In these portraits of the inhabitants of a fading Dublin hotel, you get a strong sense of lonely people carrying secrets. Don't be put off by the generally bleak tone: this is a compelling read and you will soon become engrossed as the private dramas unfold. Be prepared for humour, pathos and menace in equal measure!
There was something wrong about the ponytailed man booking in for the night. Decades of experience, long before he ever dreamt that he'd become manager of Finbar's Hotel, had taught Johnny Farrell that.