Welcome back to the Irish bestselling books charts, where we’re delighted this week to feature a much-loved author whose new book is soaring at the top of the Top 20 with the kind of sales figures usually only seen by celebrities, Christmas hits, and kids’ books around World Book Day. With over 3,000 sales in two days, Liz Nugent’s new novel The Truth About Ruby Cooper is sure to be around for a very long time.
Here’s the blurb, and a shedload of reviews in case you need more convincing to give it a go:
The deliciously dark new suspense novel from the international bestselling author of Strange Sally Diamond
‘I couldn’t stop reading! Absolutely a triumph!’ Freida McFadden
‘What a read! A brilliantly dark and tangled web that every reader will be completely ensnared by’ Graham Norton
‘An utterly gripping story about how one incident reverberates across time, damaging and destroying lives. I read it as if in a fever’ Shari Lapena
—
If my sister hadn’t been beautiful, none of it would have happened.
Ruby Cooper and her sister, Erin, live an idyllic life in their close-knit church community in Boston. But when Ruby is sixteen, she is involved in an incident that causes her family’s world to implode.
Across decades, the fallout leaves a wake of destruction behind Ruby in Dublin and Erin in Boston.
Not that Ruby wants to think about the past.
But it can’t stay a secret forever.
—
‘Liz Nugent at the top of her game … a proper work of art – nuanced, messy and complicated, just like real-life.’ Irish Independent
‘Absolutely gripping. Another utterly compelling, dark and unsettling piece of work that’s going to give me a book hangover for weeks.’ John Marrs
‘Utterly compelling and brilliantly imagined … all the way to the last dark twist.’ Anthony Horowitz
‘Once again, the incomparable Liz Nugent invites us into the darkest parts of the human psyche. I’m certain her legions of fans will agree: Ruby is her most unforgettable creation yet’ Catherine Ryan Howard
‘Only Liz Nugent can create characters like these … this is a maestro at work. Another sensational read – clear your diary and prepare to be hooked!’ Sam Blake
‘Dark, fearless and compelling – unforgettable work from an outstanding and brilliant crime writer.’ Jane Casey
‘An absolute belter of a book. Liz Nugent at her dark and twisty best.’ Louise Kennedy
‘Twisted and brilliantly observed’ Irish Examiner Culture Magazine
‘Addictive and awe-inspiring, from the first page to the last.’ Diane Jeffrey
‘Unputdownable, acid-sharp, and emotionally brutal ― Liz Nugent at her most compulsive.’ Dearbhla McTiernan
‘An intense and gripping novel about a lie that destroys lives and unravels a family over decades. Liz Nugent gets deep into the heads of her characters and lays bare their most human impulses, no matter how dark. A must-read author at the top of her game’ Gilly Macmillan
‘Only Liz Nugent could have written this book … an unflinching, darkly funny, sometimes disconcerting and always gripping story’ Sinéad Crowley
‘A novel that you will want to avoid life in order to read’ Belfast Telegraph
‘Liz Nugent is fearless in the places she will go to uncover our basest, darkest impulses. Utterly compelling.’ Tammy Cohen
‘I bloody loved it. Sublime … dark and hooky.’ Louise Swanson
‘Another triumphant addition to her impressive catalogue’Irish Examiner
‘Layered, gripping, darker than dark (a LN trademark), and psychologically complex. Beautifully real, flawed, human characters. SUPERB.’ Will Dean
‘Nugent is one of my favourite all-time writers, and her latest is not just a crime novel, it’s a study in humanity. Deserves to be massive’ Gillian McAllister
‘Lands blow after emotional blow … a novel that insists upon being read in breathless gulps’ Heat
‘Quietly dazzling … beautifully written and structured, and full of emotional intelligence … deserves to be talked about’ The Mature Times
