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56 Days Hardcover – August 17, 2021

by Catherine Ryan Howard (Author)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 3,829 ratings
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Don’t miss The Trap, the latest dark and twisted thriller from internationally bestselling crime writer Catherine Ryan Howard―inspired by a series of still-unsolved disappearances.

*A New York Times Best Thriller of 2021

*A Washington Post Best Thriller for 2021

*A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year

*An Amazon Editors’ Pick

''Bloody good.'' --The New York Times

''Timely, surprising, emotionally alive, this is about as good as suspense fiction gets.'' --Washington Post

No one even knew they were together. Now one of them is dead.

56 DAYS AGO

Ciara and Oliver meet in a supermarket queue in Dublin and start dating the same week COVID-19 reaches Irish shores.

35 DAYS AGO

When lockdown threatens to keep them apart, Oliver suggests they move in together. Ciara sees a unique opportunity for a relationship to flourish without the scrutiny of family and friends. Oliver sees a chance to hide who -- and what -- he really is.

TODAY

Detectives arrive at Oliver's apartment to discover a decomposing body inside.

Can they determine what really happened, or has lockdown created an opportunity for someone to commit the perfect crime?

Look for these other pulse-pounding thrillers from award-winning, internationally bestselling crime writer Catherine Ryan Howard:

  • Distress Signals

  • The Liar’s Girl

  • Rewind

  • The Nothing Man

  • Run Time

  • The Trap

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    320 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Blackstone Publishing
  4. Publication date
    August 17, 2021
  5. Dimensions
    6.5 x 1 x 9.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1982694653
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1982694654
  8. See all details
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All the Little Raindrops: A Novel
"All the Little Raindrops: A Novel" by Mia Sheridan for $10.39
The chilling story of the abduction of two teenagers, their escape, and the dark secrets that, years later, bring them back to the scene of the crime. | Learn more

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From the Publisher

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard
The Trap by Catherine Ryan Howard Run Time by Catherine Ryan Howard The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard The Liar's Girl by Catherine Ryan Howard Distress Signals by Catherine Ryan Howard
The Trap Run Time The Nothing Man Rewind The Liar's Girl Distress Signals
Customer Reviews
3.9 out of 5 stars
1,680
3.7 out of 5 stars
1,290
4.3 out of 5 stars
1,804
4.1 out of 5 stars
1,518
4.2 out of 5 stars
4,817
4.0 out of 5 stars
3,585
Price $14.36 $14.97 $13.20 $25.65 $17.41 $17.11
More by Catherine Ryan Howard ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Editorial Reviews

Review

*Book of the Month #1 July 2021 Pick*

*A Washington Post Best Thriller of August*

*A PopSugar Best Book of August*

*A Brit + Co Best Summer Read*

*CrimeReads Most Anticipated Crime Book of the Summer*

*Women.com Hottest Thrillers of the Summer*

''Timely, surprising, emotionally alive, this is about as good as suspense fiction gets.'' --Washington Post

''56 Days is a terrific novel written by an author who is certain to become a distinguished voice in crime fiction. You won't want to stop reading until the very end.'' --Karin Slaughter, New York Times and internationally bestselling author

''Catherine Ryan Howard brings crime writing to a new level.'' --Sam Blake, bestselling author of Little Bones, on The Nothing Man

''Bloody good ... kept me guessing as I turned the pages at a furious clip.'' --The New York Times

''56 Days, Catherine’s newest crime novel, is without a doubt my favorite book of hers yet -- and destined to be one of my top favorite books of the year. This clever and claustrophobic domestic thriller utilizes the pressure cooker of Ireland’s strict COVID lockdown policies to amp up the tension between a newly dating couple who decide to move in together rather than be forced to stay apart when COVID lands on Ireland’s shores. This book is masterfully plotted, deliciously entertaining, and brimming with the kinds of clever twists and reveals that you really won’t see coming.'' --Crime by the Book

''56 Days is definitely one for thriller lovers that crave suspenseful story lines. Catherine Ryan Howard is a mastermind with this one.'' --Fresh Fiction

