Louise O'Neill made a splash in the literary world with her acclaimed debut, Only Ever Yours, before winning the Irish Book Of The Year award at the Irish Book Awards for the bestselling Asking For It (2015) - more recently, she won raves for a pair of dramatically different books published in 2018, toxic relationship saga Almost Love and The Surface Breaks, her bold retelling of The Little Mermaid.

Her latest novel, After The Silence, sees Louise take another bold literary leap - it's her first whodunnit, a twisty page-turner of deadly secrets and an unsolved murder investigation - read an exclusive extract here.

We asked Louise for her choice cultural picks...

FILM

I saw Lola Petticrew in an adaption of Country Girls at the Abbey and I couldn’t take my eyes off her when she was on stage. She’s equally mesmerising in Dating Amber, a film set in 90’s Ireland about a pair of closeted teenagers who act as each other’s beards. Fionn O’ Shea also shines with his sensitive performance as Eddie, and the film as a whole is gentle, sweet and funny.

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MUSIC

My boyfriend often teases me about my lack of music knowledge. In an attempt to educate me, he has created a Spotify playlist for me to listen to; one he adds to regularly. Recent favourites include Denise Chaila and God Knows. I’m obsessed with the latter’s remix of Who’s Asking?

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BOOK

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett is incredible - the writing is beautiful, the 'hook’ is so smart, and she’s exploring really important issues. It ticked all the boxes for me, I couldn’t bear to put it down. I also loved A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghriofa. It’s a luminous book.

Listen: Doireann Ní Ghriofa talks A Ghost in the Throat on RTÉ Arena

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PLAY

I miss going to the theatre terribly. There’s a magic to it, everyone in one room holding their breath, collectively suspending disbelief for three hours. I loved Patrick MacCabe’s Breakfast on Pluto, and I’m very excited to see Landmark Productions’ take on that. As for playwrights, Marina Carr is probably my all-time favourite.

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TV

I started the first episode of Never Have I Ever, the Mindy Kaling show on Netflix, at 6 pm that day. By 3 am, I was still watching, determined to finish the whole show before finally succumbing to sleep. It’s funny, moving, and features a breakout turn from Maitreyi Ramakrishnan.

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GIG

I feel like I haven’t attended a gig in such a long time! We’re very lucky to have an amazing live music venue in Clonakilty, DeBarras, and they ran virtual gigs every night during lockdown. It was wonderful, I listened to a huge variety of artists whom I might have missed otherwise.

ART

I just moved into my own little house and am quickly filling up my walls! Locally, I love Geraldine O’ Sullivan’s work, and I’m desperate for a Shane Berkery painting. He had this beautiful piece in his Autumn 2019 exhibition of a woman biting into a pear that I can’t stop thinking about.

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PODCAST

I listen to Keep It religiously, a pop culture podcast on the Crooked Media network. I recently binged Nice White Parents, from the Serial production team, which was a fascinating look at modern-day segregation in the New York public school system. When it comes to Irish podcasts, I really like Up to 90, and Not Without My Sister.

TECH

I read Lainey Gossip every day, which examines celebrity gossip through a feminist and sociological lens. I also subscribe to Anne Helen Petersen’s newsletter, she’s a superb writer.

THE NEXT BIG THING...

I’m currently reading Luster by Raven Leilani. It’s already been a smash hit in the States and my proof copy came emblazoned with rave reviews from the likes of Zadie Smith and Candice Carty-Williams. It is astonishingly good; razor sharp and brutal about sex, race, class. She is going to be your next obsession, I promise you.

After The Silence by Louise O'Neill is published by riverrun in trade paperback on 3rd September.