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The Seventh Body
After decades of dereliction and inner-city neglect, Barrack Street, Cork is finally being excavated. The work uncovers the skeletal remains of six men, scattered around the site, their hands and feet all bound, all clearly killed violently, but many decades, even centuries, ago.
When a seventh body is found, Detective Garda Alice McCann knows immediately this one is different. It's female, for a start, and considerably more recent. Who was she? And who killed her?
Alice is determined to find the truth and bring the killer to justice - and, desperately seeking a way back to who she used to be, she also senses that this might be the case to do it.
But powerful forces are determined to stop her. Cork is small, with all kinds of hidden connections, and plenty of people who used to be friends, who now live very different lives... But their shared history unites them. And their secrets.
When a seventh body is found, Detective Garda Alice McCann knows immediately this one is different. It's female, for a start, and considerably more recent. Who was she? And who killed her?
Alice is determined to find the truth and bring the killer to justice - and, desperately seeking a way back to who she used to be, she also senses that this might be the case to do it.
But powerful forces are determined to stop her. Cork is small, with all kinds of hidden connections, and plenty of people who used to be friends, who now live very different lives... But their shared history unites them. And their secrets.
394 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 6, 2025
54 people are currently reading
242 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
September 5, 2025
3.75/5.0
A solid book, a solid police procedure from start to finish. I found the reveal and twist at the end to completely take me by surprise. I like how Detective Garda Alice McCann was written I found her to be a likeable, determined gritty character. My only bone to pick with the book is how we never got confirmation from Alice or her supervisor of her role which would have provided all the closure I needed for the book to formally end. Overall its not a bad book (I do have to give a disclaimer that this book has hints of SA near the end of the book).
The plot is about how a group of human skeletons are discovered on a derelict building site, seven bodies to be exact (with 1 body in particular to be female and very recent). Detective Alice McCann is assigned to work on this case (as well as balance her commitments with other cases) determined to track the killer however her superiors are holding her back after what happened before on another case which ruined the public image of the police. As Alice begins to investigate and probe more, the more she cant help notice the connections to another case she is working on. Could it all be linked together and reveal more about the female body discovered?
Overall, its a great read. Its got a solid logical plot making it clear and easy to follow!
A solid book, a solid police procedure from start to finish. I found the reveal and twist at the end to completely take me by surprise. I like how Detective Garda Alice McCann was written I found her to be a likeable, determined gritty character. My only bone to pick with the book is how we never got confirmation from Alice or her supervisor of her role which would have provided all the closure I needed for the book to formally end. Overall its not a bad book (I do have to give a disclaimer that this book has hints of SA near the end of the book).
The plot is about how a group of human skeletons are discovered on a derelict building site, seven bodies to be exact (with 1 body in particular to be female and very recent). Detective Alice McCann is assigned to work on this case (as well as balance her commitments with other cases) determined to track the killer however her superiors are holding her back after what happened before on another case which ruined the public image of the police. As Alice begins to investigate and probe more, the more she cant help notice the connections to another case she is working on. Could it all be linked together and reveal more about the female body discovered?
Overall, its a great read. Its got a solid logical plot making it clear and easy to follow!
December 16, 2025
I gave ChatGPT various criteria and asked it to suggest a book to read. This was the only suggestion I liked the look of, but it was good.
August 8, 2025
I have never read anything by this author before and I LOVED this!!! Could not put it down, hoovered through it. It's a really clever story about human remains discovered on a building site. Six of the bodies are from centuries ago however one body is recent. Detective Alice McCann is trying to solve the case but her past is hanging over her. Can she prove to the team she is reliable? Loved this. Will definitely read more by this author.
March 9, 2025
When six sets of bones are found on a construction site, the Garda are called in to investigate. The bones are ancient but a seventh set of bones found are much more recent. The main character Alice is a detective and this is a police procedural set in Cork.
