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Derry Women #7
Useless
Delinquent housekeeping meets the God Particle.
When shambolic mother Fionnuala Flood delivers her first child Moira at the beginning of the Peace Process in Northern Ireland, it's an uncertain and violent time and a very difficult birth, the memory of which will haunt Fionnuala always. More difficult for her to come to terms with, though, is what Moira eventually reveals herself to be: a useless daughter.
Twenty-five years later, Fionnuala is shocked at what's been done to her son Padraig on the Moorside's mean streets. Fionnuala wants to do all she can for him with the resources she has. Which are none. It doesn't help that Fionnuala suspects her husband Paddy of playing away. Fionnuala has no inkling that, to help her son, she'll put in motion a chain reaction that will unleash her most audacious plan yet, a plan that might lead her back to Moira and the girl's shocking new scientist job in Switzerland. Can they find a way to love each other again?
Throw into the mix Ursula and Jed Barnett, Fionnuala's arch enemies, and you have a touching and uproarious darkly comic tale of a little science, a lot of family dysfunction and, hopefully, some reconciliation. Sometimes the most useless things can turn out to the the most useful.
Contains the previously-released prequel A Difficult Birth
When shambolic mother Fionnuala Flood delivers her first child Moira at the beginning of the Peace Process in Northern Ireland, it's an uncertain and violent time and a very difficult birth, the memory of which will haunt Fionnuala always. More difficult for her to come to terms with, though, is what Moira eventually reveals herself to be: a useless daughter.
Twenty-five years later, Fionnuala is shocked at what's been done to her son Padraig on the Moorside's mean streets. Fionnuala wants to do all she can for him with the resources she has. Which are none. It doesn't help that Fionnuala suspects her husband Paddy of playing away. Fionnuala has no inkling that, to help her son, she'll put in motion a chain reaction that will unleash her most audacious plan yet, a plan that might lead her back to Moira and the girl's shocking new scientist job in Switzerland. Can they find a way to love each other again?
Throw into the mix Ursula and Jed Barnett, Fionnuala's arch enemies, and you have a touching and uproarious darkly comic tale of a little science, a lot of family dysfunction and, hopefully, some reconciliation. Sometimes the most useless things can turn out to the the most useful.
Contains the previously-released prequel A Difficult Birth
- GenresAmazon
Kindle Edition
Published September 16, 2020
177 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Gerald Hansen
27 books64 followersMember of the Mystery Writers of America and the Crime Writers Association, best-selling author Gerald Hansen was a Navy brat. He started school in Thailand, graduated high school in Iceland, with Germany, California and his mother's hometown of Derry, Northern Ireland in between. He attended Dublin City University, and also lived in London and Berlin. The first of his Derry Women Series, An Embarrassment of Riches, was an ABNA semifinalist in 2011. His Derry Murder Mysteries series has been a great success. He also has a travelogue series, Around the World with Jet Lag Jerry. He loves spicy food, wearing Ben Sherman and traveling around the world (still). He lives in NYC.
Author pic by Marcin Kaliski
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Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 1, 2021
Fionnuala's grudges get in her own way
Her grudges get in her own way. Fionnuala, the mother of all mothers, worries about reading her daughter’s email, and finally decides she could read the first sentence and figure out the tone. “But that Moira was a cunning wee bitch, especially where writing was concerned. Fionnuala remembered Lotto Balls of Shame….Maybe Moira would start the email in a friendly way, lure her mother in, only to drop some bomb in the next paragraph, followed by insult after insult after insult.”
This compilation of the Derry Women histories, Moira’s European travels, plus dark comedy in quiz shows, science, superstition, spy thriller and an overblown HR department is total crack-up much needed right now. Enjoyed much.
Her grudges get in her own way. Fionnuala, the mother of all mothers, worries about reading her daughter’s email, and finally decides she could read the first sentence and figure out the tone. “But that Moira was a cunning wee bitch, especially where writing was concerned. Fionnuala remembered Lotto Balls of Shame….Maybe Moira would start the email in a friendly way, lure her mother in, only to drop some bomb in the next paragraph, followed by insult after insult after insult.”
This compilation of the Derry Women histories, Moira’s European travels, plus dark comedy in quiz shows, science, superstition, spy thriller and an overblown HR department is total crack-up much needed right now. Enjoyed much.
December 6, 2020
Love This Series
I just love the Floods and their adventures. I liked that this part focused on the relationship between Finnoula and Moira. The comic relief of Ursula and Jed going back to Derry and hiding in the caravan that Finnoula has been banished to in a previous story was just hilarious, I can't wait for the next part of this excellent series
I just love the Floods and their adventures. I liked that this part focused on the relationship between Finnoula and Moira. The comic relief of Ursula and Jed going back to Derry and hiding in the caravan that Finnoula has been banished to in a previous story was just hilarious, I can't wait for the next part of this excellent series
February 20, 2021
Love the Derry Series!!
March 10, 2023
Another great story
Ugh, these books are so hard to put down. The wild happenings just keep calling me to pick it up and continue reading. This family is so funny and so nuts.
Ugh, these books are so hard to put down. The wild happenings just keep calling me to pick it up and continue reading. This family is so funny and so nuts.
February 15, 2021
My review
I loved this book! I haven't laughed so much! That little black book! F this family didn't have such bad luck, they wouldn't have any at all. It was a great read.
I loved this book! I haven't laughed so much! That little black book! F this family didn't have such bad luck, they wouldn't have any at all. It was a great read.
February 16, 2021
His books just get better and better!
March 9, 2024
This is another book in the series of Derry Women that Gerald Hansen has written. The author starts at the very beginning of the feud between Fionnuala and Ursula. As it happened, the feud began when Fionnuala was giving birth to Moira, while Paddy and his friends were at the bar celebrating the pre-birth of the baby. It flashes back to the present day and ends well for the two of them. If you like the Derry Women series you will like this.
October 25, 2025
pretty good
The story was all over the place, but entertaining. I enjoyed the Belfast vernacular; the ridiculous intrigue, not quite so much.
The story was all over the place, but entertaining. I enjoyed the Belfast vernacular; the ridiculous intrigue, not quite so much.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews