The Dazzling Truth

Cullen (The Lost Letters of William Woolf) reveals how an aspiring actor’s losing battle with depression impacts the lives of those she loves. In 1978 Dublin, Maeve Moretti is attending Trinity College when she falls in love with fellow student Murtagh Moone, who is drawn to her “Technicolor” radiance without knowing about her dark episodes. When Murtagh is offered an apprenticeship with a potter living on the island of Inis Og after graduation, he accepts the position and asks Maeve to marry him. They wed and move to the island, and Maeve continues working on her acting career, while Murtagh takes over the potter’s business. After the couple has four children, Maeve is overcome by her depression and drowns herself. Murtagh struggles with the motivation to continue his pottery business as the younger children try to understand why their mother left so abruptly. Ten years later, when the siblings come home for the 30th birthday party for the eldest daughter, Murtagh shares some surprising news, and they must decide whether to accept the changes in Murtagh’s life. Cullen’s lyrical prose drives the immersive and heart-wrenching narrative. This complex study of depression and its impact on family dynamics will lure readers. Agent: Kim Witherspoon, InkWell Management. (Aug)