I found the pace really slow, I don’t know if maybe this was because this was part of a series and I haven’t read the others or if this is just the writing style, particularly the references to things in Alice’s past that I had no idea about (again I think this was because I hadn’t read the previous books) I also struggled with the characters as there was just too many for me. I wouldn’t recommend this as a stand alone but I do think as a series it would be great.
2.5 rounded up.
This is my honest opinion in my exchange for my gifted arc, with thanks to NetGalley, publisher and author.
I found the pace really slow, I don’t know if maybe this was because this was part of a series and I haven’t read the others or if this is just the writing style, particularly the references to things in Alice’s past that I had no idea about (again I think this was because I hadn’t read the previous books) I also struggled with the characters as there was just too many for me. I wouldn’t recommend this as a stand alone but I do think as a series it would be great.
2.5 rounded up.
This is my honest opinion in my exchange for my gifted arc, with thanks to NetGalley, publisher and author.
August 24, 2025
This is Catherine Kirwan’s fourth novel and I have to say that I definitely wasn’t disappointed. Catherine lives in Cork and all of her books so far are based in the city but prior knowledge of Cork is not required to read this book as Catherine’s description of the city makes the reader feel right at home. The main character in the first three books was solicitor Finn Fitzpatrick who gets sucked in to finding the killer but this time, the main character was Detective Garda Alice McCann although Finn does make a brief appearance.
Alice has recently moved to Cork from Dublin after a “hiccup” at work, a broken relationship and a nervous breakdown. Her Garda colleagues in Cork don’t really trust her to do a good job so Alice has to work extra hard to prove her worth.
A derelict building site in Cork’s Barrack Street is being cleared to make way for a fancy new block of apartments. As the diggers move in, six bodies are discovered. The archaeological team quickly determine that they are from the 16th century but then another body is found under the floor of an old pub. This body is more recent and so the Garda team (including Alice) start to investigate but they are hitting a brick wall. Then another dead body is found on a park bench and Alice suspects that both deaths are related.
All in all, this is a great crime story and kept me addicted to find out who was the culprit although the ending was completely unexpected. As a lover of Irish crime, I’m looking forward to Catherine’s next book and hope that Alice makes a comeback.
Alice has recently moved to Cork from Dublin after a “hiccup” at work, a broken relationship and a nervous breakdown. Her Garda colleagues in Cork don’t really trust her to do a good job so Alice has to work extra hard to prove her worth.
A derelict building site in Cork’s Barrack Street is being cleared to make way for a fancy new block of apartments. As the diggers move in, six bodies are discovered. The archaeological team quickly determine that they are from the 16th century but then another body is found under the floor of an old pub. This body is more recent and so the Garda team (including Alice) start to investigate but they are hitting a brick wall. Then another dead body is found on a park bench and Alice suspects that both deaths are related.
All in all, this is a great crime story and kept me addicted to find out who was the culprit although the ending was completely unexpected. As a lover of Irish crime, I’m looking forward to Catherine’s next book and hope that Alice makes a comeback.
January 8, 2026
A funny one this!
It's a fairly solid story, full of little life-like details. It's a fairly easy read. But I also found a little hard to follow in places - so so many names! And also a very neat ending, it felt a little 'easy' almost.
3 is about right.
It's a fairly solid story, full of little life-like details. It's a fairly easy read. But I also found a little hard to follow in places - so so many names! And also a very neat ending, it felt a little 'easy' almost.
3 is about right.
February 10, 2025
As a big fan of Catherine Kirwans books and the character Finn Fitzpatrick I was thrilled to be given an advance copy of the Seventh Body. I knew Finn wouldn't be the main character but I also knew the story was within the same universe.
The story revolves around Barrack Street in Cork where human remains have been discovered during the digging for new apartments. Six bodies have been discovered and it is clear they have been there a very long time, shortly after a seventh body is discovered and it is clear this one is different.
Detective Garda Alice McCann is trying to get her career back on track, she becomes involved in the case.
