The Last Good Summer by J.J. Green is a story of corruption and murder in Ireland. This is a dual-timeline novel, which is becoming a favorite genre. It takes place in Donegal in 1986 and in present-day Dublin.

Belle McGhee is thirteen in 1986 and in the summer of that year, Fionn Power comes to stay in the McGhee household. Belle and her sister Rose are told that he will be staying with them for a time.

Present day, Belle, or McGhee as she prefers to be called is an award-winning journalist in Dublin. She comes home due to the death of her friend Fionn when in Dublin she thought she saw Fionn by her window only to learn that he had been murdered.

While home she becomes embroiled in what Fionn was up to, he was investigating the illegal dumping of chemicals, and he had all the information about what he was investigating, so McGhee was able to follow in his footsteps if you will. In her continuing investigation, she finds corruption along the way. Was this why he was murdered?

As her investigation not only into Fionn's murder but also into an environmental scandal that would cause harm to the people that live around the dump spots, she meets a causing of Fionn, a relationship ensues but McGhee does not want to get close to him, she has a lot of baggage as a child, she did something that she is ashamed of and if her family found out, well let's just say there would be repercussions.

This is a story that covers some of "the troubles" in Northern Ireland in the 80s, the aftermath of the IRA, but also covers corruption in the local government. A well-written debut of a novel that caught my attention because I am a huge fan of anything Irish. I really enjoyed this story and I hope to read more by this Irish author!

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and Netgalley for the copy of the book I received for review purposes only.

I give the book 5 stars! ( )