This Plague of Souls | Mike McCormack

A man accused of political manipulation returns from a mysterious trial to his home in the west of Ireland only to find it deserted in this terse, brooding noir, named a most anticipated book of 2023 by The Guardian, The Irish Times, and The New Statesman.

Someone out there is convinced Nealon has a plan, that he is masterminding a series of financial crimes in order to reshape the world. But Nealon has other things on his mind. Returning home after a period of imprisonment, he finds himself alone in a cold house. No heat or light, no sign of his wife or young son anywhere. Then he gets a call from a man who claims to know where they are and what's happened to them?a man who'll tell Nealon all he needs to know in return for a conversation.

In the shadow of an unfolding terrorist attack, Nealon meets the man in a confrontation underpinned with secrets and unknown dangers as the narrative races to a breathtaking, emotionally devastating conclusion. Part roman noir, part metaphysical thriller, This Plague of Souls is a post-pandemic story for our fractured times.