This was superb. I flew through it. I did not expect to see my old stomping ground of Sir Henry's featured in a book like this and it took me down many a memory lane. I am a huge fan of Catherine's writing style, her characters are so well written they jump off the page, they are so well rounded and no thread is left loose by the time you get to the last page.
Exquisite. Thank you Net Galley
The story revolves around Barrack Street in Cork where human remains have been discovered during the digging for new apartments. Six bodies have been discovered and it is clear they have been there a very long time, shortly after a seventh body is discovered and it is clear this one is different.
Detective Garda Alice McCann is trying to get her career back on track, she becomes involved in the case.
This was superb. I flew through it. I did not expect to see my old stomping ground of Sir Henry's featured in a book like this and it took me down many a memory lane. I am a huge fan of Catherine's writing style, her characters are so well written they jump off the page, they are so well rounded and no thread is left loose by the time you get to the last page.
Exquisite. Thank you Net Galley
May 4, 2025
It was interesting reading a crime novel set in Cork, a city I know quite well. The street names and places were familiar, such as Dealz and Centra.
This book starts at a construction site where six bodies in an archaeological context have been found. The Gaurds have been called in as a formality, but when a seventh body is found under the pubs flagstone floor wearing a modern pair of boots from the 1990's, an investigation takes place.
The pov is from the perspective of Alice McCann, who is introduced to us as someone who has fallen from grace in her past police roll and is going through a probation period. Unfortunately, we never find out more about this, which was a bit of a plothole in my opinion.
There are multiple characters who are introduced throughout the book, which did at times get slightly confusing, but as it all started to come together and wrap up, I was totally invested. One character, Patricia shines a lot of light on the past and on Donna, our murdered body. We get to know who Donna was and the lads she hung around with.
I really enjoyed the process of a police investigation while reading The Seventh Body. It followed along quite well with how I think a police investigation would be handled. Catherine Kirwan herself being a solicitor.
This was very Irish in place and lingo. Something I've not read before. I quite enjoyed this book.
This book starts at a construction site where six bodies in an archaeological context have been found. The Gaurds have been called in as a formality, but when a seventh body is found under the pubs flagstone floor wearing a modern pair of boots from the 1990's, an investigation takes place.
The pov is from the perspective of Alice McCann, who is introduced to us as someone who has fallen from grace in her past police roll and is going through a probation period. Unfortunately, we never find out more about this, which was a bit of a plothole in my opinion.
There are multiple characters who are introduced throughout the book, which did at times get slightly confusing, but as it all started to come together and wrap up, I was totally invested. One character, Patricia shines a lot of light on the past and on Donna, our murdered body. We get to know who Donna was and the lads she hung around with.
I really enjoyed the process of a police investigation while reading The Seventh Body. It followed along quite well with how I think a police investigation would be handled. Catherine Kirwan herself being a solicitor.
This was very Irish in place and lingo. Something I've not read before. I quite enjoyed this book.
September 19, 2025
I know I'm the only one who didn't LOVE this book but what a drag.
It started off with good potential but it dragged and dragged and dragged.
It had a good ending, once we found out who the murderer was, but that was the very ending.
I made myself finish it because I'm not able to do DNF - once I've started a book I have to read it all and finish it, no matter how much I disliked the book.
I had high hopes for this book because I think Catherine Kirwan is a good writer.
Not sure I'll continue reading anything else by her.
This book was a disaster for me. I know I'm alone in my feelings/thoughts but more than enough already
It started off with good potential but it dragged and dragged and dragged.
It had a good ending, once we found out who the murderer was, but that was the very ending.
I made myself finish it because I'm not able to do DNF - once I've started a book I have to read it all and finish it, no matter how much I disliked the book.
I had high hopes for this book because I think Catherine Kirwan is a good writer.
Not sure I'll continue reading anything else by her.
