The Good Mistress

by Anne Tiernan

The new novel from international bestseller Anne Tiernan, with her trademark wit, sharp observation, charming warmth and devastating honesty when it comes to mid-life.

Juliet never planned to be the other woman, but Rory was the only man she'd ever loved. She was sure he'd leave his frustratingly perfect wife - until he went and ghosted her, literally.

Maeve is a bestselling novelist, and yet between her exasperating husband, teenage sons and ailing mother, success feels hollow. When she dallies in a surprising infidelity of her own, her carefully constructed life begins to unravel.

Erica was the perfect wife, but Rory knew things about her that no-one else can ever know. And now she's left with a question she doesn't want the answer had she lost Rory long before he died?

As three women's lives collide, they must reconcile the realities of love, betrayal and the limits of forgiveness - because what does it truly mean to be 'good', anyway?

'Tender, raw and moving . . . I was drawn in from the first page' Sinéad Moriarty

'Draws you in and doesn't let go . . . perfect for fans of Meg Mason' Edel Coffey

363 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 29, 2025

About the author

Dr Anne Tiernan is a leading Australian scholar in public policy. Her career spans higher education, federal and state government, consultancy and teaching. Now managing director of mission-led consultancy firm Constellation Impact Advisory, Anne consults regularly to organisations committed to purpose and positive impact. She has written extensively on the political–administrative interface, governmental transitions, policy capacity and executive advisory arrangements. Her publications include The Oxford Handbook of Australian Politics (co-edited with Professor Jenny Lewis, 2021), Lessons in Governing: A Profile of Prime Ministers’ Chiefs of Staff and The Gatekeepers: Lessons from Prime Ministers’ Chiefs of Staff (both with RAW Rhodes, Melbourne University Publishing, 2014), Learning to be a Minister: Heroic Expectations, Practical Realities (with Patrick Weller, Melbourne University Press, 2010) and Power Without Responsibility: Ministerial Staffers in Australian Governments from Whitlam to Howard (UNSW Press, 2007).

Dr Tiernan is a National Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia and a Fellow of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG). An Adjunct Professor with Griffith University, and previously a member of the university’s senior leadership team, Anne served as inaugural Dean (Engagement) of the Griffith Business School, where she led development of the Group’s internationally acknowledged Engagement Strategy and operating model.

Reviews

[Rita Egan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Good Mistress
By Anne Tiernan

There are a couple of things about this book that I didn't know before I began reading it. The author is from the town I live in and the story is set in a fictionalised version of that town, the end of my road, and the only things she has changed are the names. It's hard to find fault with anything that registers as true about a place you are inextricably connected to. She also has a very famous brother who is a school pal of most of my in-laws, and is practically the patron saint of the town. His particular type of wit is not so unique and outlandish when you get to know the people of this area, and it obviously hasn't bypassed the author either.

This is a character driven story of friends reunited told through the perspectives of three women, about a group of four friends who palled around in 1990. The story opens at the funeral of one, in 2022. It contains coming of age, love triangles, an untimely death, secrets and misunderstandings, and a lot of coming to terms with past decisions.

Tiernan paints messy characters whose choices and decisions are hard to fathom but she embues them all with a vivid wit that makes them interesting and loveable. They all have hidden vulnerabilities that would make your heart go out to them.

There's a running theme of parental concern for their teenage children and how different a world they are growing up in, a stark contrast to the free ranging, smoking/ drinking by the river adolescence they experienced themselves.

This was a complete surprise for me. I worried it was going to be a version of "Dirt birds" at the beginning but if anything, with all it's heart and soul, it almost gave me vibes of Maeve Binchy.

I will make it my business to make all my friends and neighbours read this one this summer. I won't be able to go up Swan's
Lane or past the Old Bridge ever again without seeing shadows of Juliet and Rory, Maeve and Dan.

Publication date: 15th April 2025
Thanks to #Netgalley and #headlinebooks for providing an eGalley for review purposes

[Gwen Cooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - found it a bit repetitive and disappointing - I wanted to like it more but I preferred her first book !

[Mairead Hearne (swirlandthread.com) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Good Mistress by Anne Tiernan published April 15th 2025 with Hachette and is described as ‘a compelling, powerful story of love, family, betrayal and forgiveness’.

The lives of three women collide over the years in this second novel from Anne Tiernan, following on from her absolutely stunning 2023 debut The Last Days of Joy. Juliet has been living in Auckland, having left her home in Ireland many years previously. Unsettled and dissatisfied Juliet has always presented herself as quite anarchic in her actions, always rebelling against societal expectations and what is considered the norm. Her mother, Denise, is unwell so Juliet returns to Ireland with her teenage daughter, Ruby but she also has an ulterior motive. The one man she ever truly loved, Rory, has died and she wants to be present at his funeral.

