I'm delighted to announce that my new novel, Why the Curlew Cries, is coming this October.

Set in the northwest of Ireland, where quiet country roads wind through isolated hills and everyone seems to know everyone else's business, this is a crime novel inspired by true crimes and the darker side of rural life.

At the heart of the story is Jack Dawson, a former Garda turned private investigator, a man carrying his own losses who finds himself drawn into a case that will take him into some very dark places.

I've spent a long time working on this novel. It's a story about the things we choose not to see, the secrets we keep and the terrible consequences of looking the other way.

It's also a story about ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances, and how far someone might go when there's nobody else left to help.

As an independent author, getting a book out into the world is only half the battle. Finding readers is the other half, and that's where your support makes all the difference.

If you enjoy Irish crime fiction, I'd love you to give this one a chance.

I'll be sharing more about the novel, its inspiration and its upcoming release over the coming weeks.

Thank you to everyone who has supported my writing so far. I hope you'll join me for this next chapter.

J.M. Lane

Why the Curlew Cries — Coming October 2026.