This book was a disaster for me. I know I'm alone in my feelings/thoughts but more than enough already
March 20, 2025
The Seventh Body, the Irish Bestseller by Catherine Kirwan, published March 6th with Hachette Ireland and is described as ‘a chilling, gripping female detective thriller, inspired by true events’.
Catherine Kirwan’s previous three books featured Cork solicitor Finn Fitzpatrick but she has changed tack slightly with The Seventh Body introducing us to Detective Garda Alice McCann. There are a few Easter Eggs littered throughout that regular readers will recognise but for anyone new to Catherine’s work, The Seventh Body works perfectly as a standalone.
I recall a few years back reading a newspaper article about the discovery of the skeletal remains of six men during the demolition of a well known Cork pub that was being redeveloped. Work stopped immediately as the archaeology team were brought in and the radiocarbon dating began. The positioning of the bones pointed to a military-style killing possibly from 1400-1600s. Catherine Kirwan was inspired by this gruesome discovery and, with a more modern twist and some brilliant tweaks, The Seventh Body was born.
With more of a leaning to the police procedural than previously, Catherine Kirwan leads us on an active investigation through the sights and sounds of Cork city. With the recent discovery of seven bodies on a construction site in an older part of the city, the reader journeys back to Cork in the 1990s. This was a time when Sir Henry’s Night Club was the place to be for many but it was also around that time that ecstasy hit the streets of Cork. I was in my twenties during those heady years but I remember it well when the rave scene took hold of a generation and there was a shift in the nightlife vibe within the city.
Detective Garda Alice McCann has a personal history that is ever-present. Her reputation has taken a battering in recent times within the force and Alice is all too aware of the snide remarks and comments made behind her back from her colleagues. When her boss offers her an opportunity to step up and be involved in this new case, Alice is tentative but also aware that she has to prove herself as an officer all over again.
It’s clear to all involved that six of the bodies are historic but it is the seventh body that raises so many questions, very quickly leading to a murder investigation. Alice is a brilliant investigator with an alternative approach to any work she undertakes but she has to step very carefully around this latest case as with one wrong step, she knows that her days as an active Garda could be in jeopardy.
As Alice trawls through every snippet of information, any clue that could possibly lead to the truth, she is shadowed by her past. Nervous and constantly on edge, Alice reaches deep and begins to make a tentative connection with who the murder victim is. With intricate research and an inquisitive mind, she questions and probes, interweaving invisible threads and joining the dots taking the reader on a tense and compelling adventure through the streets of the city across different periods of time. Addictive and intense, with brilliant pacing, the suspense is built with each expertly crafted scene.
Unputdownable, The Seventh Body is a fabulously executed crime novel with a wonderful new protagonist who is both flawed and very relatable. An absolute cracker of a novel, The Seventh Body is a jaw-dropping tale with complex and believable characters. Let’s hope we’ll see more of Detective Garda Alice McCann!
Catherine Kirwan’s previous three books featured Cork solicitor Finn Fitzpatrick but she has changed tack slightly with The Seventh Body introducing us to Detective Garda Alice McCann. There are a few Easter Eggs littered throughout that regular readers will recognise but for anyone new to Catherine’s work, The Seventh Body works perfectly as a standalone.
I recall a few years back reading a newspaper article about the discovery of the skeletal remains of six men during the demolition of a well known Cork pub that was being redeveloped. Work stopped immediately as the archaeology team were brought in and the radiocarbon dating began. The positioning of the bones pointed to a military-style killing possibly from 1400-1600s. Catherine Kirwan was inspired by this gruesome discovery and, with a more modern twist and some brilliant tweaks, The Seventh Body was born.
With more of a leaning to the police procedural than previously, Catherine Kirwan leads us on an active investigation through the sights and sounds of Cork city. With the recent discovery of seven bodies on a construction site in an older part of the city, the reader journeys back to Cork in the 1990s. This was a time when Sir Henry’s Night Club was the place to be for many but it was also around that time that ecstasy hit the streets of Cork. I was in my twenties during those heady years but I remember it well when the rave scene took hold of a generation and there was a shift in the nightlife vibe within the city.
