Irish Writers' Weekend: Crimes, Secrets and Lies

Andrea Mara and Liz Nugent in conversation with Sam Blake.

Two bestselling queens of Irish crime fiction talk to a third about their compelling new books.

Andrea Mara’s All Her Fault, was turned into a TV series starring Sarah Snook and she has recently brought out the psychological thriller Such a Nice Girl, the compelling story of two Dublin mothers and their missing daughters, one of who appears to be dead and the other a murderer. Liz Nugent is also an extraordinary master of mystery and suspense. Her latest novel is The Truth About Ruby Cooper, which features two sisters and a dark past incident that refuses to go away. Together they talk to Sam Blake, herself one of Ireland’s most popular, successful and award-nominated crime novelists, from Little Bones to this year’s Your Every Move.

Part of the British Library Irish Writers' Weekend 2026.

The TV adaptation of her 2021 book, All Her Fault, aired in 2025 to huge critical and audience acclaim, with Sarah Snook (Succession) playing the lead. It became the most-watched TV show in America during the first week of its release. Her most recent novel, Such a Nice Girl, was a number one bestseller in Ireland, and a top ten Sunday Times bestseller in the UK. Her book No One Saw a Thing was also a Sunday Times number one bestseller and has sold over half a million copies. Andrea lives in Dublin.

Liz's works include Unravelling Oliver, Lying in Wait, Skin Deep, Our Little Cruelties, Strange Sally Diamond and this year’s The Truth About Ruby Cooper. All six of her novels have topped the Irish bestsellers list and brought her multiple literary awards. Strange Sally Diamond went straight to number one in Ireland and won Crime Novel of the Year at the ‘An Post’ Irish Book Awards 2023. It was the second bestselling book of 2023 in Ireland and was also the most borrowed adult book in Irish libraries in 2024. Liz’s novels have been translated into over 30 languages across 42 territories and she has also written extensively for radio and television.

Sam Blake is the No 1 bestselling and award-winning author of the Cat Connolly Garda police trilogy, plus thriller standalones The Killing Sense (2025), Your Every Move (2026) and many more. Her YA thrillers (Gill Books) include Something Terrible Happened Last Night (2023) and Something’s About to Blow Up (2024). Her work was shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of the Year 2016, 2021, 2022, 2025. She is also Founder & Managing Director writing.ie, The Inkwell Group and MURDER ONE, Ireland’s International Crime Writing Festival, and Chair of the board of the Society of Authors.