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The Last Will of Moira Leahy: A Novel [Paperback]

Therese Walsh
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (81 customer reviews)

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Book Description

August 3, 2010
"An original, intriguing tale about the ways that love can break us or bind us."
–Therese Fowler, author of Souvenir and Reunion

This haunting debut novel explores the intense bond of sisterhood as a grieving twin searches for her own identity in the ruins of her sister's past.

A LOST SHADOW
Moira Leahy struggled growing up in her prodigious twin's shadow; Maeve was always more talented, more daring, more fun. In the autumn of the girls' sixteenth year, a secret love tempted Moira, allowing her to have her own taste of adventure, but it also damaged the intimate, intuitive relationship she'd always shared with her sister. Though Moira's adolescent struggles came to a tragic end nearly a decade ago, her brief flirtation with independence will haunt her sister for years to come.

A LONE WOMAN
When Maeve Leahy lost her twin, she left home and buried her fun-loving spirit to become a workaholic professor of languages at a small college in upstate New York. She lives a solitary life now, controlling what she can and ignoring the rest–the recurring nightmares, hallucinations about a child with red hair, the unquiet sounds in her mind, her reflection in the mirror. It doesn't help that her mother avoids her, her best friend questions her sanity, and her not-quite boyfriend has left the country. But at least her life is ordered. Exactly how she wants it.

A SHARED PAST
Until one night at an auction when Maeve wins a keris,a Javanese dagger that reminds her of her lost youth and happier days playing pirates with Moira in their father's boat. Days later, a book on weaponry is nailed to her office door, followed by the arrival of anonymous notes, including one that invites her to Rome to learn more about the blade and its legendary properties. Opening her heart and mind to possibility, Maeve accepts the invitation and, with it, also opens a window into her past.

Ultimately, she will revisit the tragic November night that shaped her and Moira's destinies–and learn that nothing can be taken at face value–as one sister emerges whole and the other's score is finally settled.

The Last Will of Moira Leahyis a mesmerizing and romantic consideration of the bonds of family, the impossibility of forgetting, and the value of forgiveness.



From the Hardcover edition.


Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Walsh's satisfying novel follows Maeve Leahy, a brilliant young professor, in her pursuit for answers about her family and herself. When she impulsively bids on a keris—an ancient Javanese dagger—at an auction house, Maeve's orderly life spins out of control. Anonymous notes appear on her office door, with provocative hints about the origins of the keris, unleashing memories of Maeve's onetime musical ambitions and the loss of her twin, Moira. When a note urges Maeve to visit Rome, her best friend, Kit, persuades her to go. There she finds Noel, her rakish love interest, who is trying to solve his own family's mysteries. He helps Maeve navigate the bewildering questions and characters in Rome while making his romantic ambitions clear, much to Maeve's indignation and secret fascination. Walsh ably shifts between Maeve's current quest and flashbacks showing the twins as children, revealing little by little the story behind Maeve's grief. While Maeve sometimes comes across as self-involved—even for a woman on a personal quest—Walsh's pleasing blend of mystery, romance and the supernatural is enough to keep readers rooting for the heroine. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Finalist for the 2010 RITA Award for Best First Novel

“Walsh's satisfying novel follows Maeve Leahy, a brilliant young professor, in her pursuit for answers about her family and herself. [She] ably shifts between Maeve's current quest and flashbacks showing the twins as children, revealing little by little the story behind Maeve's grief. . . . [A] pleasing blend of mystery, romance and the supernatural.”
Publishers Weekly

“Walsh’s debut is a magical, involving journey, one that mixes a compelling mystery from the past with a suspenseful search in the present.”
Booklist

“Mystery, romance and historical elements blend together in this captivating debut. The magical adventure will take readers on a journey of the heart that reunites the souls of twin sisters. Walsh weaves an enchanting, poignant and enthralling tale.”
Romantic Times Book Reviews

"Moira’s confused emotions—envy, guilt, passion and regret as she deceives the boy she loves and usurps her sister’ s place—are delineated with heart-wrenching believability."
Kirkus Reviews