‘Ruby Cooper is captivating and infuriating and tragic . . . brilliant storytelling’ Michael Robotham
‘I absolutely devoured this one. It’s an incredibly brave but really nuanced and layered book. It’s an absolute triumph – carried off by Liz Nugent only because she so skilled and humane a writer’ Imran Mahmood
‘An intense and gripping novel about a lie that destroys lives and unravels a family over decades. Liz Nugent gets deep into the heads of her characters and lays bare their most human impulses, no matter how dark. A must-read author at the top of her game’ Gilly Macmillan
‘So absorbing I forgot I was reading a novel and thought I was being told a twisted real-life story, full of shocking confessions and jaw-dropping revelations. Another masterclass in psychological suspense from one of my favourite writers’ Mark Edwards
‘Another gem … a psychological thriller that stands with Nugent’s best work’ Sunday Independent
‘I LOVED The Truth About Ruby Cooper . . . it’s so thought-provoking and surprising’ Claire Coughlan
‘Another perfectly fiendish and twisty thriller … an utterly gripping story’Irish Country Living
‘Absolutely fantastic’ In My Good Books podcast
‘Blends psychological tension with masterful storytelling’ Woman & Home
‘Nugent has created a character so layered, dark and utterly compelling they’ll leave you gobsmacked at every turn. It’s a story to devour greedily – pausing only to gasp at the shocking twists before eagerly turning the page for more’My Weekly
‘Another distinctive and unique novel from this outstanding writer!’The Afterword
‘Propulsive, gripping and immersive’ TripFiction
‘A twisted and twisty, dark and gripping tale’ Crime Fiction Lover
‘This dark domestic thriller with a shocking, twisty plot and compelling protagonists is unputdownable!’ Candis magazine
And now, this week’s Irish bestselling books charts with the Top 20 followed by the Top 10 in each category. Data supplied by Nielsen BookScan taken from the Irish Consumer Market.
TitleAuthorPublisher GroupSales1Truth About Ruby Cooper,TheNugent, LizPenguin Grp3,1722Island Retreat,TheKelly, CathyHarperCollins Grp2,2223Milly McCarthy and the St Patrick’s Day Pandemonium:World Book Day 2026Forde, LeonaGill Group1,8964Unbelievable Football: The Most Amazing World Cup Stories You Never KnewOldfield, MattHachette Children’s Grp1,6735Bear Rescue: World Book Day 2026Gold, HannahHarperCollins Grp1,5596Pablo and Splash: The Castle Quest:World Book Day 2026Dempsey, SheenaBloomsbury Grp1,5277Bunny vs Monkey: Total Chaos!: World Book Day 2026Smart, JamieDavid Fickling Books Grp1,5268Unicorn Academy: My Secret Unicorn Diary:A World Book Day 2026Academy, UnicornNosy Crow Grp1,4179Big Bang!,The:World Book Day 2026Ayling-Ellis, Rose & Blackburn, KatieDorling Kindersley Grp1,38710Peppa Pig: One Big Family:A World Book Day 2026 MINI BOOK
Penguin Grp1,36811Finding Joy: Words to capture the beauty of ordinary lifeMescal, DearbhlaBonnier Books UK Publishing Gr1,29112Doomsday Club: Shape-Shifters,The:They’ve made a monstrous mistake!Moran, KevinO’Brien Press Grp1,26713Chaos at the Chocolate Factory: World Book Day 2026Dahl, Roald & Pounder, SibéalPenguin Grp1,22714Skandar and the Secret Element: World Book Day 2026:SkandarSteadman, A.F.Simon & Schuster Grp1,20415Against All Odds:World Book Day 2026Lessore, NathanaelBonnier Books UK Publishing Gr1,03816Housemaid,TheMcFadden, FreidaLittle, Brown Book Grp89817Pia’s Pet Club: Iguana Escape:World Book Day 2026Patel, SerenaUsborne Grp82918Irish Mammy Cooks Cookbook,The:100 recipes that taste of homeDrumgoole, OrlaGill Group79919Funny FACTopia:World Book Day 2026
What On Earth Publishing Grp78820Rita agus an TeachtranZepf, MaireOther Publisher Groups622Mass Market Fiction
