My Father’s House

MY FATHER’S HOUSE

September 1943: German forces occupy Rome. SS officer Paul Hauptmann rules with terror. The war’s outcome is far from certain. An Irish priest, Hugh O’Flaherty, dedicates himself to helping those escaping from the Nazis. His home is Vatican City, the world’s smallest state, a neutral, independent country within Rome where the occupiers hold no sway. Here Hugh brings together an unlikely band of friends to hide the vulnerable under the noses of the enemy. But Hauptmann’s net begins closing in on the Escape Line and the need for a terrifyingly audacious mission grows critical. By Christmas time, it’s too late to turn back. Based on an extraordinary true story, My Father’s House is a powerful literary thriller from a master of historical fiction. Joseph O’Connor has created an unforgettable novel of love, faith and sacrifice, and what it means to be truly human in the most extreme circumstances.

*****

“A tremendous literary thriller.”
LE MONDE

“A masterpiece.”
FINTAN O’TOOLE, IRISH TIMES

“Masterly. Sublime. This is a literary thriller of the highest order.”
OBSERVER

“A masterpiece.”
SUNDAY INDEPENDENT

“A spectacular, thrilling novel. Magnificent.”
PETER KEMP, THE SUNDAY TIMES

“A novel that will make your heart sing.”
THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT

“Magnificent. O’Connor’s language flows with a beauty worthy of Rome itself.”
SUNDAY BUSINESS POST

“Brilliantly done.”
ARENA

“SO beautifully written, a masterclass in ‘voices’ and an EXTREMELY TENSE thriller. It is magnificent.”
MARIAN KEYES

“Gripping. A masterful and seamless blend of fact and fiction.”
SARAH GILMARTIN, IRISH TIMES

“Riveting.”
BOOKS IRELAND

“Electrifying.”
IRISH EXAMINER

“O’Connor is on stellar form with this ensemble thriller… while the story’s inbuilt tension urges you on, it’s the sheer vigour of O’Connor’s beautifully turned phrases that really makes the book sing… an expert storyteller.”
DAILY MAIL

“Superb. I’ll be stunned if I read a better novel this year.”
PAUL HOWARD

“Expertly plotted… Brilliantly paced… O’Connor brings vividly to life a man who stands up to be counted. It is hard not to be captivated by his presence in this hugely satisfying book, from its explosive beginning to its bittersweet end.”
WASHINGTON POST

An Amazon.Com Editors’ Pick, 2023

“A mesmerising story of valour and deep human kindness.”
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

“A tale worth re-telling, adorned as it is by the brilliants of O’Connor’s impressionistic writing.”
THE TIMES, Best New Thrillers

“A masterwork… so urgent, so incredibly alive… A searing and beautiful example of storytelling’s infinite importance.”
DONAL RYAN

“Gripping, compelling and utterly brilliant. O’Connor’s gift for exquisite language shines through.”
LIZ NUGENT

“I was utterly engrossed from start to finish. The writing hums with energy. Such a gloriously vivid depiction of a Rome that is both familiar and altogether strange. And a powerful story of ordinary humans showing extraordinary bravery and tenacity. Bravo!”
DANIELLE McLAUGHLIN

“I can’t begin to tell you how much I enjoyed it. Everything about it spoke to me. The characters, the location and the story itself. It is that rare thing, a literary page-turner. There were times when I was almost reading with my eyes closed because I couldn’t handle the suspense. Rome at such a difficult time, but full of beauty and courage. My Father’s House is a terrific read.”
CHRISTINE DWYER HICKEY

“Joseph O’Connor is a very great artist and storyteller.”
SEBASTIAN BARRY

“Breathtakingly good writing. O’Connor puts you right there, centre stage in the story, and never lets you go.”
PETER JAMES

“A compelling work of fiction.”
RADIO TIMES

“There are few living writers who can take us back in time so assuredly, with such sensual density, through such gorgeous sentences. Joseph O’Connor is a wonder.”
PETER CAREY, twice winner of the Booker Prize

“Intensely atmospheric, immersive and thrilling”
LITERARY REVIEW

“A thrilling new novel, and a brilliant description of Rome during wartime.”
DAILY EXPRESS

“A very powerful and gripping book, and a terrific evocation of Rome at this time.”
MATTHEW KNEALE, author of ENGLISH PASSENGERS

“Hugely impressive and utterly haunting.”
SUNDAY MIRROR

“Riveting… a storytelling tour de force. This is top-drawer WWII fiction.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, starred review

“O’Connor’s phrasings are a special joy… A deeply emotional read.”
KIRKUS REVIEWS, starred review

“A hugely entertaining book about the grand scope of friendship and love, it is also, movingly – at times, astonishingly – a story of transience, loss and true loyalty.”
GUARDIAN

“O’Connor is a masterful storyteller. Superb!”
BOOKLIST, starred review

“Triumphant.”
THE EXAMINER

“Glorious.”
SUNDAY INDEPENDENT

“Impressive and pleasurable. The diverse ventriloquism of My Father’s House evokes the city in peril with wonderful vitality.”
FINANCIAL TIMES

“Superb craftsmanship. Finally – and triumphantly – My Father’s House is an intimate drama that illuminates both the fragility and the wonder of unlikely human connections forged in adversity and, in some cases, enduring for a lifetime.”
WALL STREET JOURNAL

“A triumph, the first literary classic of 2023. It’s the kind of hold-my-calls story that armchairs were invented for and will doubtless have won awards by the end of the year.”
HOT PRESS

“A thriller of engrossing urgency.”
IRISH INDEPENDENT

“Thrilling… Based on true events, this tense, gripping narrative is rendered in beautifully evocative prose.”
MAIL ON SUNDAY

“The novel’s evocative scene-setting, its propulsive narration and its powerful depiction of bravery and unity in extremis, all make for an engrossing read.”
THE TELEGRAPH

“Precisely choreographed. We follow the characters eagerly through high-stakes jeopardy.”
GUARDIAN

“O’Connor is a fine novelist… By any standards an extraordinary tale.”
SPECTATOR

“Rome is perhaps the ideal setting for a historical novel, and Joseph O’Connor explores its mysteries in gripping detail.”
AMERICA Magazine

“An irresistible work of historical fiction.”
RTE Guide

“A masterpiece.”
STRONG WORDS MAGAZINE

“Never has the incredible story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty been fictionalised in such a vividly immersive experience. A powerful work of art.”
THE KERRYMAN

“Multi-voiced and multi-layered, doused generously in authorial genius.”
SUNDAY INDEPENDENT