A Shadow in the Yard is the title of the second novel from former Minister of State Liz McManus, who has been the recipient of Listowel and Irish PEN awards along with a Hennessy Award for New Irish Writing.
Her first novel, Acts of Subversion, was short-listed for the Aer Lingus/ Irish Times award.
A swan becomes trapped in the yard of Rosemary McAvady's house on Lough Swilly. The woman asks an elderly neighbour for help which unwittingly sets off a chain of events which will have far-reaching repercussions.
After a brief career as an architect, Rosaleen has settled into marriage and children. Life is secure and predictable, but she longs to stretch her wings. The shadow of political upheaval in the North will spill over as violence and betrayal threaten all that Rosaleen holds dear.
The acclaimed veteran novelist Jennifer Johnson has warmly recommended Lix McManus's new novel. "She (the author) has packed so many of our 20th century Irish problems into it that at moments you become breathless with anxiety. However, she has an optimism in her writing that is infectious and makes you turn the pages with pleasure."
A Shadow in the Yard is published in trade paperback format by Ward River Press.
