Above you can see the French cover for Anne Griffin‘s critically-acclaimed debut novel, WHEN ALL IS SAID. Due to be published by Delcourt as TOUTE UNE VIE ET UN SOIR, on April 3rd, we don’t have a French synopsis just yet. The novel is out now in the UK, published by Sceptre, and is due to be published in the US by St. Martin’s Press in March. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

Five toasts. Five people. One lifetime.

‘I’m here to remember — all that I have been and all that I will never be again.’

At the bar of a grand hotel in a small Irish town sits 84-year-old Maurice Hannigan. He’s alone, as usual — though tonight is anything but. Pull up a stool and charge your glass, because Maurice is finally ready to tell his story.

Over the course of this evening, he will raise five toasts to the five people who have meant the most to him. Through these stories — of unspoken joy and regret, a secret tragedy kept hidden, a fierce love that never found its voice — the life of one man will be powerfully and poignantly laid bare.

Heart-breaking and heart-warming all at once, the voice of Maurice Hannigan will stay with you long after all is said.

The novel has also been sold widely in other territories. We’ll have some more covers and details for you soon.

Here is just a small selection of the aforementioned critical-acclaim that WHEN ALL IS SAID has received so far…

‘Anne Griffin’s debut novel is a must read. Beautifully observed, masterful story telling – stunning!’ — Graham Norton

‘An extraordinary novel, a poetic writer, and a story that moved me to tears… There is something special here.’ — John Boyne

‘Pitch-perfect prose… Moving and beautifully written, this is a wonderfully assured debut.’ — Mail on Sunday

‘It’s all beautifully done; a tale told in the plain but poetic prose of a man who recognises the tragic truths gleaned from a life of love and loss. A gem of a book.’ 5* — Sunday Express

‘A proper tear-jerker, but one that will ultimately leave you feeling hopeful.’ — Grazia

‘A beautifully written, perfectly paced, heartfelt novel.’ — Saga Magazine