Detective Garda Alice McCann has a personal history that is ever-present. Her reputation has taken a battering in recent times within the force and Alice is all too aware of the snide remarks and comments made behind her back from her colleagues. When her boss offers her an opportunity to step up and be involved in this new case, Alice is tentative but also aware that she has to prove herself as an officer all over again.
It’s clear to all involved that six of the bodies are historic but it is the seventh body that raises so many questions, very quickly leading to a murder investigation. Alice is a brilliant investigator with an alternative approach to any work she undertakes but she has to step very carefully around this latest case as with one wrong step, she knows that her days as an active Garda could be in jeopardy.
As Alice trawls through every snippet of information, any clue that could possibly lead to the truth, she is shadowed by her past. Nervous and constantly on edge, Alice reaches deep and begins to make a tentative connection with who the murder victim is. With intricate research and an inquisitive mind, she questions and probes, interweaving invisible threads and joining the dots taking the reader on a tense and compelling adventure through the streets of the city across different periods of time. Addictive and intense, with brilliant pacing, the suspense is built with each expertly crafted scene.
Unputdownable, The Seventh Body is a fabulously executed crime novel with a wonderful new protagonist who is both flawed and very relatable. An absolute cracker of a novel, The Seventh Body is a jaw-dropping tale with complex and believable characters. Let’s hope we’ll see more of Detective Garda Alice McCann!
February 21, 2025
I’ve read a few of this author’s previous books which are all located in Cork where this one is also set. However “The Seventh Body” features a different set of characters from the earlier books although lawyer Finn Fitzpatrick and her friend, Sadie do appear.
Alice is a Garda detective with a past, transferred back to her local town after she has made a professional mistake in Dublin,something which has also affected her health.
Keeping her head down she tries to avoid trigger situations but when a body is found in a building site which is being redeveloped she becomes involved. One of seven corpses, the seventh body turns out to be a far more recent burial, having been put there in the 1990s.
As the Gardai start to investigate, Alice becomes more and more interested particularly as the murder starts to tie into another investigation.
This was an atmospheric mystery which moved along at a good pace and held my attention from page one. Alice was a good lead character, dogged and determined to solve the mystery and give the victim a semblance of justice but also fighting her own demons. The reader is not aware of the full extent of of her problems until the last few pages.
This was a dark novel but also a book that emphasised the pain that keeping secrets can cause. Many characters including Alice learn this in the course of the story.
I definitely recommend this as a five star read and although I have never been to Cork or the places mentioned I really felt that the author conveyed the setting in a realistic and interesting way.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.
Alice is a Garda detective with a past, transferred back to her local town after she has made a professional mistake in Dublin,something which has also affected her health.
Keeping her head down she tries to avoid trigger situations but when a body is found in a building site which is being redeveloped she becomes involved. One of seven corpses, the seventh body turns out to be a far more recent burial, having been put there in the 1990s.
As the Gardai start to investigate, Alice becomes more and more interested particularly as the murder starts to tie into another investigation.
This was an atmospheric mystery which moved along at a good pace and held my attention from page one. Alice was a good lead character, dogged and determined to solve the mystery and give the victim a semblance of justice but also fighting her own demons. The reader is not aware of the full extent of of her problems until the last few pages.
This was a dark novel but also a book that emphasised the pain that keeping secrets can cause. Many characters including Alice learn this in the course of the story.
I definitely recommend this as a five star read and although I have never been to Cork or the places mentioned I really felt that the author conveyed the setting in a realistic and interesting way.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.
