Highly acclaimed suspense writer Patrick McCabe has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize for both The Butcher Boy and Breakfast on Pluto. He has been hailed as "a dark genius of incongruity and the grotesque" by the Sunday Observer. In Winterwood, Redmond Hatch takes his family on vacation to the secluded mountains where he grew up, only to have his life shattered by a disastrous chain of events that quickly spirals out of control. "One of Ireland's finest ..."-New York Times Book Review
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"It is creepy in so many ways. Yes, it's a page turner, yes the unreliable Red Hatch keeps readers on their toes as we have to piece together the truth from the fiction he creates in his own head. Moreover though, at it's core, this book focuses on the terrible effect abuse has both on society as a whole and the individuals subjected to it. We shake our heads in disgust but have no idea what to do about it's cyclical effect on generations."
— Beth (4 out of 5 stars)
" Okay, so I read this after previously having read The Butcher Boy. Both were good - I liked them, but neither changed my life, as they apparently have many other readers. I feel like I'm always hearing how amazing The Butcher Boy was! I thought both Butcher Boy and Winterwood were interesting, and both had wonderfully creepy/eerie moments, but I felt like both kind of lost a little gas toward the end... Every once in a while I veer off from crime novels to something a little more "high brow", and I gotta say, I'm always eager to get back to the crime! "
— Julie, 2/20/2014" Hard to follow the plot line and characters were unlikeable....got through it, but barely. "
— Joanne, 2/18/2014" Strange book. I have my own personal opinions about those who find it frightening. "
— Courtney, 2/12/2014" Its a wee bit tiresome when the whole book is narrated like an Irish, yes a native Irish man gone bit batty, well not a bit batty, he's feelin' quite better actually, goin' to work and such, but aye there's Ole Pappy again, and he's a-sittin' with his daughter in the winterwood, his precious wee one, the pretty lass is asleep, always asleepin, or is she but gettin back to Ole Pappy, aye that was just a dream but there he is, asittin and OH JUST SPIT IT OUT ALREADY. "
— Megan, 1/21/2014" This was . . . what was this? Sort of disturbing and sort of confusing. It kind of leaves you with the impression that anyone might be a paedophile. The supernatural/unhinged-mind aspect kept it from being a bit humdrum. "
— Erin, 1/11/2014" The narrator is McCabe's darkest and most shattered character. He is a brilliantly complex human disturbance. I was reluctant to visit further with him every time I saw the book on the bedside table. Brilliant. "
— Peter, 1/10/2014" McCabe's terrifyingly flippant approach to horror at its best. "
— Kevin, 1/9/2014" With Winterwood, McCabe delivers a disturbing yet amazing story. Well worth the read. "
— Min, 11/30/2013" A bit disjointed but with a bit of effort a good read. "
— Tony, 11/15/2013" I couldn't even finish it. "
— Aini, 1/6/2013" I am surprised that so many people liked this book. What am I missing? Really, I felt like it was a waste of my time. "
— Darlene, 10/31/2012" To winterwood we go, holding bears' hands through slush past raincoated trolls until Ned's fiddle doth sound again and the noose's shadow subsumes the din. "
— Nicholaus, 3/14/2012" A good enough quick-read thriller. Not McCabe's best, I'm told. "
— Jocelyn, 2/11/2012" I am sad to say that bought this book for my husband for Valentine's Day. Let's just say it doesn't inspire romance. This is a gritty and disturbing novel. If you like the idea of an unreliable narrator you will like this book. Creative and intriguing. "
— Sadie, 5/10/2011" If you want to unnerve yourself and get totally out of your comfort zone, this one is for you. As always, McCabe delves into quite an unsettling world of love, loss and everything that comes with being Irish "
— Elise, 11/29/2010" This is essentially a horror story that I read in my Irish Lit class, although I have found its connection to Irish identity issues tenuous. An interesting read, but off-putting because of the topics of cyclical child molestation, child murder, and family murder. Don't say I didn't warn you. "
— John, 10/8/2010" No one does unreliable narrators like Patrick McCabe. Definitely not a lighthearted read, but the ending is absolutely chilling. "
— Holly, 10/2/2010" creeeeeppy. "
— Lindsey, 7/22/2010" What a total piece of crap - hated everything about it - poor writing, horrible characters and very uninteresting plot. Don't waste your time. "
— MARGO, 3/23/2010Patrick McCabe is an Irish novelist known for his dark novels often set in contemporary Ireland. His books include The Butcher Boy and Breakfast on Pluto, both of which were shortlisted for the Booker Prize. He has also written a children’s book and several radio plays broadcasted by the RTÉ and the BBC Radio 4.
Gerry O’Brien is an experienced Irish actor with a familiar face. His numerous film credits include Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, Lassie, King Arthur, Veronica Guerin, and The Old Curiosity Shop. He also has enjoyed an impressive array of television credits. His work may be seen in Trouble in Paradise, The Tudors, and Game of Thrones. Gerry has also worked as a professional actor on the Irish theatrical stage since 1970, and is well known internationally in the world of the audio novel, with an impressive catalog of work which has been nominated for several awards in the UK and the United States.