TitleAuthorImprintSales1Housemaid,TheMcFadden, FreidaLittle,Brown8982Binding 13Walsh, ChloePiatkus Books6213Want to Know a Secret?McFadden, FreidaPoisoned Pen Press6024HamnetO’Farrell, MaggieTinder Press5835Housemaid’s Secret,TheMcFadden, FreidaLittle,Brown5416Project Hail MaryWeir, AndyPenguin (Cornerstone)4517Keeping 13Walsh, ChloePiatkus Books4208Small Things Like TheseKeegan, ClaireFaber & Faber3829Dear DebbieMcFadden, FreidaPoisoned Pen Press37810Housemaid Is Watching,TheMcFadden, FreidaPoisoned Pen Press371Original Fiction
TitleAuthorImprintSales1Truth About Ruby Cooper,TheNugent, LizSandycove3,1722Island Retreat,TheKelly, CathyHarperCollins2,2223In Glass HousesCoffey, EdelSphere5964Nowhere Girls,TheHarrington, CarmelHeadline Review5915The CorrespondentEvans, VirginiaMichael Joseph4626Family Friend,TheDouglas, ClaireMichael Joseph4557Beautiful Loan,ACostello, MaryCanongate Books3888My Husband’s WifeFeeney, AliceMacmillan3799Second ChancesMeaney, RoisinHachette Books Ireland37310Weekend,TheLogan, T.M.ZAFFRE317Paperback Non Fiction
TitleAuthorImprintSales1Everybody Is a Poem:Midlife in RhymesBrierton, JanNew Island Books3392Hymn to Life,A:Shame has to Change SidesPelicot, GisèleThe Bodley Head Ltd3083Place That Has Never Been Wounded,The:A Mindful Journey Home To YourselfBreslin, NiallJohn Murray One2884PoorO’Sullivan, KatrionaPenguin Books Ltd 2605We Need to Talk About Roy:The Keaneification of Modern IrelandHannigan, DaveMerrion Press2466Atomic Habits:Tiny Changes, Remarkable ResultsClear, JamesRandom House Business Books2427What Day Is It?:Who Gives a F*ck | Poems and Illustrations Inspired byBrierton, JanNew Island Books2098Say Nothing:A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern IrelandRadden Keefe, PatrickWilliam Collins1889Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!:My MemoirMinnelli, Liza & Feinstein, MichaelHodder & Stoughton15810Fear Less:The Ten-Step Guide to Helping Kids Take Charge of AnxietyColeman, Doctor DavidGill Life151Hardback Non Fiction
TitleAuthorImprintSales1Finding Joy: Words to capture the beauty of ordinary lifeMescal, DearbhlaEriu1,2912Irish Mammy Cooks Cookbook,The:100 recipes that taste of homeDrumgoole, OrlaGill Life7993Let Them Theory,TheRobbins, Mel & Robbins, SawyerHay House UK Ltd4784Shortest History of Ireland,The:Shortest HistoriesHawes, JamesOld Street Publishing4315Always Remember:The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse and the StormMackesy, CharlieEbury Press2156Clean Magic:Essential New Tricks for a Sparkling Green Home.Birtwhistle, NancyOne Boat1987Filling Meals:100 simple hunger-busting recipes for sustainable weightWilson, LindsayEbury Press1898My Gardening LifeBerry, MaryDK1869Nobody’s Girl:A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for JusticeRoberts Giuffre, VirginiaDoubleday14810How to Grow Food:Your Crop-by-Crop Guide to Growing, Cooking, & PreservingRichards, Huw & Cooper, SamDK129Childrens
TitleAuthorImprintSales1Milly McCarthy and the St Patrick’s Day Pandemonium:World Book Day 202Forde, LeonaGill Childrens1,8962Unbelievable Football: The Most Amazing World Cup Stories You Never KnewOldfield, MattWren & Rook1,6733Bear Rescue: World Book Day 2026Gold, HannahHarperCollins1,5594Pablo and Splash: The Castle Quest:World Book Day 2026Dempsey, SheenaBloomsbury Childrens Books1,5275Bunny vs Monkey: Total Chaos!: World Book Day 2026Smart, JamieDFB Phoenix1,5266Unicorn Academy: My Secret Unicorn Diary:A World Book Day 2026Academy, UnicornNosy Crow Ltd1,4177Big Bang!,The:World Book Day 2026Ayling-Ellis, Rose & Blackburn, KatieDK Children1,3878Peppa Pig: One Big Family:A World Book Day 2026 MINI BOOK
Ladybird1,3689Doomsday Club: Shape-Shifters,The:They’ve made a monstrous mistake!Moran, KevinO’Brien Press Ltd1,26710Chaos at the Chocolate Factory: World Book Day 2026Dahl, Roald & Pounder, SibéalPuffin1,227
