Saint of the Narrows Street

Acclaimed author William Boyle, known as the 'crime poet of Brooklyn', narrates the story of two sisters caught up in an accidental murder and a meticulously planned cover-up.

Saint of the Narrows Street is described by Megan Abbott as William Boyle's best novel yet: "a vibrant, operatic tale of two resilient, big-hearted sisters and the fateful night that sets their life on a path they never intended. Not since Richard Price has a writer brought New York to such vivid, spectacular life."

Gravesend, Brooklyn, 1986: Risa Franzone resides in a ground-floor apartment on Saint of the Narrows Street with her troubled husband, Saverio, and their eight-month-old baby, Fabrizio. Known as a loving mother, a faithful wife, and a saintly neighbour, Risa's life begins to unravel as her husband's slow descent into criminality and abuse raises concerns for her and her baby's safety.

On the night her younger sister, Giulia, moves in to escape a bad break-up, events take a tragic turn. Consumed by anger and fear, Risa strikes a drunken, erratic Saverio with a cast-iron pan, killing him instantly.

Faced with a crucial decision, the sisters must choose between reporting the incident as self-defence or concealing the body and carrying on with their lives. In their panic, they enlist the help of Saverio's childhood friend, the sweet and loyal Christopher "Chooch" Gardini, hoping he can be trusted to keep their secret.

Over the following eighteen years, life in the working-class Italian neighbourhood of Gravesend continues as Risa, Giulia, and Chooch struggle with the ramifications of their choice that night. Each of them carves a distinct path as the seemingly flawless cover-up begins to unravel.