ARC.
What a captivatingly great read! I wasn't expecting to find that the main character was such a sour woman, but as the book moves forward I found myself caring about her. Mr. Norton has created a family drama that makes you feel compassion for all the characters. Secrets are detrimental to families and this novel is a clear picture of it.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

I loved this book. I really got sucked in to all the characters. The "then" storyline got my needing more right away although the "now" was more of a slow burn, but the payoff was worth i when it all came together in the end. Several twists I did not see coming. Very melancholy but very true to life, Adored it

I've long been a fan of Graham Norton and his show, but had no idea that his witty personality masked a very talented writer. A Keeper, his second novel, is my first taste of Norton the writer and I am very impressed. The story focuses on a young woman returning to Ireland and her childhood home after her single mother's death. However, when going through her mother's belongings, she learns the truth about her mother's mysterious past and her biological father.

This book is both a family saga and a bit of a mystery. The main character is sympathetic and the rural Irish setting is interesting. A Keeper is an easy read that fans of dysfunctional family sagas or dual narratives should appreciate whether or not one is already familiar with Graham Norton.

When I saw this book was written by someone named Graham Norton, I thought, "Oh, like the guy from that British talk show with the red couch! Graham must be a super common name over there." I was totally caught off guard when I found out it was the same person! Though it feels like every celebrity has 'written' a book of some kind, usually nonfiction about their own lives, I did not expect him to be a fiction writer as well. Celebrity authors garner a lot of attention, and it feels like their efforts don't usually work out as often as they do, but I was pleasantly surprised with Mr. Norton's sophomore novel.

Told as flashbacks between mother and daughter, we follow Elizabeth in present day as she returns to the place she was born for answers about her origins. Patricia, her mother, has died and Elizabeth's responsible for her home and apparently appeasing her terrible family. Intercutting the issues she has with them, her son and ex-husband, we're given background on Patricia and what happened to her around the time Elizabeth was born. While not action-packed, the story is creeping and tense. Every answer found raises new questions as you work your way through the mystery of it all.

I really liked it, and I'll be sure to check out Graham Norton's other novel. Anyone who enjoyed Clare Mackintosh's books, such as I Let You Go or Let Me Lie, I think would appreciate this.

Loved this one. Graham Norton is a surprisingly good writer.
I love this story of rural Ireland.
Norton is adept in fleshing out good characters and plot
thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

Emotional~ Spare ~ Languid

tl;dr: Momentus events, like deaths, bring out so many little, important moments.

I loved Graham Norton's shows. He is so good at keeping the conversation going, and he is at essence a kind person. I wonder if absorbing all those years of dialogue has made him so good at writing characters. I would guess, instead, that he is a big reader. Either way, Norton is an exceptionally proficient writer. (I get that sound condescending, but I say it to those who assume a celebrity couldn't be a good writer).

This story is different than his first book, a small town Ireland mystery. This one is sadder. Just as the first one showed the Irish conversational sensibility, this book showed the bittersweet, matter-of-factness of the Irish. The book, of course, has a universality. Broken marriages, being a grown-up child, and dealing with life not working out as you wished are all part of this story. I will say that this book is not nearly as cozy or gentle as his first. This book edges toward literary and definitely isn't feel-good. But, it is well-written and satisfying.

This would be a very good choice for a book club discussion, particularly one with people whose kids are high school or college-aged. Plenty of feels to discuss.

Part mystery, part "finding oneself" story, all charming!

Absolutely enthralled with this debut novel from Graham Norton! I never would have pegged him as an author, but if he keeps writing wonderful stories like this one, he will quickly become my favorite!

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.
I loved A Keeper by Graham Norton. It was the perfect blend of a family story with a light thriller / mystery. A perfect book for fans of Lianne Moriarty's The Last Anniversary or Ruth Ware's The Death of Mrs. Westaway. It would make a great summer or vacation read.

This definitely falls into the sorbet category. Unfolding in two timelines, one concerns Elizabeth's discovery of the truth of her parents' lives, unraveling secrets she didn't know existed, and the other forty years in the past in which those secrets are exposed. I was attracted by the setting of the earlier story (isolated crumbling house on the windswept Irish coast), and Graham Norton does a fine job of setting his scenes. There's even a little poke at the effects of current day increased tourist presence in both town and windswept etc., the gentrification of the area. I liked Elizabeth and was impressed by her eventual dawning acceptance of her past, and what that had on her future life. There are a few surprises, and I enjoyed it on the whole.

The big draw for me was the Irish setting, an old house and a mystery about a past life. The book is divided by chapters titled Now and Then. We start off in present with Elizabeth Keane returning to her childhood home in Ireland. Her mother has died and Elizabeth must clear out the house and make a decision regarding selling.

Elizabeth was never extremely close to her mother Patricia, often wishing she had a father figure in her life. Whenever she asked questions about her father Patricia would always say he was a kind man and he died shortly after they were married. After college she moved to New York and started her own life, marrying, divorcing and ending up with a son named Zach.

Now she is back in Ireland to see the home she inherited, trying to avoid her nosy cousins, anxious to return home. Now that wouldn’t be me! I would love to have a home in Ireland and spend half the year there. Anyway, as she’s cleaning out a wardrobe she comes across a package of handwritten letters, love letters from her father Edward Foley.

We drift into the Then chapters and see what Patricia was like fifty years ago. As you read the backstory about Edward and Patricia, get to know the horror of Edward’s mother (I mean truly) the story that unfolds takes such a neck braking twist that I couldn’t out it down. Trust me, you’ll be surprised.

Elizabeth’s son Zach and ex-husband have minor roles; mostly they could have been left out in my opinion but it adds slightly to the story. If you’d like to armchair travel to West Cork Ireland (past and present) and enjoy a mystery you will enjoy this book.

When I requested this book I didn’t know the author was the Graham Norton, the Irish television host. Impressive – I will certainly look for more by Mr. Norton.

Much thanks to Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. Publication date is August 13, 2019. All opinions are mine and I was not compensated for this review.

Sharing with Joy for the British Isles Friday series.

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.