July 8, 2025
After her Finn Fitzpatrick books I found this murder mystery a definite step up in Ms Kirwan's writing. Again set in darling Cork (yay I've had a pint in Tom Barry's pub) it features a new protagonist in Alice McCann, barely hanging on to her garda job after messing up badly. A young detective under pressure she shows her steel and resolve by doggedly doing good, basic police work as well as following her hunches. Her boss in Cork has given her a last chance but she has a lot to prove. She comes through and plays a major role in bringing the murderer - her former lover - to justice. A good result for the reader - Alice is likeable, the former lover and murderer a cad.
Finn Fitzpatrick has a walk-on part, will we see her again? We find the friendly DS Sadie O'Riordan again, and an inevitable bully, boss Feeney. I liked Fogarty, Alice's sidekick. I also liked the 'Patricia' thread which gave some historical background of Cork in the 90s, when the murder occurred.
I didn't like the way that the author decided to give us Alice's back story at the end, after the case was done. If at all, this ought to have been done earlier in the book. And finally, I boggle at the number of people she acknowledges in creating the book. I was inclined towards 5* but, for me, it slumped to a 4* late on. Still I'm ordering up Ms Kirwan's next book right now.
Finn Fitzpatrick has a walk-on part, will we see her again? We find the friendly DS Sadie O'Riordan again, and an inevitable bully, boss Feeney. I liked Fogarty, Alice's sidekick. I also liked the 'Patricia' thread which gave some historical background of Cork in the 90s, when the murder occurred.
I didn't like the way that the author decided to give us Alice's back story at the end, after the case was done. If at all, this ought to have been done earlier in the book. And finally, I boggle at the number of people she acknowledges in creating the book. I was inclined towards 5* but, for me, it slumped to a 4* late on. Still I'm ordering up Ms Kirwan's next book right now.
September 24, 2025
The Seventh Body by Catherine Kirwan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
This was such an atmospheric, gripping read set in Cork - Catherine Kirwan really knows how to blend history, place, and crime into something compelling.
The premise hooked me right away: six long-dead men discovered beneath Barrack Street, only to be followed by the chilling discovery of a seventh, much more recent body. That twist alone had me racing through the pages.
Detective Garda Alice McCann was such a great character to follow - flawed, layered, and determined. I loved how her personal struggles added depth to the case without overshadowing it. The exploration of hidden connections, old friendships, and buried secrets in a small city felt so authentic and added to the tension.
My only gripe? There was a loose end at the end of the book that I really wish had been tied up. It left me slightly unsatisfied after such a strong build-up.
Still, this was a well-written, atmospheric crime novel that kept me turning pages. Definitely one for fans of Irish crime fiction and anyone who loves when a city almost becomes a character in itself.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
This was such an atmospheric, gripping read set in Cork - Catherine Kirwan really knows how to blend history, place, and crime into something compelling.
The premise hooked me right away: six long-dead men discovered beneath Barrack Street, only to be followed by the chilling discovery of a seventh, much more recent body. That twist alone had me racing through the pages.
Detective Garda Alice McCann was such a great character to follow - flawed, layered, and determined. I loved how her personal struggles added depth to the case without overshadowing it. The exploration of hidden connections, old friendships, and buried secrets in a small city felt so authentic and added to the tension.
My only gripe? There was a loose end at the end of the book that I really wish had been tied up. It left me slightly unsatisfied after such a strong build-up.
Still, this was a well-written, atmospheric crime novel that kept me turning pages. Definitely one for fans of Irish crime fiction and anyone who loves when a city almost becomes a character in itself.
April 5, 2025
Wow! Can I say I just loved this one! I was absolutely hooked by the storyline and the mystery and the book gives absolutely nothing away which I love! At no point does it give away the plot and kept me guessing as the threads slowly connected.
I love the premise and the usage of the real history to create the fiction and procedural. The lead's struggles and self doubt are shown brilliantly and tie up well with the overall plot. I absolutely love how well her anxiety is shown and her thirst to get it right and the struggles of the past and what actually happened. These come out well on the page.
The location becomes a character as the author does a brilliant job of leveraging it and the way the visualisation is created. I could feel the scare and panic on the pages. It is a brilliantly written book and I definitely would want to read more if converted into a series!
Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.
I love the premise and the usage of the real history to create the fiction and procedural. The lead's struggles and self doubt are shown brilliantly and tie up well with the overall plot. I absolutely love how well her anxiety is shown and her thirst to get it right and the struggles of the past and what actually happened. These come out well on the page.
The location becomes a character as the author does a brilliant job of leveraging it and the way the visualisation is created. I could feel the scare and panic on the pages. It is a brilliantly written book and I definitely would want to read more if converted into a series!
Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.
July 26, 2025
A slow burn, with a main character, Alice. She is now in the police in Cork after an incident in Dublin. She has problems with her work, but at first these are not revealed. uring building work in Cork city, bones are found. Six sets are ancient, but the 7th is more recent. Who was this young woman and what happened to her. This police procedural documents the investigation into what happened to her and then someone else is killed. Are the crimes related? At first it doesn't appear so but as the book goes on, different strands come together.
Although the pacing is fairly slow, I enjoyed this book. I loved the setting in Ireland . Alice narrates most of the book and you get to know her well, she has her own demons and these and the effect they have on her are well described so you experience the plot, now and in the past, through her eyes. The first I have read by this author, but not the last, will look out for more. Thanks to Net galley for the ARC
Although the pacing is fairly slow, I enjoyed this book. I loved the setting in Ireland . Alice narrates most of the book and you get to know her well, she has her own demons and these and the effect they have on her are well described so you experience the plot, now and in the past, through her eyes. The first I have read by this author, but not the last, will look out for more. Thanks to Net galley for the ARC
February 16, 2025
The Seventh Body is a good police procedural set in Cork. Lead character Detective Garda Alice McCann is back in her home city after difficulties as part of a national team in Dublin. We know she failed at something, and is looking to restore her reputation, but the details are revealed gradually.
Alice finds herself at a construction site where six sets of old bones have been found. Of historical value perhaps, but no more. And then a more recent skeleton is discovered. Alice is on the case, which takes her into the past of several Cork families, and ultimately allows her to face her own past.
The pace is slow at times, but The Seventh Body is intriguing throughout and Alice is a strong lead character. Her determination and quest for redemption drive her forward. It's a good read with a strong plot and a well developed cast of characters.
Alice finds herself at a construction site where six sets of old bones have been found. Of historical value perhaps, but no more. And then a more recent skeleton is discovered. Alice is on the case, which takes her into the past of several Cork families, and ultimately allows her to face her own past.
The pace is slow at times, but The Seventh Body is intriguing throughout and Alice is a strong lead character. Her determination and quest for redemption drive her forward. It's a good read with a strong plot and a well developed cast of characters.
October 20, 2025
I thought this book would be totally my jam as it mixed mild archaeology, a troubled detective and a good mystery but it didn't really deliver for me. The first few chapters were really good and then the book just lost steam for me. Alice McCann was incredibly infuriating and I'm normally such a fan of flawed female characters. I had to put the book down as she did something really stupid and it annoyed me so much. I get why she was the way she was but it just didn't work at all. I pushed through the book but i feel like this really needed reworking as the work overall was lacking. Catherine Kirwan has potential as a writer but i don't think this is the best she can do as it felt at moments like there was a shell of a better story wanting to come out.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
February 18, 2025
Based in Cork, the story starts with building work taking place ready for new apartments, but it’s brought to a halt when human bones are found. They appear to be very old so archaeologists are called in. They find six skeletons but they then find a seventh and those bones are much more recent.
Detective Garda Alice McCann is on the case and determined to solve it, despite her superiors not wanting her on such a high-profile case.
A fantastic read, highly recommended.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books Ireland for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.
Detective Garda Alice McCann is on the case and determined to solve it, despite her superiors not wanting her on such a high-profile case.
A fantastic read, highly recommended.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books Ireland for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.