"A hauntingly beautiful story about grief, the language of twins, and the healing power of a bond that is stronger than death. The characters of Moira and Maeve will linger long after you finish this amazing first novel."
—Brunonia Barry, New York Times bestselling author of The Lace Reader

"The Last Will of Moira Leahy is haunting, exotic and romantic–the way Gothic tales are romantic, wrapped in luscious, dark atmosphere. It's a magical debut and I can't wait for more from Therese Walsh. She's one to watch."
—Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestselling author of Garden Spells

“This book made me want to ignore my work and neglect my children. The Last Will of Moira Leahy offers an irresistible combination of mystery, romance, psychological complexity, and lovely writing. I devoured it.”
—Leah Stewart, author of The Myth of You and Me

"Tender and transcendent, Therese Walsh’s debut novel, The Last Will of Moira Leahy is a captivating look at the truths we conceal, the scars we bear, and the journeys we all must take in order to find our way back home, back to ourselves. I loved every magical page.”
—Allison Winn Scotch, New York Times bestselling author of Time of My Life

“Is there anything more worthwhile than being taken by the hand by a true and gifted storyteller and shown a world that is at once mysterious, mesmerizing and filled with characters who deeply touch your heart? A dark psychological tale of secrets and betrayal, suspense and passion, The Last Will of Moira Leahy is a book that makes you forget everything and just spend the rest of the day and night reading. Like Rebecca, this is a tale so well told that it keeps you in its grip and doesn't let go, haunting you long after you've turned the last page. If it were written by a seasoned novelist, The Last Will of Moira Leahy would be a feat. That it is a debut makes it all the more amazing. Bravo!”
—M.J. Rose, internationally bestselling author of The Memorist


From the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Broadway; Reprint edition (August 3, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0307461580
  • ISBN-13: 978-0307461582
  • Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.6 x 8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (81 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,705,965 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Therese Walsh is the co-founder of Writer Unboxed, a blog for writers about the craft and business of genre fiction. Before turning to fiction, she was a researcher and writer for Prevention magazine, and then a freelance writer. She's had hundreds of articles on nutrition and fitness published in consumer magazines and online.

She has a master's degree in psychology; and she loves music, haiku, art, crab legs, Whose Line is it Anyway?, dark chocolate, photography, unique movies and novels, people watching, strong Irish tea, and spending time with her husband, two kids and their bouncy Jack Russell.

She's currently working on her second novel--another story about self-discovery, acceptance and magical journeys--at her home in upstate New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Touching, and just..just. September 27, 2009
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
Enough. Just light enough. Just dark enough. Just perfectly balanced and just enough.
Maeve and Moira were twin girls who lived with their family on the Penobscot. They lived
with loving parents, an adventuring grandfather and good friends and neighbors.

Like so many twins they shared a special closeness, and even a language between just the
two of them. For years they had all that they needed in just themselves in the security of their
family. Time passes. Things change. A mothers well meaning choices came back to haunt them all. One
day, a boy came into their lives and things changed forever.

The story of how Maeve lived after the changes, and what happened to this loving family..
is entrancing, magical at times and filled with sorrow and loneliness. Just for a while.. and
then as they do, things changed. They changed because Maeve found a strength in her she didn't know she had.
She was prodded by her father to step out, step forward and to live. A wise man, he was. He set both of his daughters free.

Read this book. Highly recommended.
Was this review helpful to you?
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Magical! October 25, 2009
Format:Hardcover
Twenty-five-year-old Maeve Leahy is haunted by the tragic accident of her twin sister, Moira, nine years ago. Since then, Maeve, the vibrant twin and saxophone prodigy, has shut down her emotions and shut out the music, leading a lonely and sterile life as a professor of languages in upstate New York. But she can't resist the call of a keris, a Javanese dagger, that she buys at auction. The keris leads her to Rome, and to danger and romance and a confrontation with the past and the present.

The chapters alternate between the present in Maeve's voice and the past in Moira's voice. Walsh is an artist with words, using them exquisitely, painting pictures with a few strokes that evoke emotions. Yet the pace is quick, the scenes enchanting, compelling me to read on.

