A Week in Winter: Introduction by Cathy Bramley

'A book designed to be read in a dark January chill; it begs for a fireside and the sound of wind and rain howling outside' THE LADY This winter, escape to a warm and wonderful clifftop hotel with the world's favourite storyteller. Now with brand new introduction by Cathy Bramley, bestselling author of Merrily Ever After. 'Sometimes she would go and walk the cliffs at night and look out over the ocean...' Set high on the cliffs on the west coast of Ireland, Stone House was falling into disrepair until one woman, with a past she needed to forget, breathed new life into the place. Now a hotel with a big warm kitchen and log fires, it provides a welcome few can resist. And so gather the guests: some with secrets, some longing to leave their old lives behind, and some hoping the break at Stone House will help them find a way to face the future... 'A book to treasure' HELLO 'Full of her trademark warmth, humour and lovable characters' WOMAN 'A master storyteller' MARIAN KEYES

About the Author :
Maeve Binchy was born in County Dublin and educated at the Holy Child convent in Killiney and at University College, Dublin. After a spell as a teacher she joined the Irish Times. Her first novel, LIGHT A PENNY CANDLE, was published in 1982 and she went on to write over twenty books, all of them bestsellers. Several have been adapted for cinema and television, including TARA ROAD. Maeve Binchy received a LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD at the BRITISH BOOK AWARDS in 1999 and the Irish PEN/A. T. CROSS AWARD in 2007. In 2010 she was presented with the BOB HUGHES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD at the BORD GAIS IRISH BOOK AWARDS by the President of Ireland. She was married to the writer and broadcaster Gordon Snell for 35 years, and died in 2012. Visit her website at www.maevebinchy.com

Review :
A book to treasure. It's classic Maeve Binchy territory, filled with characteristic warmth and captivating storytelling Set in a country house hotel on the West coast of Ireland it's full of her trademark warmth, humour and lovable characters Binchy's compassion and warmth are undimmed ... Over her long career as a novelist she tackled many serious issues with the compassion, intelligence and wit that anyone who ever read her wonderful journalism would expect. ... All the characters in A Week in Winter are struggling - with traumatic memories, with isolation, with regret. Yet Binchy guides her creations through their troubles with a firm and kind hand, leaving them ready for a happier future. Maybe that's why so many readers loved her so much. That and the fact that she always knew how to tell a very good story This is a book designed to be read in a dark January chill; it begs for a fireside and the sound of wind and rain howling outside ... If you haven't come across her before, you've got a real treat in store It is no exaggeration to say that Maeve and her books were loved. Deservedly so. A Week in Winter is shot through with her trademark charm ... here is an author who had a zest for life Warm, witty and with a deep understanding of what makes us tick, it's little wonder that Maeve Binchy's bewitching stories have become world-beaters An unsurpassed grasp of what makes a good story Binchy makes you laugh, cry, and care. Her warmth and sympathy render the daily struggles of ordinary people heroic and turn storytelling into art A book to treasure. It's classic Maeve Binchy territory, filled with characteristic warmth and captivating storytelling The final novel by late Irish author Maeve Binchy is out now. Set in a country house hotel on the West coast of Ireland it's full of her trademark warmth, humour and lovable characters. Binchy's compassion and warmth are undimmed to the very end. Over her long career as a novelist she tackled many serious issues with with the compassion, intelligence and wit that anyone who ever read her wonderful journalism would expect. ... All the characters in A WEEK IN WINTER are struggling - with traumatic memories, with isolation, with regret. Yet Binchy guides her creations through their troubles with a firm and kind hand, leaving them ready for a happier future. Maybe that's why so many readers loved her so much. That and the fact that she always knew how to tell a very good story. It is no exaggeration to say that Maeve and her books were loved. Deservedly so. A WEEK IN WINTER is shot through with her trademark charm ... here is an author who had a zest for life In the final novel from the Irish legend, we meet the motley holidaymakers of Stone House hotel, each nursing their secrets or sadness during a winter break. The plot is almost irrelevant though; what matters is the warmth and charm of Binchy's storytelling. This is a book designed to be read in a dark January chill; it begs for a fireside and the sound of wind and rain howling outside. ... Binchy died this year after a prolific career that began in 1982 and during which she wrote more than 20 books, all of them bestsellers. If you haven't come across her before, you've got a real treat in store. Beguiling and heartwarming, this is a story of everyday Irish life made extraordinary by the author's trademark blend of compassionate humour and insight into human nature One of the world's best story-tellers, Maeve Binchy, died in 2012, so I do hope you enjoy her final magically weaved story . . . This is a must-read.