The Glorious Heresies cover art

The Glorious Heresies

Preview

Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Glorious Heresies

By: Lisa McInerney
Narrated by: Shelley Atkinson
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $26.99

Buy Now for $26.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.
Cancel

About this listen

Winner of the Baileys' Women's Prize for Fiction 2016.

Winner of the Desmond Elliot Prize 2016.

Longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize 2016.

Longlisted for the Theakstons Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year.

He was definitely dead, whoever he was. He wore a once-black jumper and a pair of shiny tracksuit bottoms. The back of his head was cracked and his hair matted, but it had been foxy before that.

A tall man, a skinny rake, another string of piss, now departed. She hadn't gotten a look at his face before she flaked him with the Holy Stone, and she couldn't bring herself to turn him over.

One messy murder affects the lives of five misfits who exist on the fringes of Ireland's postcrash society. Ryan is a 15-year-old drug dealer desperate not to turn out like his alcoholic father, Tony, whose obsession with his unhinged next-door neighbour threatens to ruin him and his family. Georgie is a prostitute whose willingness to feign a religious conversion has dangerous repercussions while Maureen, the accidental murderer, has returned to Cork after 40 years in exile to discover that Jimmy, the son she was forced to give up years before, has grown into the most fearsome gangster in the city.

In seeking atonement for the murder and a multitude of other perceived sins, Maureen threatens to destroy everything her son has worked so hard for while her actions risk bringing the intertwined lives of the Irish underworld into the spotlight....

Biting, moving and darkly funny, The Glorious Heresies explores salvation, shame and the legacy of Ireland's 20th-century attitudes towards sex and family.

©2015 Lisa McInerney (P)2016 John Murray Press
Family Life Fiction Literary Fiction Ireland

Critic Reviews

A rambunctious portrayal of a swaggering off-kilter underclasss (Patricia Nicol)

What listeners say about The Glorious Heresies

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    38
  • 4 Stars
    17
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    42
  • 4 Stars
    8
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    35
  • 4 Stars
    15
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fast, absorbing, very hard to put down

I felt it gave a great insight into all of the characters - like them or loathe them, you knew them.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Glorious

I loved every minute of this book. Superbly read and brought to life by the beautiful Irish voice of Shelley Atkinson. This was my book club book. The two of us who listened to the text enjoyed it markedly more than those who read it - a testament to narrator. Engaging story (slightly too many coincidences I thought) and plenty to discuss. Nature/nurture, poverty, Irish economy, clever writing allowing the reader to cheer for the bad guy- always fun. Can't wait for the sequel.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Addicting

Such a good listen, couldn’t put it down. Beautiful character development, love a book where no one is a hero.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

best book I've read listened to in ages

I loved loved this book, just everything about it. initially I struggled with who was who, but decided I could just listen to it again and sort them all out. I did sort them once I relaxed and started to listen properly. the narration is superb. the wit and humour made me so proud to be Irish. No- one can swear like the irish. can you imagine my delight when I discovered that there are 2 more books to follow. I will listen to this again because it's f---ing amazing.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic book

Great characters and a great story. Very Irish great performance. Very enjoyable book, great for a long trip in the car.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Human nature so eloquently exposed

The rich rapid wit, dialogue so entertaining in its exposure of how we will try anything to gain the upper hand in any scenario, with everyone in on the crack of it, respect is doled out only for the most extreme clever posturing.
It was like going home for me coming from Liverpool,
loved it
Colin

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing!!

Best audiobook I've heard all year. New favourite narrator. Immersive, terrifying and hilarious. Recommending to all

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent story

Cleverly crafted stories. Insightful. celebration of the English/ Irish language. Beautiful reading performance, really well done.
Thoroughly recommend it

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Shelley Atkinson - fantastic narrator

I found this novel hard to listen to- especially the early chapters. Shelley Atkinson helped me through with her fantastic ability at giving each character a distinctive voice.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Deeply engrossing

A rich, funny, dark and beautifully performed story. Terrific characters whose horrible lose lose situations are finally redeemed. Sort of.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.