This is Walsh's debut book, and I'm thrilled to think she'll have many other books for me to read in the future. Soon, I hope!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Artfully Woven, Emotionally Powerful February 8, 2011
Format:Paperback
This story opens with a bang, when Maeve Leahy feels strangely compelled to attend an auction, and then to bid on and purchase a Javanese blade called a keris. I was immediately hooked, drawn into Maeve's suddenly turbulent world.

We quickly glean that something tragic has happened with Maeve's twin, Moira, and that the keris Maeve has purchased seems--at least to her--to possess a mystical power. The blade and the special bond the twins share both become apt metaphors over the course of the tale, relatable and adaptable. Walsh deftly entwines so many literary devices and techniques, I wondered briefly just what genre I had wandered into: mystery, paranormal, spiritual, romance--what was it? I quickly surmised it didn't matter, and surrendered to be carried along on her lovely prose.

Indeed, very early on, I fell in love with reading this book. By that I mean I loved the actual process of reading it--not something that always happens for me, even with some books I end up liking. The primary, present-day storyline is carried by a sharp, first-person narrative from the point-of-view of Maeve herself. But this is pleasingly interspersed with a progressive back-story told, with a perfectly distanced third-person point-of-view, by her twin Moira. The style has a comforting cadence, but also builds an increasingly urgent tension.

This book has it all: a mysterious talisman with a dangerous side, a journey (actually a fine travelogue for Rome), a romance, a dark past, and spiritual revelation, all carefully woven into a satisfying story and an emotional journey for the reader. I found myself wondering if Walsh was actually a: twin, Javanese weapons expert, sailing aficionado, musician, travel agent, linguist, or all of the above. Most importantly, whether she is any or all of those, she is an exceptional and polished writer. Most would be shocked after reading it to learn Last Will is Walsh's debut novel.

So do yourself a favor and buy this beautifully written, artfully woven, and emotionally powerful book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars Very much a first novel...better luck next time...
Not much depth. Author didn't manage the dual narrative in time very well. Not convincing. Characters were flat and description without vigor.
Published 2 months ago by Alexandria Brandon
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting story of flawed relationships
This was one of those books I read in just a few sittings. The relationship between the twin sisters, their families, and loves was interesting. Read more
Published 7 months ago by TropicalMinnesota
4.0 out of 5 stars The Last Will of Moira Leahy
From the moment I started reading this book I could not put it down. What I found so interesting is that each chapter flips from the past to the present then back aqain. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Rhoda
5.0 out of 5 stars Just...Just Captivating
Because I've come to know Therese through her incredible generosity to other writers on her Writer Unboxed site and FaceBook group, I wanted to love her book, but was afraid I... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Beverly Diehl
5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Debut Novel
The Last Will of Moira Leahy is a wonderful debut novel. I enjoyed following the journey of identical twin Maeve Leahy through her search for self, spurred by her discovery of a... Read more
Published 13 months ago by King
5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful poignant story of the bonds twins share
Identical twins share a special bond. Therese Walsh's stirring debut novel, "The Last Will of Moira Leahy," explores the bonds that hold twins together and the painful consequences... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Chris in CT
4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing Read
The Last Will of Moira Leahy by Theresa Walsh is a very intriguing and engaging read. Maeve and Moira Leahy were identical twins who were incredibly close. They grew up in Maine. Read more
Published 15 months ago by 2LZ
5.0 out of 5 stars Enthralling Story
The Last Will of Moira Leahy is an enthralling tale by debut author Therese Walsh. I really enjoyed this book and had a hard time putting it down. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Darlene
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written
I was drawn into this book from the very first sentence. I loved the tension between Maeve and Noel and the dynamics between both the twins and among them and their childhood... Read more
Published 19 months ago by KayTee
3.0 out of 5 stars Interest got lost after the first half...
This was a readable story...but lost me somewhere in Rome. The story of the twin sisters and going back and forth from present day to the past was great! Read more
Published 20 months ago by C. Williams
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