by Jackie Walsh
‘Are you hungry?’ I say, placing lamb chops into the sizzling pan. Shay points at the rising steam with excitement in his eyes.
‘Starving,’ Conor says, a touch of city lingo creeping into his words.
He lifts Shay into the air, piloting him across the room. Lifting a spoon to scrape some yoghurt from a tub, I watch Shay’s face light up and hear my phone ringing again.
‘Who could that be?’ I say.
‘Do you want me to get it?’ Conor says.
‘Yeah, see who it is.’
Conor puts Shay back into the highchair then takes my phone from the table.
‘No contact name, just a number,’ he says, swiping it open before I have a chance to tell him not to.
‘Hello,’ he says. ‘Yes, she’s here, hang on.’
‘Who is it?’ I mouth silently, to which Conor shrugs his shoulders.
Wiping my hands on some kitchen roll, I take the phone from him.
The voice is low. Nervous. But I recognise it immediately.
‘Mam.’
A letter from Jackie
Dear reader,
Sincere thanks for reading my third novel, Five Little Words. I’m grateful to you for sharing your precious time with Laura, Conor and the folks of Ballycall.
If you enjoyed it, I would love to hear your thoughts via a review. Knowing what you think of the story is important to me.
This story is not true and all the characters are fictional.
To those of you who have already read my first two books, Familiar Strangers and The Secrets He Kept, I thank you for your support and reviews.
You are welcome to contact me with any questions or comments at anytime. I’m available on Facebook and Twitter.
Best Wishes
Jackie Walsh
https://twitter.com/JackieWalsh_ie
https://www.facebook.com/jackiewalsh.ie/
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to my publishers at Hera Books, Keshini Naidoo and Lindsey Mooney. Thank you for having faith in me and for your continued hard work and guidance.
To those who have supported my journey so far, in particular, those who read Familiar Strangers and The Secrets He Kept. Your kind words of support and great reviews are truly appreciated. Every positive word you send my way, pushes me on.
To my writer friends who have encouraged me along the way, Patricia Gibney, Louise Phillips, Niamh Brennan, Grainne Daly. Andrea Carter, Declan Burke, Conor Kostick, Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin and many more. Marie Brennan, thank you for your help and hard work.
To my family and friends, whose support I am extremely grateful for. The girls in Lollipops, who’ve risen to the challenge of these difficult times. Well done ladies, and thank you.
For the people I meet on the street, Pat, neighbours, friends who stop to tell me they’ve enjoyed my book. Every word of encouragement cheers me on.
Paul, Layla, continued love.
First published in the United Kingdom in 2020 by Hera
Hera Books
28b Cricketfield Road
London, E5 8NS
United Kingdom
Copyright © Jackie Walsh, 2020
The moral right of Jackie Walsh to be identified as the creator of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781912973521
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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