Juliet and Rory shared a history from childhood and, as the pages turn, we get flashbacks to their fraught and anxiety-riddled teenage years. One summer, when hanging out, they crossed paths with the new girl in town, Maeve, who very quickly became part of their gang. With Dan, the local doctor’s son, they made up a foursome that remained close until tragedy struck. Over the years that followed their contact, as a group, fizzled out, but now, with Juliet’s return, old memories are brought to the fore.

Maeve remained in town, married with two boys and a husband, and a career as a successful writer. On paper, Maeve would appear to be happy with her life choices. But Maeve is frustrated with her life. Her mother, who has been diagnosed with dementia, is living with them and Maeve feels her own connection to reality slowly slipping away. She is frazzled with the demands on her time, even more so after meeting up with Juliet after all these years. Maeve and Juliet are connected by a past that forever entwines them but now, with Rory buried, they need to delve deep into their relationship and create a new future for themselves.

Erica, Rory’s wife, has always curated an illusion of perfection, leaving others with the impression that she is remote and in control. But Erica is far from perfect. Following Rory’s death she is faced with some stark realities and as the days pass, she discovers hidden secrets, while also being forced to accept some truths about herself.

These three women have all come to a juncture in their lives, with storylines that will resonate with many readers. Anne Tiernan highlights multiple themes, including marriage, friendships, aging parents, betrayal, grief and loss, all sensitively and authentically handled. Juliet, Maeve and Erica are all trying to solidify their place in the world. Juliet has been running away for years, Maeve has been living a dissatisfied existence and Erica has been living a lie. Combining the past and the present, Anne Tiernan has written a beautiful story, exploring the fragility of life and how, although there are some things that are out of our control, we do have a say in our destiny. Many of us are caught up in our busy lives, unable to see the wood from the trees, and The Good Mistress is almost like a stop sign, forcing us to relook at where we are. Our happiness is vital to our health and this very emotive tale encourages us to just slow down a little.

A very captivating read, The Good Mistress, is an intimate and evocative story, another well-crafted novel from this gorgeous writer.

[Jane Gregg · Rating 2 out of 5]

This should have been my cup of tea - but wasn’t

[Leanne Webster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had looked at this book a few times and it sounded good from the back. I had high hopes but was a little disappointed.

The concept is great. It’s about 3 woman, firstly Juliet, who never really got over her childhood bestie and first love Rory.

Rory is married to Erica, the perfect wife. They are wealthy, successful and from the outside looking in, they are the perfect couple. Except when Rory is sleeping with Juliet. Juliet is sure that Rory and her will be together someday but in the meantime, Juliet will take any part of Rory she can, and she does.

Maeve is a bestselling author but feels trapped in a boring marriage with an ailing mother. She finds excitement and the possibility of her own infidelity at a chance encounter at the airport.

Juliet, Rory, Maeve and Dan were inseparable as teenagers and their experiences and upbringing shaped them as adults. Juliet, Rory and Maeve will always share the grief of losing Dan and each carry a bit of guilt about the circumstances of his death.

The story is good and I did really enjoy it however, I never really knew if we were in Ireland or New Zealand and whose kids belonged to who. I think the story focused so much on the main characters the rest was a bit under developed and I didn’t feel like I was “in” the story. I also didn’t particularly like Juliet. I thought she was selfish and bitter, but I guess that was the intention.

I would love to hear what others thought of this book as it’s has a great plot maybe it just the right timing for me.

[Ameya · Rating 4 out of 5]

An ode and pyre to doomed love. Enjoyable.
A story set-in small-town Ireland, told mainly from Juliet’s POV but also from her childhood friend, Maeve’s, and Erica’s. Juliet and Rory, Maeve and Dan were best friends at school. The kind that met to escape their parents, who in Dan’s case were cruel and neglectful, and in Rory’s case, drunk and absent.

If you look past judgements of adultery, Juliet was in love with Rory and this is a love ode to Rory. A pyre if you like to that doomed romance. Though she didn’t intend to be the mistress of the title, Rory her only true love, and yet it seemed could never love a woman or stay true to her. Then he ghosted her; and died too young. The question that is left unanswered is was Rory unfaithful to Juliet herself, with another mistress, a ‘bad one perhaps. I didn’t understand why Anne Tiernan brought in that gap.

Erica was Rory’s perfect wife, like cut crystal, cool and opaque. They had a son together, but only she and Rory knew her suffering multi miscarriages. Then, only Erica herself did. Even Rory butted out of her pain, and wasn’t there to support her. There was a bond, fragile as it was, as they shared secrets unshared with the outside world. But she knew she had pushed away Rory long before his death.

Maeve, the least interesting character, is a bestselling novelist, frazzled by her dying mother, husband and teenage kids. She spends much of the novel reminiscing about their teen days, though always seems on the periphery of all the action and tension shared by Juliet and Erica – and heartache.

