Holding

Title: Holding

Author: Graham Norton

Published in: 2016

Date read: 2nd February 2025

Score: 5/5

Genre: Detective, Crime, Mystery

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Holding," published in 2016, is the debut novel by Irish television and radio host Graham Norton. It is a charming and poignant mystery that doubles as a character study, set in the seemingly sleepy and uneventful Irish village of Duneen. The novel is a quieter, more reflective mystery that focuses on the hidden lives and long-held secrets of a small, interconnected community.

The protagonist is Sergeant PJ Collins, the local police officer. PJ is a kind, overweight, and lonely man who is more of a fixture than an enforcer of the law. His days are uneventful, consisting mostly of routine paperwork, a love for biscuits, and a pervasive sense of social isolation. Life in Duneen is so quiet that the biggest crime on record is a stolen garden gnome.

All of this changes dramatically when a construction crew uncovers a human skeleton on a derelict farm. The bones are identified as those of Tommy Burke, a charming and popular young man who vanished from the village decades ago. His disappearance was never solved, and it became a local legend, a ghost story whispered in pubs.

The discovery of Tommy's body forces PJ out of his quiet routine. He is now faced with a real, complex murder investigation. The arrival of a sharp, ambitious detective from Cork, DI Linus Dunne, puts PJ under pressure. The local residents, who have lived with the ghost of Tommy's disappearance for so long, are suddenly confronted with a truth they are not prepared to face.

As PJ interviews the villagers, he uncovers a tangled web of lies, secrets, and resentments. He learns that the quiet, peaceful community is a façade, and that everyone has something to hide. The suspects are numerous, and the potential motives are deeply personal, rooted in love triangles, long-standing grudges, and tragic misunderstandings.

The novel is less of a procedural and more of a study of human nature. The murder mystery is the engine that drives the story, but the real focus is on the characters and their emotional landscapes. The climax sees PJ, using his deep knowledge of his neighbours and a surprising sense of empathy, piece together the truth about Tommy's death. "Holding" is a compassionate and beautifully written novel that proves that even the quietest places can harbor the darkest secrets.

Comments:
I was worried about this book as I had already seen the TV adaptation and I always prefer to read the book first. I was, however, gripped straight away because it is brilliantly written. My inner voice was that of Graham Norton while I was reading it.
Graham has excelled himself in character development and I connected with all of them but had such a strong connection with PJ. He was so masterfully created and I can't wait to read more about him in future novels. Although there is obviously crime in this sleepy Irish village, the pace of life described is perfect for an escape. I picture it as where I need to be whenever life gets too stressful.
There is very little that I can say without producing spoilers so I will leave it with this; I adore a good murder-mystery but it is difficult to make something original as so many have already been made. This is original and even if you have read as many as I have, this is still an original and I highly recommend it.

Books that we've read by Graham Norton (1):
Holding (2016)