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Death on the Hill: The Killing of Celine Cawley
The case that had lies, betrayal, sex. The story that fascinated the nation.
On 15 December 2008, two screams shattered the peace of the affluent Windgate Road in Howth, Co Dublin. Celine Cawley, founder of the hugely successful Toytown Films, former model and ‘Bond girl’, lay dying on the patio of her home. A major garda search got underway for the balaclava-wearing burglar that Celine’s husband, Eamonn Lillis, had described so vividly as his wife’s attacker. But it quickly became clear that there was no burglar, and the finger of suspicion pointed squarely at Lillis himself.
Journalist Abigail Rieley, who covered the trial for the Irish Independent, gives a step-by-step account of the day of the killing, the garda investigations, explores the relationship between Lillis and Cawley and between Lillis and his mistress, and gives a day-by-day account of the sensational trial and its impact on the families.
On 15 December 2008, two screams shattered the peace of the affluent Windgate Road in Howth, Co Dublin. Celine Cawley, founder of the hugely successful Toytown Films, former model and ‘Bond girl’, lay dying on the patio of her home. A major garda search got underway for the balaclava-wearing burglar that Celine’s husband, Eamonn Lillis, had described so vividly as his wife’s attacker. But it quickly became clear that there was no burglar, and the finger of suspicion pointed squarely at Lillis himself.
Journalist Abigail Rieley, who covered the trial for the Irish Independent, gives a step-by-step account of the day of the killing, the garda investigations, explores the relationship between Lillis and Cawley and between Lillis and his mistress, and gives a day-by-day account of the sensational trial and its impact on the families.
312 pages, Paperback
First published June 14, 2010
16 people want to read
About the author
Abigail Rieley
2 books17 followersI was born in London but most of my life has been lived in Ireland. Being naturally nosey and wanting to earn money for spending my days writing, journalism seemed the obvious career path. I've now been a journalist for almost 20 years and until recently specialised in the courts. Over the last five or six years there haven't been many murder trials in Ireland that I haven't written on. My first book, The Devil in the Red Dress was published in 2008 and was followed two years later by Death on the Hill. I'm currently spending most of my days in libraries and dusty archives with the research of my latest book.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 7, 2021
Interesting true crime read, summarizing the events surrounding Celine Crawley's death.
October 30, 2011
Wealth! Power! Glamour! Lies! Sex! Death! Dog-related pick-up lines!
Abigail Rieley's Death on the Hill: The Killing of Celine Cawley is among the best of Irish True Crime books. Concise and every page interesting, this 2010 release from The O'Brien Press delivers the sad story of former model and businesswoman Celine Cawley and her husband Eamonn Lillis.
Taken in contrast to my previous read: Catherine and Friends: Inside the Investigation into Ireland's Most Notorious Murder. DotH carries a strong narriate, a tale told at an accessible level both to those who followed the trial in the newspapers and those who are completely unfamiliar. It has the details, the dialogue, the back and forth of the killing, the investigation and the courtroom. Best of all, it is even and respectful to all participants involved. No sides are taken, and no preaching on behalf of any side in the case's controversies. CaF jumped around, repeated itself, and assumed that readers already knew the details of the Nevin case- all to the background roar of old axes grinding.
(Naturally, though, this difference is to be expected: Rieley is a professional journalist and author. Pat Flynn is a retired policeman.)
For a fine example of everyday crime and punnishment among modern Ireland's elite, Abigail Rieley's Death on the Hill is recommended.
Abigail Rieley's Death on the Hill: The Killing of Celine Cawley is among the best of Irish True Crime books. Concise and every page interesting, this 2010 release from The O'Brien Press delivers the sad story of former model and businesswoman Celine Cawley and her husband Eamonn Lillis.
Taken in contrast to my previous read: Catherine and Friends: Inside the Investigation into Ireland's Most Notorious Murder. DotH carries a strong narriate, a tale told at an accessible level both to those who followed the trial in the newspapers and those who are completely unfamiliar. It has the details, the dialogue, the back and forth of the killing, the investigation and the courtroom. Best of all, it is even and respectful to all participants involved. No sides are taken, and no preaching on behalf of any side in the case's controversies. CaF jumped around, repeated itself, and assumed that readers already knew the details of the Nevin case- all to the background roar of old axes grinding.
(Naturally, though, this difference is to be expected: Rieley is a professional journalist and author. Pat Flynn is a retired policeman.)
For a fine example of everyday crime and punnishment among modern Ireland's elite, Abigail Rieley's Death on the Hill is recommended.
July 1, 2013
This was an excellent and professional read. A faithful and objective narrative of events which even people unfamiliar to the story will be able to follow. The crime itself, the court case and the aftermath. A quick and easy to read book that flowed exceptionally well. It was not sucked into talking to much about the backgrounds of the victim or offender in a bid to glamorize instead highlighting only what was relevant to the case. I was also delighted to see that Ms Rieley did not try to say what the family might of thought!
It was interesting to see how this case was perceived by the media. One curious question I have is the punishment of the newspapers responsible for leaking the victim's daughter. It was for the press to decide a suitable amount to be donated to the charities. Why was no amount chosen for them?
It was interesting to see how this case was perceived by the media. One curious question I have is the punishment of the newspapers responsible for leaking the victim's daughter. It was for the press to decide a suitable amount to be donated to the charities. Why was no amount chosen for them?
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews