LISTEN: Ruth O’Leary explores the secrets hidden in friendship

Speaking on "Natter with Kate and Michelle", O’Leary also reflects on finding her voice as a writer later in life, the creative spark behind her third book, and the unexpected path that led her to publication.

In the age where so much of our connection is filtered through social media, how well do we really know our friends? This is one of the central questions bestselling Irish author Ruth O’Leary poses in her latest novel, "The Last Week of Him". 

It’s a theme that resonates deeply, particularly in a post-pandemic world where in-person connection has become less frequent, and Ruth is fascinated by the gap between perception and reality. 

“We feel like we know everything about each other because we see posts and updates,” she says. “But when you’re actually under the same roof again, you realise how much you don’t know.”

The novel also explores more uncomfortable territory, including whether a difficult upbringing can ever excuse harmful behaviour.

In a lively conversation on the books podcast "Natter with Kate and Michelle", O’Leary opened up about the inspiration behind her third novel, her unconventional path to publication, and the life experiences that continue to shape her storytelling.

At the heart of "The Last Week of Him" is a deceptively simple premise: three women, once inseparable in their youth, receive the same shocking WhatsApp message about the sudden death of a man they all knew growing up. From that moment, O’Leary constructs a tightly woven narrative that unfolds over a matter of days, drawing the women back together in the west of Ireland.

The idea, she explains, came from a moment many of us can relate to – being added to a new group chat. “I kept getting notifications and it was driving me mad,” she laughs.

“But then I had this visual of three women in different countries all receiving the same message at the same time and being completely shaken by it.”

Before Ruth writes a single word of a new novel, she explains, she builds her characters through detailed biographies, often using images of actors as reference points. 

“I need to know who they are, how they look, where they live. It helps me bring them to life before I even begin writing.”

From there, she constructs the world around them, carefully choosing locations that shape not just the setting, but the story itself.

In her latest book, the remote landscape of the West of Ireland plays a vital part, the isolation forcing long-buried secrets to the surface. “I needed somewhere they couldn’t easily leave. If things get intense, they can’t just jump in a car and go home,” she says.

Ruth, who was in her late fifties when she published her debut novel, "The Weekend Break", explains that for much of her life, she didn’t believe she could write a novel at all.

“I thought writers were a different category of people,” she admits. “I didn’t go to college, and I had this limiting belief that you needed that background.” 

It wasn’t until she joined a writers’ group during the pandemic and took part in the NaNoWriMo challenge, writing 50,000 words in 30 days, that her perspective shifted. “Once I did that, I thought, well, maybe I can do this.”

That breakthrough led not only to her debut novel but to a remarkable run of productivity. Even before securing a publishing deal, she had already written multiple manuscripts, an approach she credits with helping her prove, both to herself and to publishers, that she had more than one book in her.

Away from writing, Ruth has spent over a decade working as a film and television extra, a job that has seen her play everything from a nun alongside Russell Crowe to a Viking charging through Wicklow fields. The flexibility of the work allows her to balance family life and writing, while also feeding her creative imagination.

“You’re constantly observing,” she says. “You’re seeing how stories are brought to life on screen, and that definitely influences how I write.”

Currently in the middle of the whirlwind of book promotion, Ruth is travelling across Ireland meeting booksellers and readers because for all the success she’s achieved, her approach remains grounded in the same simple philosophy that: “You need to get out into the world. That’s where the stories are.”

Ruth was speaking to writer friends Kate Durrant and Michelle McDonagh on the books podcast "Natter with Kate and Michelle", produced in association with Bookstation, Ireland’s fastest growing and best value bookseller, and Irish Central, your daily source for all things Irish. 

Listen to the latest episode of "Natter with Kate and Michelle" here:

You can buy Ruth’s new book, "The Last Week of Him," at Bookstation.

Listen to Ruth’s interview on Natter with Kate and Michelle now at Acast or on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts. Make sure to follow us on Instagram @natterwithkateandmichelle or Facebook.