Episode Five

A devastating tale of love, friendship and the choices that shape our lives. Read by Amy Molloy.

In 1982, Róisín and Red meet as teenagers in Ireland. Red's reputation for trouble precedes him – but Róisín finds herself swept up in his storm, and soon their connection deepens.

When a brush with the law pushes Red into a corner, he escapes to start a new life in England. Róisín soon follows and, as the years pass, they remain tethered to one another. Yet Róisín yearns for Red to reciprocate her feelings for him. Will she ever be loved as she desires? What exactly is Red running from?

The new novel from the number one bestselling, Women's Prize-shortlisted author of 'Trespasses'.

Author.
Louise Kennedy grew up a few miles from Belfast. She is the author of the acclaimed short-story collection, 'The End of the World Is a Cul de Sac', which won the John McGahern Prize. Her debut novel 'Trespasses', published in 2022, has been translated into over twenty languages. It won Eason Novel of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards, Book of the Year: Debut Fiction at the British Book Awards and the McKitterick Prize, and was also shortlisted for several awards including the Women's Prize for Fiction, the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize and Barnes and Noble Discover Prize. In 2025, 'Trespasses' was made into a limited TV series by Channel 4, starring Lola Petticrew, Tom Cullen and Gillian Anderson. Before starting her writing career, Kennedy spent nearly thirty years working as a chef. She lives in Sligo.

Reader: Amy Molloy
Writer: Louise Kennedy
Abridger: Rowan Routh
Producer: Michael Shannon

A BBC Audio Northern Ireland Production for BBC Radio 4.