R. P. O'Donnell grew up on the South Shore of Boston. He was short and wore a back brace for two years, so he really had no choice but to love reading and writing from a young age. He graduated from Bucknell University with a degree in English. He's had a wide range of job experiences: garbage collector, A&E admissions, apprentice to a roving yard-sale salesman, barista, camp counsellor, caterer and a call centre employee. He moved to a tiny fishing village in West Cork, where he lives with his two children. His debut mystery, also set in a village in West Cork, was published in the US by Crooked Lane (February 2025) and is forthcoming in the UK and Ireland from New Island Press (2026).

Photo (c) Christopher Luke

‘Castlefreke is a small town with a big dose of corruption – and now murder – and a librarian, Emma Daly, who will get to the truth whatever it takes. Cosy crime with a sharp bite, NO COMFORT FOR THE DEAD has all the charm of an Irish thriller, wrapped in a soft cardigan and wearing wellies.’ – Kitty Murphy

‘The village and its inhabitants are completely alive in this novel … O’Donnell handles the sentimental and the sombre just perfectly, balancing it with the wit and charm of the characters … A thoroughly entertaining, witty, clever read.’ – Hannah King

‘O’Donnell debuts with a complex and accomplished whodunit . . . and he matches his gift for atmosphere with intricate plotting and nuanced characterizations.’ – Publishers Weekly

‘O’Donnell’s debut is so atmospheric in its background and poetic in its language.’ – Kirkus Reviews