by Aoife McLoughlin
LIMERICK based author Carole Gurnett launched her debut historical novel ‘The Curtain Falls’ at Dooradoyle library last Thursday, March 12.
Beginning in London, 1897, the book tells the tale of Victorian actor Edmund Jeffers at the height of his fame, who leads a double life that threatens to undo him. As he is eventually unmasked, Edmund’s family and friends are forced to reassess their relationship with him. In attempt to win back his good name, the actor decides to travel to South Africa to fight in the war.
Liking the over-all feel of the book to Arthur Conan Doyle’s ‘Sherlock Holmes’, Carole describes the story as an action-packed tale of black mail and romance as it follows the fortunes of it’s characters whilst taking the reader through the exotic scenes of South Africa and back to Victorian London.
Carole who was born in England and has been living in Limerick for more than 35 years, said she had the idea for the story for a number of years. After a lot of “researching and mulling on the idea” for a while, she decided to get writing.
Speaking to the Limerick Post, Carole said: “I have always written since I was young – short stories, serialised stories etc, but I got to age 50 and I decided I had to do it.”
“I have butterflies but I am delighted about it.”
‘The Curtain Falls’ is published by Poolbeg Press and is on sale in books shops now.
