The Last Bench: a thrilling Quick Read from the author of The Stolen Child

by Carmel Harrington

From the bestselling author of The Stolen Child, a brand new gripping and emotional story of loss, family devotion and buried secrets . . .

Journalist Vega Pearse arrives at the home of Anne and John Davis to interview them for a piece she is writing on the local drug crisis.

The devoted couple show Vega around their beautiful blossom tree maze, which sits at the top of their garden. They tell Vega their family's life story and share their devastation at losing a child.

But as they approach the last bench in the maze, Vega starts to suspect there is something they're not telling her.

And secrets, like memories, rarely stay buried for ever . . .
___________________________

Readers love Carmel Harrington!

'OMG! Unputdownable! Shocking! Brilliant! Amazing!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'This author's books are always brilliant and I honestly think this is her best one yet . . . Brilliant characters and some OMG moments. I loved it' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I love a book with a twist and this one was both unanticipated until the time was right, and believable - a rare combination! Add it to your pile!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I couldn't put this book down. I had so many theories to how the story would end, it kept me guessing . . . it just begs to be read in one sitting' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Carmel Harrington at her best. Plot twists & turns on every page!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Praise for Carmel

'This complex novel requires faultless plotting, and Harrington pulls it off with consummate ease' SUNDAY TIMES

'One of the greatest twists I've ever read' CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD

'An addictive, immersive, incredibly poignant page-turner' ANDREA MARA

'Clever, compelling and compulsive, a read-until-the-early-hours rollercoaster' AMANDA GEARD

'A compelling, extremely tender page-turner' ADELE PARKS

124 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 9, 2026

About the author

Carmel Harrington is an International bestseller of thirteen novels. She is from Co. Wexford, where she lives with her husband, Roger, children Amelia and Nate, and their beloved rescue dog, George Bailey.

Her latest novel, The Stolen Child, was a Sunday Times best crime fiction of the year selection and was described as ‘Endlessly surprising. This complex novel requires faultless plotting, and Harrington pulls it off with consummate ease.’ Carmel’s debut was a multi-award-winning novel, and several books have been shortlisted for an Irish Book Award. She is a regular on Irish TV screens and radio and has been a guest speaker at Literary events in Ireland, UK and USA. She was also Chair of the Wexford Literary Festival for three years.

Carmel’s emotional and gripping storytelling, with relatable characters, twisting plots and evocative locations, has captured readers' hearts worldwide. Her novels, including The Lighthouse Secret, The Girl From Donegal, A Mother’s Heart, and The Moon Over Kilmore Quay, have been Irish Times, Sunday Times, USA Today, and Amazon bestsellers.

Carmel loves hearing from readers, so please feel free to connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram @HappyMrsH, or join Curl Up With Carmel Book Club, an online book club on Facebook.

Reviews

[The Cookster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.0/5

"The Last Bench" is part of the 2026 Quick Reads programme from The Reading Agency. The scheme is primarily intended to attract new readers or to tempt lapsed readers back into the fold, but you don't need to fall into either of those categories. Personally, I am a very much a supporter and always try to read all of the books they publish each year.

That point aside, I also have great admiration for any writer who can successfully tackle the short story format. There is a real skill in constructing a rounded story, with fleshed-out characters in the space of a hundred or so pages. Author, Carmel Harrington, achieves that with this solid example of the short format. This tells the story of Anne & John Davis who are interviewed at their home by Vega Pearse, a journalist working on a piece about the current drugs crisis. Anne & John have their own personal and emotional link to the effects of drug dealing and that provides the foundation for this warm and touching story. A pleasing read that should take about ninety minutes of your time.

[Jodie Kirkland · Rating 4 out of 5]

The things we do for our children. 🩷

[Maureen Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another quick read for World Book Night. The story of a couple whose lives are changed when they lose their daughter. A lovely little book and I may read other novels by this author.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vega is a young journalist trying to write an article about the drug situation in her town, but all her leads keep bringing her back to the same person: a drug dealer allegedly involved in the death of a young woman thirty years ago. Unable to find him, she decides to interview the victim’s parents, who have created a blossom maze in her memory. From there, an intriguing story unfolds. This is one of the Quick Reads of 2026, so it is a very short and accessible story. The plot is engaging, and the characters are touching. A nice, easy read.

https://redheadwithabrain.ch/index.ph...

[Karin Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 / 5, rounded up for GR.
Though I've never read anything by Carmel Harrington before, I've enjoyed a number of the 'quick reads' from previous years, so thought I would give this one a go.

'The Last Bench' was really well written, with an interesting plot spread over dual timelines. Unlike some of the other 'quick reads' I've read, I thought the characters were very well developed and this was, in and of itself, a solid standalone story. I found 'The Last Bench' to be a complete and engaging read. If anything, this has inspired me to read more of Harrington's work, particularly some of her longer form novels.

[Lizzie Morrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gripping quick read and I admire any writer that can have you hooked in such a short piece. But the twist was incredibly obvious, so much so that I’d argue it’s not a twist at all - it was telegraphed very early on. And I’m terrible for guessing the twists and never see them coming! But that didn’t stop it being an engaging short story and an enjoyable way to spend an hour.

[Kath · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written story, tugs on your emotions as an elderly couple tell their story about loosing their daughter to drugs at a young age, they explain the toll it had taken on their family and how they were full of anger at the justice system as the culprit walked free. They didn’t know a moments peace until they took matters into their own hands.

[Erica⭐ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This tells the story of Anne & John Davis who are interviewed at their home by Vega Pearse, a journalist working on a piece about the current drugs crisis. Anne & John have their own personal and emotional link to the effects of drug dealing.

[Fleury · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable book. It was titled "Quick Read" and it's very very short so it was an extremely quick read.

I really enjoyed it. I think that Carmel Harrington is a really good writer.

I'll happily read anything else by her

[Emma]

Sweet book

[sian.reads.books · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up for Goodreads

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable but not my favourite read.
Well written, so I'll try this author again, I just wasn't so keen on the plot and ending.

[Sophie Beuzeval · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brilliant quick read!

[Ella Dancey · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took a while to get going but had an interesting ending, good for a quick read

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A huge amount of skill is required to be able to write a complete story in this format
The twist may be somewhat predictable but I enjoyed the storyline very much

[Eleanor Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad

[Rhiann · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, easy read. A lovely story, and very much enjoyed meeting Vega again from The Nowhere Girls who I thought was a memorable and very likeable character.

[Tracy Jagger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down. A bitter sweet story but loved the relationship between the parents. Will definitely read one of Carmel's full length books now.

[Mairi Byatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brought back so many hideous memories! We paid for 3 or four benches for family members from Uk and Canada and New Zealand! They all got removed!
Edinburgh city council are grave robbers!

[Hannah Peck · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping short story, full of intrigue.

[Cheryl Briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short story but a good one.

[Helly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick easy read. Sort of predictable.

[Peter Longden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sharply written. Atheists as unexpected as the maze that is central to the plot…no more spoilers, it is worth the read.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in one sitting. Was a bittersweet story. Will definitely be reading more of hers

[Mary Roland · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. A short story. Easy to read with large font and short chapters. Made a pleasant filler in between longer books with heavy content.

[Charlotte · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Sian Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable, easy short story. Easy to work out how the story would end but definitely worth reading.

[Imogen Wolff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The perfect pocket book

[Trudie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable short story