THE WOMAN ON THE BRIDGE by Sheila O’Flanagan Is Number One on the Irish bestseller charts

Sheila O’Flanagan’s first foray into historical fiction, THE WOMAN ON THE BRIDGE, has stormed into the Irish bestseller chart, landing at Number 5 after its first three days on sale, and in its second week conquering the top spot!  

 Inspired by her grandmother’s story and set in 1920s Dublin, The Woman on the Bridge marks the start of an exciting new branch of Sheila’s work. THE WOMAN ON THE BRIDGE is published by Headline in the United Kingdom and Ireland and was launched at an event at Dubray Books in Dublin last week. Mobius publish the novel in the United States and Canada and the audio edition is narrated by Grainne Gillis.

 The novel has already been highly praised, with Electric Literature including it in ‘The Most Anticipated Irish Novels of 2023’, saying: ‘Braiding love, loss, and the sheer drama of war, O’Flanagan’s novel is redemptive in the way it peers into women’s lives, turns them right side up, and refuses to be forgotten.’ Peter Cunningham wrote in the Irish Independent that Sheila O’Flanagan ‘quickly establishes strong, credible characters and a clear sense of the city they live in… O’Flanagan’s legions of readers can look forward to yet another treat’ and Roddy Doyle praised THE WOMAN ON THE BRIDGE as ‘a great read… Winnie’s a great character, a terrific guide … She’s always real – she’s always human.’

Dublin. The 1920s. As war tears Ireland apart, two young people are caught up in events that will bring love, tragedy – and the hardest of choices. In a country fighting for freedom, it’s hard to live a normal life. Winnie O’Leary supports the cause, but she doesn’t go looking for trouble. Then rebel Joseph Burke steps into her workplace. Winnie is furious with him about a broken window. She’s not interested in romance. But love comes when you least expect it.

Joseph’s family shelter fugitives and transport weapons. Joseph would never ask Winnie to join the fight; but his mother and sisters demand commitment. Will Winnie choose Joseph, and put her own loved ones in deadly danger? Or wait for a time of peace that may never come? Ireland’s tumultuous independence struggle is the backdrop for an unforgettable story of courage and heartbreak, in which heroes are made of ordinary people.

Sheila is currently writing her next novel which will return to the present day, and will be published by Headline in 2024.

 About Sheila O’Flanagan

 Sheila O’Flanagan is an international bestselling novelist, with more than 9 million copies sold. Most of her novels have been immediate and long-lasting No 1s in Ireland, UK Top 10 Sunday Times Bestsellers and Kindle Bestsellers, and she is published in more than twenty languages around the world. She is the recipient of the prestigious Irish Tatler Literary Woman of the Year Award. Headline have acquired two new books from Sheila: THE WOMAN ON THE BRIDGE, a historical novel to be published in 2023 and a contemporary novel out in 2024.  

 Praise for THE WOMAN ON THE BRIDGE

 An Irish Independent 2023 pick

‘The people were entirely of their time and their struggles, but they could also be you or me, or anyone suddenly caught up in the sharpness of political disputes and the machinations of people and governments struggling for control.  It's the intimate stories painted on the wider canvas, and it brings history to life and into the home and the heart… filled with courage, heartbreak, optimism, and the strength of family bonds, both for good and ill.’ – Elizabeth Chadwick

‘A great read… Winnie’s a great character, a terrific guide. She brings us through big history but she has to feed the kids. She’s always real – she’s always human’ – Roddy Doyle

‘With a minimum of fuss, O’Flanagan quickly establishes strong, credible characters and a clear sense of the city they live in… O’Flanagan puts into play all the contemporary differences of class and political opinion, some of which are as fundamental today as they were a century ago… Whether Winifred and Joseph’s romance will survive in these circumstances is as fundamental to this warm-hearted story as are the survival prospects of the fledgling Free State. The emotional world of ordinary Dubs struggling to survive in a conflict whose consequences will take a century to resolve underpins this forthright tale of Ireland’s extremely complicated past. O’Flanagan’s legions of readers can look forward to yet another treat.’ – Peter Cunningham, Irish Independent  

‘This is historical fiction at its best. So often I find this genre focussing on a single woman, when in reality women's lives were more rooted in the home and their families. This beautiful story shows the true power and influence of so called “ordinary” woman. Women like Sheila’s grandmother might not have instigated history, but they were forced to react to it, so their stories take the true temperature of the times. It was unputdownable, full of poignancy, warmth and real and relatable women.’ – Kate Thompson

‘Utterly captivating, a novel that resonates as a piece of history and yet also as a modern story of love, war and how women will fight for the people they love.’ – Cathy Kelly

