Picked up whilst visiting a Healthy Planet shop.

"There is seldom a difficulty with religion where there is friendship."

Religion and politics are rarely cosy bedfellows and nowhere during the 20th century in Western Europe is this more evident than in Ireland with its sectarianism. In "The Secret Scripture" Barry tries to expose some very painful truths done to the country and its inhabitants in the name of religion.

Whilst it's easy to see this as simply a tale of how local priests were often omnipotent and that women were often the victims of their power, this book is also a timely reminder that the old too have stories of their own. They may now live in a home, have no immediate family to visit them but they too have histories, loves, losses, beliefs and therefore deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

I should point out that this is actually the fourth in a series about the McNulty family and I haven't read any of the previous books. This may influence my opinion but I still think that this book stands on its own merits. This is a book that leaves you with as many questions as answers and whilst I found the ending as the author tries to tie up the loose endings too neat and twee for my taste it was still well written. It isn't always any easy tale to read, some of the events are quite disturbing and heart-rending yet there is also love and hope, that events within it can one day be consigned to the history books.

Going out as a sort of Brucie Bonus. I hope that you haven't already read it. Enjoy!

Thanks for the extra book. Brucie's bonus, ha ha, that puts us both in the same age category I suspect. Many Thanks.