Martha casts off the coat of Irish poverty. Determined and resourceful, she marries the father of her son, and they build Newcastle's most popular pub. Set against the sweeping changes of Victorian England, this story reveals a fight for survival and respectability in a world where secrets never stay buried for long. She introduces the hugely popular pub (The Barley Mow) in the Sutherland Scandals that they managed in 19th-century Newcastle. Rich with British historical detail and emotionally complex characters, Irish Secrets is a worthy addition to Wastling's series of books which novelise the lives of her actual ancestors. The Victorian era comes to life in this story, which describes what the world was really like for working-class women (and men) in the North of England in the mid-to-late 1800s. Your heart will go out to Martha, the book's Irish immigrant protagonist, who suffers so much yet always somehow finds the strength to overcome her challenges. A great book for readers who like gritty historical novels. Tracy Neis, author of Bronte Series