‘Sheila has always been one of my go-to authors and THE WOMAN ON THE BRIDGE does not disappoint, beautifully rich in historical detail and drama. An irresistible story of a country torn apart, the bonds of family, and the enduring power of love.’ – Carmel Harrington

‘Winnie’s development, both emotionally and politically, is interesting… [A] gripping novel… nuanced in its telling of Ireland’s seismic historical period.’ – Colette Sheridan, Irish Examiner

‘Inspired by the true story of O’Flanagan’s grandmother, THE WOMAN ON THE BRIDGE is about a young woman’s commitment to the fight for Ireland’s freedom. Braiding love, loss, and the sheer drama of war, O’Flanagan’s novel is redemptive in the way it peers into women’s lives, turns them right side up, and refuses to be forgotten.’ – Electric Literature, ‘The Most Anticipated Irish Novels of 2023’

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Headline to publish two more novels from bestselling author Sheila O’Flanagan

Credit: Bill Waters

Headline Publishing Group will publish two more novels from multi-million-copy-selling author Sheila O’Flanagan. Executive Publisher Marion Donaldson acquired World English Language rights in THE WOMAN ON THE BRIDGE and one untitled novel from Isobel Dixon of Blake Friedmann.

Sheila O’ Flanagan is the author of an extraordinary 30 bestselling books - all published by Hachette/Headline - most recently the No. 1 Irish Times bestseller WHAT EDEN DID NEXT and the Sunday Times bestseller THREE WEDDINGS AND A PROPOSAL. Headline has sold nearly 9 million Sheila O’ Flanagan books, and Sheila’s work is available in over 20 languages. She is published in the US by Hachette’s Mobius division.

THE WOMAN ON THE BRIDGE, slated for publication in April 2023, is Sheila’s first historical novel. Inspired by the true story of Sheila’s grandmother, THE WOMAN ON THE BRIDGE is set in Dublin during the Irish War of Independence, in the years following the First World War. It is a dramatic, powerful and authentic novel about love, rebellion and families torn apart by war, with the young, working-class Winifred at its heart. The second title in the new contract will be a contemporary novel in the tradition of WHAT EDEN DID NEXT, and is set for 2024.

Sheila O’ Flanagan said: ‘I’m very excited to know that I will be publishing two more novels with Headline, my publishers for most of my writing life. It’s a tribute to their thoughtful work with all my books that my career has been longer than I ever imagined. I’m particularly pleased that THE WOMAN ON THE BRIDGE, a deeply personal book inspired by stories my grandmother told me of her own life during turbulent times, will be published next year. I hope readers will enjoy the journey into the past with me.’

Isobel Dixon said: ‘In an already celebratory and bestselling year for Sheila O’Flanagan this new deal is another landmark cause for celebration – the promise of another contemporary novel to delight O’Flanagan fans around the world, but with Sheila also breaking fresh ground with her first historical novel, THE WOMAN ON THE BRIDGE, starring a spirited heroine based on her own family history. Sheila is a marvel and the long-term relationship with Marion Donaldson and Headline a rare and exemplary publishing collaboration. We look forward to this further journey.’

Marion Donaldson said: ‘I’m so delighted that we have two new Sheila O’Flanagan novels to look forward to. Earlier this year we hosted a celebration in Dublin of 30 Sheila O’Flanagan bestsellers, something only a handful of authors are in a position to do. It’s an honour as well as a pleasure to publish Sheila’s brilliantly crafted and thought-provoking books, and it’s no surprise that Sheila’s first historical novel is every bit as polished, engaging and memorable as her contemporary novels have been. I can’t wait to bring THE WOMAN ON THE BRIDGE to the market next year.’

About Sheila O’Flanagan
Sheila O’Flanagan is an international bestselling novelist, with more than 9 million copies sold. Most of her novels have been immediate and long-lasting No. 1s in Ireland, UK Top 10 Sunday Times Bestsellers and Kindle Bestsellers, and she is published in more than twenty languages around the world. She is the recipient of the prestigious Irish Tatler Literary Woman of the Year Award. Headline have acquired two new books from Sheila, a historical novel to be published in 2023 and a contemporary novel out in 2024.  

Praise for Sheila O’Flanagan
‘One of my favourite authors’ – Marian Keyes

'Exploring family relationships is what this bestselling author does so well’– Choice

‘One of our best-known, best-loved and most prolific women's fiction authors’ – Irish Independent

‘Brilliantly written and with plot twists popping out like prosecco corks.’ — Woman & Home

‘O’Flanagan weaves an inspiring tale of strength, love and self-discovery’ – Sunday Express

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