Wild Atlantic

by Cillian Dunne

A lighthouse. A storm. A body on the shore.

Sarah thought life on the wild Atlantic coast would be a fresh start. Instead she is stranded in a decaying lighthouse with Fergal, isolated from everything she once knew.

Then the body of an American man washes ashore. A man with the same last name as Fergal. A man last seen with his family the night before in New York.

A private investigator hired by the victim’s family crosses the Atlantic in search of answers, stirring old ties and new suspicions. The locals turn on each other. Buried secrets come loose. Sarah begins to question everything.

Love erodes. Past and present collide through diaspora. The truth does not stay buried for long.

Wild A storm-soaked mystery.

189 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 30, 2025

Reviews

[Teresa Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wild Atlantic by Cillian Dunne pulls readers straight into the storm-lashed coast of Ireland, where Sarah hopes to begin again but instead finds herself isolated in a decaying lighthouse with Fergal. When the body of an American man—sharing Fergal’s surname—washes ashore, the quiet wildness of the setting fractures into mystery and danger. The novel unfolds with the eerie pull of the sea itself, blending family secrets, shifting identities, and the haunting presence of the past with the uncertainty of what lies ahead. At once moody and immersive, this is a story that grips as much through its atmosphere as through its plot.

Wild Atlantic is so compelling is the way it balances genres: part paranormal, part mystery, part thriller. Mashups like this don’t always land, but here it works seamlessly. The novel is deeply atmospheric—you can feel the cold, taste the salt air, and hear the echo of generations in its pages. It takes the idea of diaspora to another level, tying heritage and identity into the story in ways that resonate long after the final page. There’s no fluff, no wasted words—just the perfect amount of backstory to ground you while still leaving questions about the lighthouse and the O’Brien legacy. It’s the kind of book that satisfies but also leaves you wanting more, which in this case is a very good thin

[♡Heather✩Brown♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

#ad much love for my copy

🆆🅸🅻🅳 🅰🆃🅻🅰🅽🆃🅸🅲
< @dunne.cillian >
ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ᴠɪᴀ ᴋᴜ

Thanks to my TWIN @shadows.in.my.pages - she’s literally my twin and it’s kinda freaky! She’s literally me, and I’m literally her. 😂 But thanks for hooking me up with this book 🫶🏻

I love how the author became inspired to write this book! I had no clue about Maureen, but I would love to live that isolated lifestyle (I kinda already do). Haha.

Also love a well-researched book, so I’d say write that book dude! I’d read it.

𝕽𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖊𝖜

Atmospheric and bingable AF; I loved this one. The mystery of finding out who the person who washed up was kept me hooked throughout, but the writing kept me hypnotized.

I also loved how the author mixed both America and Ireland into the plot. It made for the perfect setting and plot. I also appreciated that for a shorter read there wasn’t much fluff. Every word, sentence, paragraph, page has a purpose. I’ll def be reading more from this author! Truly fabulous.

ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕚𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖:
Mystery
Love
Atmospheric reads
Memorable characters
Lyrical prose

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

review coming soon

[Chandler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a slow burn mystery that spans the Atlantic. In under 200 pages, Cillian Dunne takes us to the Irish coast for a story that stretches all the way to America.

Sarah and her boyfriend, Fergal, live in an old lighthouse on the shore. When the body of an American man (seen in New York the night before) washes up, his family hires an investigator to look into it. What they find is something older and darker than anyone expected.

The setting was one of my favorite parts. I could picture the rocky coastline, the mist, and that creaky old lighthouse. The slower pacing worked perfectly with the setting. it felt like watching a storm roll in.

The writing is smooth and timeless. I found it easy to fall into. I’ll admit the first chunk had a lot of distaste for Americans, which threw me off at first, but by the end it made a little more sense in context. I really liked how the story used symbolism in both the lighthouse and the owls. Also, how the setting tied into themes of family, betrayal, and inescapable fate. It ended up being deeper than I expected. Touching on themes like infidelity, bloodlines and the clothe both abstract and literal idea of home.

Overall, this is an atmospheric, well written mystery with a plot you probably won’t see coming. A solid first read from Cillian Dunne for me.

Thank you to the author for the gifted copy - all opinions are my own.

[Chelsea (gofetchabook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book I’ve read by this author and found to be fantastic.

This is a slow burn, atmospheric mystery with a hint of paranormal that makes you question what’s going on.

The author talks about learning as much as he could about a real woman who lived in a remote lighthouse in Ireland and turned it into inspiration for his story.

Sarah lives on the remote coast of Iceland with her longtime boyfriend, in a lighthouse that’s been in his family for generations. When the body of an American washes up on shore, who had just been seen in America by friends and family, a mystery unfolds and secrets come to life.

I liked Sarah’s character, but would not have put up with half of the shit she did from her boyfriend. He was a scumbag and I couldn’t see why Sarah stuck around as long as she did. Even when all the secrets were exposed, and I felt a little bad for him, he really had no redemption.

Overall, this was a great read if you’re looking for something atmospheric with an odd mystery.

[Keila (speedreadstagram) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

This was my second book by this author and I can say that I really enjoy their writing. This book is o the shorter side coming in at just a tad less than 200 pages, but it is such a great story. The author fully captures the stormy, eerie vibe of the coast of Ireland, and I felt transported there. I found myself reaching for a blanket to curl up with because I could just feel the setting it was so vivid. I really appreciated the blend of genres in this book. A little paranormal (LOVE), a little mystery, and a little thriller. It was amazing.

If you’re looking for a slow burn, but fast read that will transport you to the coast of Ireland you need to check this one out!

[Stephanie]

Bodies washed up along Ireland’s west coast coincide with mysterious sights, weather and sounds around the lighthouse perched on the cliffs. This story was intriguing, heart-felt and emotional with a great amount of mystery. You won’t guess how it ends.