Whatever Happened to Birdy Troy?, Rachael English
Whatever Happened to Birdy Troy?, Rachael English
List: $31.99 | Sale: $22.40
Club: $15.99

Whatever Happened to Birdy Troy?
A captivating, emotional dual-timeline page-turner about friendship and long-buried secrets

Author: Rachael English

Narrator: Shelley Atkinson

Unabridged: 11 hr 42 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 02/01/2024


Synopsis

SHE WAS THE NEXT BIG THING . . . UNTIL SHE DISAPPEARED

'Exciting and at times heart-breaking, this book is a must for fans of Daisy Jones and the Six' CARMEL HARRINGTON

'Riveting, original ... Rachael English ups her game with each book' ROISIN MEANEY

'A compelling page-turner ... Rachael English is a gifted storyteller' ANNE TIERNAN

In the early 1980s, The Diamonds - Ireland's trailblazing all-woman rock band - were on the brink of international success. Their debut single 'Too Much Not Enough' was soaring in the British charts. Then, as suddenly as they'd arrived, they vanished. It was the last anyone would hear of songwriter, guitarist and legend-in-the-making Birdy Troy.

Stacey Nash, host of the popular podcast 'Whatever Happened To ...?', becomes fascinated with the band that
broke up before she was born. How could four young women with so much promise just disappear?

As problems mount in her own life, Stacey is drawn deeper into unravelling the mystery. But, after forty years, and with the band's members reluctant to cooperate, is it too late for the truth to emerge?

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BIRDY TROY? is a rollercoaster journey through the rise and fall of four unforgettable friends and bandmates, in a music scene where darkness lurks beneath a veneer of glamour.

See what readers are saying about Whatever Happened to Birdy Troy?

'I loved every minute of this book . . . [it] definitely reminded me of Daisy Jones and the Six and I'd expect all DJ fans will enjoy this book too'

'A poignant tale of secrets, resilience, and the enduring bonds of family . . . this novel captivates from start to finish'

'I absolutely loved this story! The writing is fantastic . . . This is my first Rachael English book but it certainly won't be my last'

'I LOVED this book!'

'An engaging and totally immersive read ... would thoroughly recommend'

'Amazing, brilliant'

'This cleverly crafted and impeccably told story deserves to be read far and wide . . . there's something for everyone here'

'Just wonderful'

'I loved this book so much. I just sobbed at the ending. It's a book that I'll have to pause after before starting another one, because this needs to be absorbed and sat with for a while . . . Birdy is an unforgettable character'

'Sometimes it will make you want to dance around the room, sometimes it'll pull at your heartstrings and leave you with a lump in your throat ... an engaging, moving, bittersweet, yet enjoyable story that needs to be told for women like Birdy everywhere'

'I could not put it down. An exceptionally well written novel. Rachel English is a wonderful storyteller'

About Rachael English

Rachael English is a bestselling novelist and presenter on Ireland's most popular radio show, Morning Ireland. During more than twenty years as a journalist, she has worked on most of RTÉ Radio's leading current affairs programmes, covering a huge range of national and international stories. In recent years Rachael has gained a loyal readership at home and abroad, with her six much-loved novels: Going Back, Each and Every One, The American Girl, The Night of the Party, The Paper Bracelet and The Letter Home.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Eva

4.5* --> 5* Back in the eighties, an all-girl group called The Diamonds from a small town in Ireland were being touted as the next big thing. But just when things were starting to happen for them, the girls disappeared and all that was left was a “it could have been ...”. What happened to make the gi......more

Whatever Happened to Birdy Troy hit all the right notes with me. An engaging dual timeline where I was equally interested in both narratives. We follow the rise to fame in the 1980s of an Irish female rock band. The music, the freedom, the dizzying sense of possibility all made it a gripping and reso......more

A page turning exploration of fame, power and abuse in 1980s Ireland and England, it’s one I recommend. I loved reading about the rise of The Diamonds, and found myself really rooting for Birdy, Loretta, Gail and Yvonne. Rachael is refreshingly positive about Ireland and our culture too, which was n......more

Goodreads review by Kat

‘Whatever Happened to Birdy Troy?’ by Rachael English tells the story of The Diamonds, an Irish female rock band who shone brightly for a short time in the early 80s before a sudden drop into obscurity. Podcaster Stacey - who interviews former celebrities for her show - responds to a fan’s query sug......more


Quotes

Witty dialogue and uniquely Irish storytelling Sunday Independent

Rachael English's latest novel is an entertaining tale tinged with nostalgia for the way things were RTÉ Guide

If you were a teenager in the 70s/80s, you'll feel right at home in these pages VIP Magazine

A sensory and nostalgic delight. At its heart, it's a moving story about the vulnerability of youth, the importance of friendship and the abuse of power Irish Times

You'll be gripped by the mystery Woman's Way