★★★★ (4 out of 5)

Thanks to NetGalley, Crown Publishing, and Tim Duggan Books, I was able to read Lisa McInerney’s The Glorious Heresies ahead of its American release date. Below is my unbiased review:

The Glorious Heresies is a bleak look at the underworld of modern Cork as told through a handful of intertwining storylines. There is murder, drugs, prostitution, rape and somehow, in the end, a little bit of hope.

Despite nearly every character being guilty of despicable acts, the author does a fine job of humanizing each and every one of them. She even interjects a welcome touch of humor from time to time — especially in the character of Maureen, who is guilty of murder AND burning down a church!

I usually don’t like stories in which all of the characters seems inexplicably intertwined (I hated Crash!), but McInerney spins her tale in such a way as to make these interactions seem completely plausible.

All in all, this debut novel is one that I would recommend — especially for fans of gritty, urban dramas — and I look forward to reading more of McInerney’s work.

The Glorious Heresies was released on August 9, 2016.  Order it HERE.