There's Been a Little Incident

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Each chapter gives the reader an insight to the individual character, some more likeable than others as in all families. The family, because of their experiences in the search and when they eventually find Molly, share some of the changes that have been wrought in her life. Everything works out in the end, for everyone; and the mystery of Sheena’s disappearance is finally solved.

I was very interested in the book and was really looking forward to reading it. However once I started, I found it took me a while to get into the story. The writing felt clunky at times, particularly with the additional Sheena Griffith storyline. I felt this wasn't needed as the book was very character driven and would have liked to have seen more perspectives of other family members. I felt that the Sheena story would have been better as a separate spin-off novel involving the characters mentioned here. Former model Lady V presumes Molly's just off taking drugs and sleeping with strangers – which is fine by her. Cousin Anne, tired of living in Molly's shadow, is keeping quiet, and cousin Bobby is distracted by his own issues. This really is a big cast, and the first couple of chapters are a struggle getting everyone straight in your head and what part they play in the family. I understand there’s to be a family tree in the actual book, it certainly needs it! Instead, she recalls a mother who would come through the door every evening and be utterly delighted by the domestic tableau that awaited her, much of it organised by her husband. “She honestly thought it was miraculous, every evening, we were well fed, and her favourite thing in the world were her chores in the house.”

LoveReading Says

An immediate challenge – and not one that everyone will experience – is that her mother was a well-known figure and a leading light in Irish literary life, so there were many public expressions of grief and sadness at her death. Ryan remembers that the moments in which her mother’s private life was commemorated were just as, if not more, valuable to her: “Colm Tóibín wrote the kindest thing after Mum’s death. Everybody was writing about her literary legacy. And he wrote: ‘I met Caroline and Alice on the street one time, and I asked them where they were going’ – I don’t remember this, I was very small – ‘and Caroline answered that they were just enjoying each other’s company.’ It was a great gift to me.” At times the books veers in and out of different genres, at times a touch Rom-Com and at others a much more considered study of loss and love.

I also enjoyed the mystery that is woven into this story. Because Molly was not the only person to disappear that night . . .

Bob Mortimer wins 2023 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction with The Satsuma Complex Exploring big issues like alcoholism, mental health and grief, Alice handles these superbly. Beautifully written, this debut will be a big hit with both Irish and international readers. Humorous and heart-warming, There’s Been A Little Incident is a compelling read. I can’t wait to see what Alice writes next!

The whole family is made up of such diverse characters, each with their own issues, yet the group feel like a cohesive collection of people who love each other because they want to, not because they have to. They have unconsciously and often very obviously, looked out for each other and for Molly on more than one occasion. We get alternating chapters from the family members highlighting themselves and their relationship with Molly and the other relatives. We see their various issues as well (perfectionism, death of other loved ones, anxiety, alcoholism, etc.). Uncle John, who has acted as Molly’s guardian and protector since the death of her parents, clearly needs to find her and to know that she does not need to be rescued, as has always been the case in earlier ‘incidents’. The discovery that she has been seen in Bangkok only deepens his concern. He ‘knew all about Bangkok’ and immediately rallied the family to go there and find her. Molly’s cousin Anne remembers his preparation speech in which: Dystopian Fiction Books Everyone Should Read: Explore The Darker Side of Possible Worlds and Alternative Futures I loved the mix of characters. They all brought something special to the table and could easily have had their individual stories made into their own books.Ryan gives them wise words and insightful observations: “People who give out that much good energy, who are breezy and jovial and try their best to be happy and positive all the time, have a far greater capacity for getting hurt than those who put up a defence.” She often has a marvellous turn of phrase: “Mike called them the Botox Bettys. But Liam said they were more like the Schadenfreude Sheilas”. Funny, heart-warming and uplifting, this is a brilliant debut novel. A heartbreaking, but uplifting read that treats grief, connection and loss with a light, but powerful hand, 'There’s Been a Little Incident’ shows us that sometimes, when we try to ‘fix’ others, we might really be trying to repair our own broken hearts. DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Head of Zeus, Apollo via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of There's Been a Little Incident by Alice Ryan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions. They remember how Molly had tried to talk to each of them over the last few weeks, but they didn’t spare her the time, so now they feel a little guilty about that. They also remember just how much Annabelle, of whom Molly reminds them so much, did for them when she was still alive.

This was magnificent. There were very strong Maeve Binchy vibes coming through with this one for me. The combination of wit, warmth, and sincerity was all too reminiscent of Binchy’s earlier iconic works, such as Circle of Friends and The Glass Lake. Billed as a story about grief, it is incredibly uplifting and was like a much-needed balm to my soul. This was a story about family and how the ties of family can stretch and flex, feel as though they’re on the verge of snapping, yet still maintain their hold. Ryan does well in establishing her characters, moving between various points of view. There are also shifts in time that serve to fill in past events. All this hopping about does require close attention. Molly thought about grief like a cut. When you accidentally grazed your finger with the knife there was a moment of grace where no blood emerged. All was white and looked like you had made it out OK. But when Molly stayed still, the blood began to rise to the top of her finger. Grief was always coming for her. Waiting until she couldn’t move. Until there was nowhere to hide … So she ran. In a sense, there’s very little plot here although there are surprises along the way. Molly goes missing and her extended family decide to look for her. But saying that is to miss the fact that There’s Been A Little Incident encompasses the whole of humanity in its structure. Here we have life and death, happiness and sadness in glorious technicolour. I laughed out loud reading There’s Been A Little Incident, and found myself moved to tears too.

Former model Lady V presumes Molly’s just off taking drugs and sleeping with strangers – which is fine by her. Cousin Anne, tired of living in Molly’s shadow, is keeping quiet, and cousin Bobby is distracted by his own issues.