Skip to content

Archive for

Sep 18

2023 Booker Longlist: The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

The Bee Sting_Paul Murray

Entering the home stretch, our next book is The Bee Sting by Paul Murray. Paul Murray is an Irish author who is no stranger to the Booker Prize. His novel, Skippy Dies was long listed for the Booker in 2010. 

Synopsis taken from the Booker Prize website: Dickie’s once-lucrative car business is going under – but rather than face the music, he’s spending his days in the woods, building an apocalypse-proof bunker. His exasperated wife Imelda is selling off her jewellery on eBay while half-heartedly dodging the attentions of fast-talking cattle farmer Big Mike.

Meanwhile, teenage daughter Cass, formerly top of her class, seems determined to binge-drink her way to her final exams. And 12-year-old PJ, in debt to local sociopath ‘Ears’ Moran, is putting the final touches to his grand plan to run away.

Yes, in Paul Murray’s brilliant tragicomic saga, the Barnes family is definitely in trouble. So where did it all go wrong? And if the story has already been written – is there still time to find a happy ending?

You can purchase a copy of the book here

Keep reading to find out how our panelists rated this book.

Read more