Reading Wales ’25 & Reading Ireland Month ’25

Published on by Margaret

Yesterday saw the beginning of the Reading Wales Month 2025, now hosted by Karen at BookerTalk , formerly by Paula at BookJotter. March is a very busy reading month as it’s also Reading Ireland Month 2025 hosted by Cathy 746 Books. Both are now running between Friday 1 and Sunday 31 March 2025. For both events you just need to read what you want, when you want as long as the author is Welsh or Irish! And then add the links to your blog posts to the host blogs.

These are books I have in mind to read – at least one book for each event, more if time permits. I’ve listed them randomly as I discovered they are by Welsh or Irish authors – I don’t choose books based on the authors’ nationality. I had no idea I had so many to choose from. And there may be more hidden on my shelves.

For Wales:

  1. Resistance by Owen Sheers – I. It’s an alternative history novel by Welsh poet and author Owen Sheers. The plot centres on the inhabitants of a valley near Abergavenny in Wales in 1944–45, shortly after the failure of Operation Overlord and a successful German counterinvasion of Great Britain. 
  2. The Amorous Nightingale by Edward Marston
  3. The Repentant Rake by Edward Marston
  4. Winter of the World by Ken Follett
  5. Fall of Giants by Ken Follett
  6. World Without End by Ken Follett
  7. The Beautiful Dead by Belinda Bauer
  8. The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan

For Ireland:

  1. Christine Falls by Benjamin Black
  2. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell
  3. The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
  4. Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy
  5. Inspector Tom Reynolds Mystery books 1-4 and 6 and Six Wicked Reasons by Jo Spain
  6. Dublin Murder Squad books 2 – 3, 5 – 6 by Tana French
  7. Normal People by Sally Rooney
  8. Night of the Lightbringer by Peter Tremayne
  9. The Watch House by Bernie McGill
  10. Star of the Sea by Joseph O’Connor
  11. The House by the Churchyard by J Sheridan Le Fanu
  12. What You Did by Claire McGowan
  13. The Olive Tree by Lucinda Riley
  14. The Light Behind the Window by Lucinda Riley
  15. The Sun Sister books by Lucinda Riley – still not read The Pearl Sister, The Sun Sister, The Missing Sister
  16. Prince Caspian by C S Lewis

11 thoughts on “Reading Wales ’25 & Reading Ireland Month ’25”

  1. I really like your choices, Margaret. I thought The Earth Hums in B Flat was an excellent book, and with a real sense of Wales. And Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad series is, I think, very well written. I’m glad you’ve got some Peter Tremayne there,too. I must get back to his Sister Fidelma series!

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  2. Well I’ve learned something now – that Edward Marston is from Wales. I’ve seen his books around and have even bought some for my dad but never thought he had a connection to my homeland.

    I’d forgotten Ken Follett in my round up of authors people might want to consider!

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    1. I’m not sure I understand whether Edward Marston is his real name or it’s the pseudonym of Keith Miles. He states on his website – http://www.edwardmarston.com/about.html that he was born and brought up in Wales. He read Modern History at Oxford then lectured in the subject for three years before becoming a full-time freelance writer, and that ‘under the name of Keith Miles, he is the author of six crime novels whose protagonist, Alan Saxon, is a professional golfer. All the titles have a contemporary setting, each book taking Saxon to a different country. The latest, Honolulu Play-off, was published in 2004.

      Keith Miles is also the author of Murder in Perspective and Saint’s Rest, two architectural mysteries, set in America in the 193Os and featuring Merlin Richards.

      Robber barons, Elizabethan actors, Restoration rakes, Victorian villains, Edwardian adventures, American skullduggery or corruption in the world of professional golf – take your pick. All are on offer.’

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  3. I’ve already read Garrett Carr’s The Boy from the Sea for Reading Ireland, review publishing tomorrow, and I have a Sian James to read for Reading Wales. I very rarely manage both in one year (I really only allow myself to do challenges from my TBR) so it’s all very exciting!

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  5. Pingback: It’s Reading Ireland Month 2025!

  6. I had no idea Ken Follett was Welsh! I’m sure I’ve got one of his books on my audio TBR. Don’t know if I’ll have time to get to it though. Good luck – I hope you enjoy whichever ones you read!

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  7. I’m very impressed, what great lists and I’ve actually read one – The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox! Which reminds me that I must read more Maggie O’Farrell since I loved that!

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