THE GROWN UP SHELF

This Month’s Pick: Carmel Harrington

We are so proud to feature the latest book from bestselling Irish author
Carmel Harrington
as our very first Grown Up Shelf choice in the STARCAMP Book Club.

Carmel is a truly wonderful storyteller — her books are filled with heart, honesty and emotional depth. She writes about real life, real people and real resilience, with warmth and compassion woven through every page.

What makes this month’s choice even more special is the personal connection. STARCAMP founder Aideen had the pleasure of working alongside Carmel on the panel of The Midday Show on Virgin Media Television, where a friendship began long before this book club ever existed.

To now be recommending her work to thousands of STARCAMP families feels incredibly full-circle.

Why We Chose This Book

At STARCAMP, we believe confidence doesn’t just grow in children — it grows in homes.

Our Grown Up Shelf is about giving parents something meaningful, uplifting and thought-provoking to enjoy for themselves. Carmel’s writing reflects:

• Strength through adversity
  • The power of kindness
  • Emotional resilience
  • Family, connection and hope

Exactly the values we hold dear in our STARCAMP community.

✨ We would love to know what you think.
Join the conversation and tell us your favourite moment from the book.

Welcome to the wonderful world of the STARCAMP Book Club — where the magic isn’t just for children.

STORYLINE: The gripping and suspenseful new novel about two abandoned sisters from the bestselling author of THE STOLEN CHILD and THE LIGHTHOUSE SECRET.

On a cold afternoon in December 1995, two young girls are found abandoned on a platform at Pearse Station in Dublin.

Thirty years later, investigative journalist Vega is determined to find out what happened to the so-called ‘Nowhere Girls’

Where did their mother go? Why did no one come forward to claim them? And where are they now?

Searching for answers takes her on a journey with twists she never could have imagined. And one that could put everything else she knows at risk; including her new relationship, her career, and her life as she knows it.

Author Biography

Carmel Harrington

Carmel Harrington is the internationally bestselling author of thirteen novels. Her last novel, The Lighthouse Secret, was an instant Irish Times bestseller. Carmel’s debut novel was a winner of multiple awards, and several of her books have been shortlisted for an Irish Book Award. She is a regular on Irish TV screens and radio and has been a guest speaker at literary events in Ireland, UK and USA. She was also the Chair of Wexford Literary Festival for three years. Carmel is from Co. Wexford, where she lives with her husband, children and rescue dog, George Bailey.