The 12 Pins by Peter Hodgkinson Paperback Book 9781739123734

In 1947 Mary Deben travels to a remote cottage in Connemara Ireland to write her Spanish novel She recalls her recruitment in 1937 of Tom Lees a young Irish writer to be her eyes and ears on their journey to report on the Irish Blueshirts in the Spanish Civil War As she was prevented from going to the front only Tom witnesses action with the calamitous Irish Brigade Experiencing the horrifying menace of the fascists and the complicity of the Press on the FrancoistNationalist side Mary has to escape from Spain leaving Tom to an unknown fate Ten years later in Connemara Mary remains remorseful of having enlisted Tom Unwittingly she becomes involved in the child abuse scandal of the Industrial Schools Recruiting a young Christian Brother she gathers evidence of the abuse in a local school and learns of Toms fate A meeting with an extraordinary stranger also has unexpected consequences