Against type, Erica and Juliet begin an email trail, that starts being cloaked by Juliet, then open. There isn’t the rancour you’d expect, and if I were being less charitable, I’d say that Anne Tiernan is well-versed in the need for the sisterhood to be upheld in current novels; alternatively, it’s nice not to show women as being at one another’s throats as has been the case by many male novelists of old.

This is not a crime novel as I'd expected from the blurb. An enjoyable if quiet read. There are editing mistakes, e.g. people don’t laugh words, '"... you're very compliant,' he'd laughed." Yuck. This is poor English. The story for its quiet Irish countryside reminded me of ‘Gone with the Wind’, Rory being Heathcliff and Juliet, Cathy, except that though the former is dead, and love is all one-sided by Juliet. Though middle-aged, the female protagonist is obsessed with Rory, her first love. He had jilted her cruelly, but Juliet's OCD fixation with him lasted through time, life and death. Obsession can be sweet.

This review also appears in https://thereadersvault.blogspot.com/....

[Lakinloveslit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a character driven novel set in a small Irish town centred around three women who are all connected to Rory, who has just died. Juliet was Rory’s mistress, and his friend since they were kids. Erica was his wife, and Maeve was another childhood friend, and is also Juliet’s best friend. This book opens at Rory’s funeral, and we read about how the three women’s lives intertwine via their connection to Rory.
Because this is more character driven than plot driven, it’s hard to sum it up without telling you the whole story! I found these characters to be extremely well written though, and while they were a bit messy, it just made them feel all the more real. This did take me a few chapters to get into, but once I was introduced to the women I was hooked. I loved the snippets of their younger years as well, and seeing how the experiences they had then influenced who they were now. I loved the Irish setting, and I had a massive soft spot for Juliet’s mum Denise. This was sad at times, but overall it’s a hopeful story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I need to read Anne’s debut now, which has been sitting on my shelf for much too long!

[Sarah-Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was most impressed with this book by local author & enjoyed listening to her writing process in art fest interview . Up there with Marion Keyes for sure - actually better !
Wish I had read before I went to the talk as would be asking : do Irish women REALLY drink that much ?! I guess they do .
A story that interwove a past trauma that affected all 3 women and a centrepiece male who played a pivotal role in 2 of their lives but we could never really understand him.
Deals with complex family issues like dementia , teens on social media , affairs , the grind of marriage , death , and grief, and navigates these tensions superbly in her writing .
Bravo Anne !

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Good Mistress told from the points of view of Juliet, Maeve and Erica, moves from the present to the past and back, connecting the characters and their decisions.
Anne Tiernan paints the scenery so well, I could picture the setting, but it is the characters, who are far from perfect, that make this book. The teenage friendships with all the loyalty, angst and insecurities, the description of married life, parenthood, relationships with teenage children and aging parents is all real, the story told with compassion. The pages of this book turn themselves and kept me gripped.

[Tiyasha Ganguly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew this was going to be interesting from its premise and title. My first read by Anne Tiernan and I would like to certainly read more.

A set of messy and distinct characters coming together thinking that the other has got it better. Found the dysfunction, relationships and love to be messy yet with so much heart and reality. Loved the interactions and how it was narrated.

Thank you Headline, Hachette Books Ireland and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

[Carol Scheherazade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. No one can write stories filled with pure humanity better than the Irish. This is the author’s second book and both have been incredibly well written with well developed characters . Most importantly though, is how they reach right in to your chest and rip your heart out. Both books did that. This one, several times. Absolutely beautiful story- heartbreaking- but ending full of hope.

[Rachel Paris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anne is a wonderful writer who has written another beautifully-observed novel (check out her debut 'The Last Days of Joy"), this time about three women — Juliet, Erica and Maeve — whose lives collide in midlife after the sudden death of Rory to whom they were connected as (respectively) lover/ husband/ teenage friend. This is a tender, funny, thoughtful novel. Highly recommend.

[JanGlen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this over two weeks (a long time for me) which may have affected my response to it. It was fine, I was never reluctant to pick it up, I was interested in the story. It is well written and the characters and their interactions are believable, but by the end I was just tired of them. So - three and a half stars, rather than the four I intended until half way through.

[Charlotte Lobb · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Good Mistress offers an entertaining dive into a world of love and affairs. It's a beautifully written, honest, raw and addictive read that pulls you into its tangled web of secrets and doesn’t let go.

[Etain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some parts I enjoyed but found the Juliet character beyond belief. Erica was a cardboard cut out.
I liked the character of Maeve and her teenage sons / mother / husband - I felt it was the only character that rang true

[Edel Tiernan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It made me laugh and cry ❤️

[Cathy Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Well written and good one for the holidays. For Irish people living away I think it resonates. The sense of belonging, or not, in each place. Where is home.

[Caroline Croezen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story. The character of Juliet was maybe a bit unrealistic in her wildness is my only criticism.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book grew on me - and as a mother of teenage boys has some very relatable stuff!

[Mags Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

It seemed all over the place and I could find the flow , even for one character. Just couldn't connect.