Beneath the Stairs: The Disappearance of Tina Satchwell and the Discovery that Shocked the Nation

by Ralph Riegel, Paul Byrne

IN 2017, TINA SATCHWELL VANISHED FROM HER COUNTY CORK HOME. HER HUSBAND RICHARD CLAIMED THAT SHE HAD TAKEN THEIR SAVINGS AND LEFT OF HER OWN ACCORD.

But as questions mounted, suspicion grew. Why did her husband wait four days before reporting her missing? And would Tina have left behind her purse, her phone and, most importantly, her beloved pets?

Here, with chilling detail and exclusive insights, journalists Ralph Riegel and Paul Byrne peel back the layers of a case that has gripped Ireland for over eight years.

From how Tina and Richard met just days after she moved to the UK as a vulnerable seventeen-year-old, to the search of the house that would lead to Richard Satchwell's downfall, Beneath the Stairs traces the cold-blooded deception of a man, bent on control, who lied to hide the truth while living above his wife's hidden grave.

Amid the darkness, a picture emerges of a kind and open-hearted woman, cherished by a family who never gave up hope that, one day, they would get justice for their beloved Tina.

324 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 30, 2025

About the author

Ralph Riegel lives in Cork. He has worked as a journalist for several newspapers including The Cork Examiner, The Evening Echo, The Evening Herald and The Sunday Independent and is the southern correspondent for The Irish Independent. He is also a regular contributor to RTE, BBC and TV3 and to British newspapers including the (London) Independent and The Daily Telegraph.

Reviews

[celene irwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant

As I am from Youghal but haven't lived there for over 30 years, I followed this story on the news headlines but the book gives a huge in depth insight to exactly what happened. It explains in detail what happened to poor Tina. The book is very detailed and very well written. Well done to the author