Where to Start Reading Maggie O’Farrell

Maggie O’Farrell delivers a sweeping journey through history and memory, loss and survival in a haunting story that captures post-famine Ireland through the eyes of one family.

A meditation on the inspiration borne of tragedy and the story of the indomitable woman behind an iconic visionary. Gorgeous writing, a magnificent plot and the exquisite exploration of love and loss make this a can’t-miss novel from the talented voice of Maggie O’Farrell. This is a great book to start with, if you’re new to the author’s writing.

If you loved Hamnet, this is the perfect book to read next. Maggie O’Farrell is back with Lucrezia’s story, and she’s back with a bang! Set during the Renaissance in Italy, The Marriage Portrait is a dramatic story of resilience and survival that will keep readers on the edge of their seat.

Now that you’ve read the bestsellers, it’s time to journey to the critically acclaimed author’s beginnings. Maggie O’Farrell’s powerful debut novel is a haunting portrait of memories that refuse to fade. As Alice slips in and out of a coma, her family keeping bedside vigil, she travels between the present and the past while her devastating love story slowly comes to light.

When her carefully reinvented persona feels threatened, Stella must face the childhood secrets she’s tried so hard to escape. Gripping and lyrical, Maggie O’Farrell’s writing shines a light on the enduring impact of family, memory and identity. This is a great choice for fans who can’t get enough of the author’s writing.

If you love dual timelines and perspectives, this one is for you. When an aunt she never knew exists suddenly appears, Iris realizes her family’s secrets run even deeper. Astonishing and mesmerizing, Maggie O’Farrell’s emotionally powerful novel offers a harrowing glimpse into the injustices faced by young women at the start of the 20th century.

When Lily falls head-over-heals for Marcus, she moves into his London apartment where she can’t seem to escape his ex-girlfriend’s haunting presence. Brimming with emotional suspense and atmospheric pressure, this is not your classic love story. The psychologically rich tale will appeal to readers who can’t get enough of stories of desire and obsession.

Inviting readers into the innermost worlds of two women who live and become mothers generations apart, Maggie O’Farrell uses luminous prose to deliver a tenderly woven tale of love, loss and the ties that bind us across time. This is an emotionally rich tale that will linger long after the final page is turned.

Often called her breakout novel, This Must Be the Place is an irresistible love story infused with humor and wisdom. When a long-buried secret threatens one family’s charming country life, the past and present collide in unexpected ways. Layered across timelines, Maggie O’Farrell paints a vulnerable portrait of what marriage truly looks like.

Read all her fiction? Now, get to know the author of bestselling novels like Hamnet and The Marriage Portrait in her intimate memoir. Maggie O’Farrell reflects on seventeen near-death experiences that shaped her life, and the creative process behind her work.