Can the books in the Gifts trilogy be read as standalones?

No, the Gifts trilogy is a continuous fantasy story. You should read them in order, beginning with All Our Hidden Gifts , followed by The Gifts That Bind Us , and ending with Every Gift a Curse .

Is The Rachel Incident connected to Caroline O’Donoghue’s other books?

No, The Rachel Incident is a completely standalone adult novel. It is not connected to the Gifts trilogy or her other adult novels, so you can read it without any prior knowledge of her work.

What is Caroline O’Donoghue’s debut novel?

Her debut novel is Promising Young Women , published in 2018. It is a dark contemporary novel exploring toxic workplace dynamics in London.

What is the short story "Hussy" about?

"Hussy" is a short story written by Caroline O’Donoghue for the 2023 feminist anthology Furies . It tells the story of a former adult film star who unexpectedly runs into a former co-star, reflecting on her path and choices.

Where is The Rachel Incident set?

The novel is set in Cork, Ireland , during the early 2010s, capturing the economic struggles of the post-2008 recession era alongside local university life.

Does Caroline O’Donoghue write non-fiction books?

As of now, she has not published a standalone non-fiction book. However, she has written extensive columns and essays as a journalist for publications like The Guardian and The Times .

Caroline O’Donoghue Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Caroline O’Donoghue

Caroline O’Donoghue has established herself as a versatile voice in contemporary fiction, effortlessly shifting between sharp, satirical adult novels and atmospheric, mystical young adult fantasy. Because her work is divided into two distinct categories, your ideal starting point depends entirely on your reading preferences:

For Contemporary Adult Fiction: Start with The Rachel Incident (2023). This international bestseller is widely considered her breakout adult masterpiece. Set against the backdrop of the 2008 financial crash in Cork, it is a funny, poignant, and deeply nostalgic look at early-twenties friendship, queer identity, and the complicated relationships that shape our youth.
For YA Fantasy and Magic Realism: Start with All Our Hidden Gifts (2021). This is the opening volume of her highly acclaimed paranormal trilogy. If you enjoy tarot cards, tight-knit high school friend groups, and eerie Irish folklore mixed with modern social themes, this is the perfect place to begin.

The Gifts Trilogy Reading Order

If you choose to explore O’Donoghue’s young adult fantasy work, you must read the Gifts trilogy in its proper chronological narrative order. The story follows Maeve O’Callaghan, a teenager who discovers a strange tarot deck while cleaning out a school closet and accidentally unleashes a mystical power in her small Irish town. The books build on a continuous storyline and should not be read as standalones.

1. All Our Hidden Gifts (2021)

The series begins as Maeve struggles to find her place at school. When she starts performing tarot readings for her classmates, she realizes she has a genuine, magical connection to the cards. However, after a heated argument during a reading, her ex-best friend Lily disappears, leaving behind a mysterious card called the Housekeeper. Maeve, along with Lily's sibling Roe and classmate Fiona, must dive into the town’s hidden history to bring her back.

2. The Gifts That Bind Us (2022)

In the second installment, Maeve and her friends are adjusting to their new magical abilities. As they build a tight-knit coven, they also face the normal pressures of teenage life, relationships, and identity. However, their powers draw the attention of a conservative, fundamentalist cult masquerading as a local self-help group, which seeks to exploit and suppress their magic, testing the bonds of their friendship.

3. Every Gift a Curse (2023)

The trilogy reaches its dramatic conclusion as Maeve and her coven face the ultimate consequences of their magical choices. The town of Kilbeg is increasingly under the sway of dark forces and escalating prejudice. Maeve must confront her own past mistakes, the true nature of her powers, and make sacrifices to protect the people she loves from a final, devastating curse.

Standalone Adult Novels

Outside of her YA trilogy, Caroline O’Donoghue has published three standalone novels for adult readers. These books are completely independent of one another and can be read in any order, though reading them in publication order shows her growth as a novelist.

Promising Young Women (2018)

O’Donoghue's debut novel is a dark, gothic-tinged office drama. It follows Jane Peters, a 26-year-old marketing coordinator in London who feels invisible at work and is reeling from a recent breakup. To cope, she writes an anonymous agony aunt blog. However, her life spirals out of control when she starts an affair with her older, married boss, Clem. The novel explores toxic power dynamics, workplace sexism, and millennial disillusionment with a sharp, satirical edge.

Scenes of a Graphic Nature (2020)

Her second adult novel is part mystery and part friendship drama. Charlie Regan is a struggling 29-year-old filmmaker whose father is terminally ill. Together with her more successful best friend Laura, Charlie travels to the remote Irish island of Clipim to show a short film based on a tragic schoolhouse fire her father survived in 1963. Upon arrival, the local community reacts with hostility, and Charlie starts to uncover family secrets that force her to question everything her father told her about his past.

The Rachel Incident (2023)

This bestselling novel centers on Rachel Murray and James Devlin, two bookstore employees who become roommates and inseparable friends in Cork during the early 2010s. The plot kicks off when Rachel develops a crush on her married professor, Fred Byrne, leading to a complex web of romantic entanglements, secrets, and life-altering decisions. It is celebrated for its warm humor, vivid portrayal of intense platonic love, and realistic depiction of financial struggle.

Anthologies and Short Stories

For readers who want to explore O’Donoghue’s shorter fiction, she contributed to a major celebratory collection:

Furies: Stories of the Wicked, Wild and Untamed (2023): Published by Virago to mark the press's 50th anniversary, this feminist anthology features stories by prominent women writers. O’Donoghue’s contribution is a short story titled "Hussy", which offers a compassionate and grounded look at a former adult film actress navigating her past and present life.

Caroline O’Donoghue Books by Publication Order

If you prefer to read an author's bibliography in the order the books were released to the public, follow this simple chronological checklist:

Promising Young Women (Adult Novel) — 2018
Scenes of a Graphic Nature (Adult Novel) — 2020
All Our Hidden Gifts (YA Novel) — 2021
The Gifts That Bind Us (YA Novel) — 2022
The Rachel Incident (Adult Novel) — 2023
Every Gift a Curse (YA Novel) — 2023
Furies: Stories of the Wicked, Wild and Untamed (Anthology Contributor) — 2023

What to Know Before You Start

Caroline O’Donoghue's writing is heavily influenced by her Irish heritage and her work in media. Most of her books are set in Ireland, capturing specific local dynamics—from the conservative undertones of remote islands to the vibrant, bohemian student culture of Cork. She excels at writing about complex, sometimes co-dependent friendships that feel incredibly realistic. Fans of her award-winning podcast, Sentimental Garbage (which re-evaluates women’s commercial fiction and pop culture), will recognize the same warm, witty, and unapologetic voice throughout her prose.