February 26, 2025
This is a steady paced crime thriller, set in Cork. I liked the character of Alice, a Detective in the Garda. as she tries to solve the case of human bones found in a building site. She is determined to find justice for the victim but comes up against her superior officers and her own demons. There is plenty atmosphere and a twist at the end which explains a lot about Alice. I enjoyed the read. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.
February 9, 2025
A good story with very well written characters. There was definitely a twist that I did not see coming. I found some parts of the story dragged slightly, the parts which were really random and didn’t seem to fit with any of the timelines, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. If you like a crime drama, then you’ll enjoy this book.
June 8, 2025
Excitement galore
Different style this one Catherine
Less stuffy than college saga
Really enjoyed it and new heroine sparkey yet vulnerable
Good synopsis at end to bring it all together
Ready for a follow up???
Different style this one Catherine
Less stuffy than college saga
Really enjoyed it and new heroine sparkey yet vulnerable
Good synopsis at end to bring it all together
Ready for a follow up???
December 15, 2025
Loved the layers of this... the disgraced garda, the strange ex, the seventh body. Very, very cool. Just found the epilogue too much exposition and not necessary... should have been included earlier if it was to work well, and that lost a star.
January 10, 2025
Great procedural set in Cork. Brilliant characterisation, strong and really believable plot and a great emotional arc.
Want to read
February 23, 2025Look, Jane Casey said to read this book, so I’m going to read this book.
May 15, 2025
Loved this! Was definitely a "hard to put down" read.
Read
September 27, 2025enjoyed this, disgraced detective determined to carry on with a case. awkward reveal of her history. good procedural details.
December 29, 2025
I love supporting Irish authors and books set in ireland. this book was a gripping murder mystery along with a redemption story. loved it
July 9, 2025
‘The Seventh Body‘ was a pleasant surprise. It was more complicated and more character-driven than the police procedural that I’d expected.
The story was told mostly from the point of view of Detective Garda Alice McCann. She is recovering from some mental health issues and is struggling to establish herself in Cork, which she transferred to from an elite team in Dublin after a debacle of her own making.
McCann's account is cut across by two other voices who, initially, are unidentified but who are closely linked to the murder being investigated.
I liked the strong sense of place. I got a feel both for Cork as it is now and for how it was in the mid-i990s.
The book had a much bigger emotional impact than most police procedural novels, mostly because it was focused more on the people than the mystery.
Even so, the mystery was an engaging one. The ending surprised me in a good way, making the whole book richer.
'The Seventh Body' was a fine standalone novel but I’m hoping it will continue as a series. In the meantime, I'll be going back to read Catherine Kirwan's Finn Fitzpatrick mysteries.
I recommend the audiobook version of 'The Seventh Body' narrated by Roisin Rankin. Click on the YouTube link below to hear a sample
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ1oP...
The story was told mostly from the point of view of Detective Garda Alice McCann. She is recovering from some mental health issues and is struggling to establish herself in Cork, which she transferred to from an elite team in Dublin after a debacle of her own making.
McCann's account is cut across by two other voices who, initially, are unidentified but who are closely linked to the murder being investigated.
I liked the strong sense of place. I got a feel both for Cork as it is now and for how it was in the mid-i990s.
The book had a much bigger emotional impact than most police procedural novels, mostly because it was focused more on the people than the mystery.
Even so, the mystery was an engaging one. The ending surprised me in a good way, making the whole book richer.
'The Seventh Body' was a fine standalone novel but I’m hoping it will continue as a series. In the meantime, I'll be going back to read Catherine Kirwan's Finn Fitzpatrick mysteries.
I recommend the audiobook version of 'The Seventh Body' narrated by Roisin Rankin. Click on the YouTube link below to hear a sample
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ1oP...
April 21, 2025
What a fantastic book. My first Catherine Kirwan book but certainly not my last. This book is a real page turner which keeps you thinking throughout. Very written! Loved it!
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