It Could Never Happen Here' by Eithne Shortall is a fascinating examination of the Irish small community of Cooney where nothing is secret and playground politics dominate the lives of the parent of Glass Lake Primary School. We are told from the start a body has been pulled from the river - who it is and why they ended up dead remains a mystery as we follow the two weeks prior to the death. This is a black cloud looming over the narrative, the past interspersed with flashforwards to police interviews and the investigation. It is perfect for a cosy autumnal/wintery read and I highly recommend.

This was my first time reading a book from the author but I am delighted to say I thoroughly enjoyed the story and I look forward to reading more books from the writer in the future

By the time I got to this one, it was archived so I have no idea. Nothing drew me to reading it immediately, and I feel that says it all.

This was a fast paced entertaining read. I loved some of the characters and hated others. The mystery was engaging. It made me laugh out loud on occasions. The twists were surprising

An enjoyable and interesting read set in Ireland amongst a small local community. This book reflects on a group of parents ‘supporting’ their children’s school. The power they yield might feel exaggerated, and maybe, in some ways, it is the extreme view, however it felt altogether scarily realistic in my experience.

There is a lot of pointing the finger of blame towards others and their children, deflecting awkward situations, playground drama. Put this alongside a police investigation, with clues as to the exact nature of the investigation and people involved, police interviews appearing throughout the story, and the reader is likely to be intrigued. Watch out for the old lady too, what is going on there?

This is very much a character-driven story. My main problem was trying to follow all the multiple narrators and remember who they were and how they were connected. That said, it made the plot more interesting following the action and trying to solve the mystery. Two characters who I did really like were Arlo and Beverley’s mum, who both add alternative storylines to the main parent pack. Don’t be fooled by the easy going feel in the book, there are some challenging themes dealt with quite sensitively.

A cleverly plotted rural drama.

An enjoyable read, we find ourselves involved in the playground politics and gossip in a small town in Ireland. It definitely has some unexpected turns but overall I struggled to connect with the characters. It wasn't a terrible read but I don't think it would be one I remember or recommend in the future.

This is a delightful gem from beginning to end. I have been captivated and completely unwilling to put this one down.

There was a lot going on in this, and I struggled to keep track of it all. It really mired the book for me which is a shame because I think it could be golden with less to keep track of.

Ann entertaining read. A comical story of betrayal and gossip and modern day parenting. Really enjoyable read.

Eithene Shortall presents a gripping but comical story of betrayal, gossip, and mysteries surrounding a school play, a small town village, and a shocking death.I really enjoyed this, it was a fun read with some heartfelt serious moments. I thought the plot was well formulated and I was gripped to the last page. A great read.

This book was not one that drew me in which we it had to many characters and to many themes, it went from cat they to a body being found in the same few days in what appears to be a very small town.
The main storyline is set around a school production at Glass Lake primary school and it goes from cyber bullying to the theft of a cat.

This book was extremely slow going and as such I
really drew me in.

Thanks to Netgally and the publishers for giving me a free digital copy of this book in exchange for a free, crank an honest review.





T

If you've ever lived in a "naice" area and dealt with the mom mafia then you'll recognise a lot of the characters in this book! The mom with a finger in every pie, the gossip etc. And how they all believe (or profess to) that their little darling wouldn't just not melt butter. They'd freeze it!

Beverley is the Queen B of Glass Lake Primary. This year she's directing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (not to be confused with The Wizard of Oz....it's based on the book darling not the film). All tge other moms want their little darlings to have staring roles, especially when it's announced it will be filmed for Irish TV. But then a scandal erupts, involving her own daughter. Secrets are about to be revealed. Glass Lake might not be as perfect as they all think.

This is a warm and funny story that somehow deals with some pretty sensitive subjects in a deftly light way, but never diminishing how serious they are. A great read.

I enjoyed this book but maybe not as much as others by this author. I found some of the characters irritating and the storyline a bit far fetched.

I had a few download issues with the book and by the time it was sorted, the file had unfortunately been achieved. Happy to re-review if it becomes available again.

This plot is based around multiple families in a small community, where past happenings entwine secrets and scandals. Although the residents think the shameful events have been buried, someone is looking to out them all, but who? When a deceased body is discovered, there is an added element of a murder mystery to this. Think ‘Big Little Lies,' and you have the concept!

There are serious issues discussed within this story, but the author’s writing ensures they are handled sensitively, avoiding anything extremely graphic. I do not want to expose these in detail, spoiling the plot twists to potential readers. Some people may find these scenes upsetting and are advised to research this book before reading.

The overall story was decipherable, with an adequate flow expected in this genre. Eithne Shortall’s narrative is planned out well, making this book theoretically enjoyable for other readers.

A downside to this book is that I failed to relate to any characters. There were actions by a few of the parents that were harsh and cruel and made for an uncomfortable read for my preferences. Unfortunately, I feel there are better books on the market with similar storylines.

However, I am not too disheartened and will look out for future work by this author.

Such a great book and funny in parts.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

Rounded down from around 4.5 stars ⭐️

It Could Never Happen Here follows the lives of those involved in an Irish primary school in a small town. A scandal is about to tear their lives apart in ways they couldn’t have foreseen. Can they protect their children and keep the school musical going?

I have a bit of a love for books set in a small Irish town, so I absolutely loved the setting of this book. I really felt the claustrophobia of living in such an insular community where everyone thinks they know your business. There are very few characters who you can actually like, but that is definitely the point of this book. I did end up loving Arlo and Charlie. I always have a soft spot for the underdog, but they showed so much kindness and bravery. The drama seeping into the lives of these rich mums gave me Desperate Housewives vibes (although I admit I’ve never seen it). It kept me desperately wanting to turn the pages.

My only small complaint is that multiple points of view were used and weren’t clearly marked. I love the depth that comes with seeing multiple perspectives and it worked perfectly for this book. But the lack of obvious marking made it difficult for my brain to catch up to the shift at times. I did love the inclusion of extracts from the police interview though, I felt that was a fun addition! I also loved all the twists and reveals that happened near the end! I almost felt like I got whiplash, I just could not keep up! I do love it when a mystery/crime book can surprise me! I will definitely be looking out for more books by this author now!

I would recommend this to those who love a mysterious crime novel with a large dose of playground drama. But please be aware there are some possible triggers in this book, so be very careful if this could be an issue! I want to thank NetGalley, Atlantic Books and Eithne Shortall for allowing me to read this book and give my personal thoughts.

I wish I had enjoyed this book more, but I found it a hard slog to get through.

I don’t know what I was expecting, maybe Big Little Lies, but I found I could not relate to the unlikeable, shallow characters. The book did pick up about half way through, which is why this was a DNF, however, the plot twist at the end wasn’t enough for another star.

I am clearly in the minority, as this book has received so many glowing reviews, so if you enjoy novels based on small-time cliques with their bitchiness and politics, it may be worth giving this a read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

This book is part murder mystery and partly a look into small town Ireland. I found parts enjoyable while others were a struggle - the cat storyline was ridiculous - but overall, this is a good read.

I liked this dark farce about pushy parents. My experiences at the school gates taught me how many parents live vicariously through their kids out of boredom.