Darkrooms by Rebecca Hannigan: A gripping Irish mystery with unforgettable, flawed women

On the night of the Summer Solstice in 1999, nine-year-old Roisin O’Halloran vanished into the Hanging Woods, a copse that had terrified generations of children in the small Irish town of Bannakilduf. Twenty years later, her disappearance remains a shadow over the town—and over the two women now drawn together to uncover the truth: Roisin’s older sister, Deedee, a rookie cop barely holding herself together, and Caitlin, Roisin’s childhood best friend and a petty criminal with a penchant for deception and risky behavior. In Darkrooms, Rebecca Hannigan delivers a lush, moody thriller that explores guilt, justice, and the dangerous ways past traumas shape the present.

If you’re a fan of unlikeable characters and unreliable narrators, this novel is made for you. Caitlin lies, steals, and teeters on the edge of self-destruction, and you’re never quite sure whether to believe her confessions—or whether they hint at something even darker.

Deedee, meanwhile, is no heroic counterpart. She’s an abrasive drunk and a terrible cop. She harbors secrets—including suspicions that she may have accidentally killed Caitlin’s mother—and is tangled in a messy affair even as she pressures her boyfriend into marriage and family life. Hannigan paints both women with a raw honesty that makes their flaws compelling rather than alienating.

The novel also examines the ways men’s actions ripple through the lives of women. Some men act maliciously, others with misguided intentions, and these actions force Caitlin and Deedee into morally gray territory. Their relationship is fraught with mistrust, sabotage, and open conflict, yet by the end, it’s clear that survival and truth demand reliance on one another—and on the women around them—rather than expecting salvation from the men in their lives.

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With its atmospheric Irish setting, taut plotting, and morally complex characters, Darkrooms is perfect for readers who enjoy Tana French, Flynn Berry, or any story where nothing is quite as it seems. It’s a haunting debut that lingers long after the last page, inviting you to reckon with guilt, loyalty, and the secrets small towns bury.

Darkrooms releases January 13, 2026.

If you’ve read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments—who did you trust, if anyone, and what secrets kept you turning the pages?

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