Roseview

In the Ireland of the 1990s, a strange phenomenon known as the Celtic Tiger economy emerged. It was the start of an extreme transition for the country both economically and culturally and lasted over a decade. Like all of these sudden economic upturns, the Tiger economy brought some good and some terrible changes. The most obvious change was the level of spending power that seemingly ordinary citizens were capable of. Suddenly the country was awash with cheap credit and with it came a gluttonous spending spree the likes of which Ireland had never seen before in its entire history; new houses, new cars, new clothes, holidays, home extensions and refurbishments. Every bar and restaurant in the country were busy and there was a sense that Ireland was, at last becoming a prosperous nation.

With all these changes came a darker side. Some truly disturbing acts of violence occurred which left people both shocked and angry. Much of this violence was perpetrated against women and at one stage there were reports of a serial killer operating in the east of the country, with the disappearances of several women who have never been found. It wasn't just the increase in violence that marked the Celtic Tiger years but the type of violence. Amidst all the jubilance, violence and fictitious prosperity of the Tiger economy, not everyone was thriving. Many people were left behind and found the boom years a chilling and grotesque period of our recent history.

Roseview is a novel inspired by this tumultuous period. Deacon Burns, the central character in Roseview, is one of those people. He lives in a quiet, beautiful and peaceful middle-class neighbourhood. His family and neighbours have no clue as to Deacon's state of mind. He is a psychopath in the making. Deacon becomes obsessed with Bella Myles, his childhood crush and the object of his deranged desires. Bella has returned to Roseview with her new fiance. Deacon becomes possessed by her and disgusted by her, and her friends.

In his lonely, desperate mind Deacon convinces himself that by killing Bella he will vanquish his own inner demons forever. He is crumbling but he hides it well. He is tormented but manages to cover up the torment just enough to get by. Just as the society around him has become adept at hiding the truth about itself, Deacon has become adept at containing his murderous, vicious, psychotic fantasies. But for how long?
Genre: novel, suburban fiction, crime, drama, chiller