''I first fell in love with Howard’s writing in The Nothing Man and I jumped at the chance to read her latest. Even though I had a rough idea of what was going on with Ciara, I was still able to be surprised by the twist. I enjoyed the timeline jumps and the same story being told from both Ciara and Oliver’s perspectives. It gave a really rounded experience and reminds you that you don’t always get the whole story from one person. Perfect addition to your reading list!'' --San Francisco Book Review

''Dark and dazzling, funny, sinister, and oh-so clever. I read 56 Days in a breath held right up until the final, mesmeric pages. Catherine Ryan Howard is ridiculously talented.'' --Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of We Begin at the End

''An eerie, twisty story ripped from current headlines, in which a global pandemic becomes the foreboding hypotenuse of a dangerous love triangle.'' --Library Journal

''Catherine Ryan Howard is a gift to crime writing. Her characters are credible, her stories are original, and her plotting is ingenious. Every book is a treat to look forward to.'' --Liz Nugent, internationally bestselling author, on Rewind

''As with Ms. Howard’s other thriller, The Nothing Man, this one is filled with a sense of foreboding from the first page. Nothing is as it seems, and yet everything is displayed in plain sight, if misinterpreted. 56 Days is a thriller with a heavy atmosphere of tension, set during a life-and-death time in our own contemporary history.'' --New York Journal of Books

''Howard structures her novel as a clever sort of countdown, dishing out slow reveals about each of the characters, until the shattering ending that I might label Tarantino-esque if it weren’t so intimate.'' --CrimeReads

''Each new twist, dispensed with surgical precision, will keep you hooked, nostalgic for the days when COVID-19 was the worst threat.'' --Kirkus Reviews

''[A] captivating tale from Edgar finalist Howard...As the link between the couple’s outwardly simple yet complex romance and the murder becomes clearer through carefully doled out backstories, readers will find themselves rooting for these flawed characters no matter what their past indiscretions or crimes. Howard continues to impress.'' --Publishers Weekly

''The queen of high-concept crime fiction.'' --Jane Casey, author of the Maeve Kerrigan novels, on The Nothing Man

About the Author

Catherine Ryan Howard is an internationally bestselling crime writer from Cork, Ireland. Her most recent novel, 56 Days, was an Irish no. 1 bestseller, won Crime Fiction Novel of the Year at the Irish Book Awards and was named a best thriller of 2021 by the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Irish Times. Her previous work has been shortlisted for the Edgar Award for Best Novel, the CWA’s John Creasey New Blood and Ian Fleming Steel Daggers and Irish Crime Novel of the Year multiple times. She lives in Dublin.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Blackstone Publishing; Unabridged edition (August 17, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1982694653
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1982694654
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.55 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 3,829 ratings

About the author

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Catherine Ryan Howard

Catherine Ryan Howard

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CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD is the author of 56 DAYS, which was a no. 1 bestseller in her native Ireland and named a Thriller of the Year by the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Irish Times. It won Crime Fiction Book of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards 2021, was shortlisted for the Dublin Literary Award 2023 and is currently being developed for screen by Amazon Studios and Atomic Monster. Her other work has been shortlisted for the CWA's Ian Fleming Steel and John Creasey/New Blood Daggers and the Edgar Award for Best Novel. Her seventh thriller, THE TRAP, inspired by a series of real-life disappearances in Ireland in the 1990s, will publish in August 2023. She is based in Dublin. Find out more on www.catherineryanhoward.com

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
3,829 global ratings
Love this Covid thriller
4 Stars
Love this Covid thriller
The irony of reading a book about Covid is that I read it while at home after having left my in-laws house because of Covid! My in-laws both tested positive this week and we luckily avoided it this time.56 Days is a thriller set during 2020 in Dublin, Ireland. Ciara and Oliver meet in a grocery store just before the pandemic. Oliver noticed her Intrepid reusable bag and they start a conversation. They go for a drink and on another date, they go see a movie. When the pandemic gets serious, Oliver asks if Ciara wants to be his pandemic buddy and move into his apartment. She agrees that it would be fun since they both live alone. While told in a dual timeline, a body is found in an apartment complex and it is investigated. The two plots meet each other as we learn more about Ciara and Oliver’s pasts.I really liked this! I personally don’t think it’s too early for stories about Covid. It’s funny to rehash the beginning of lockdown and what we knew about the virus then and what we know now. I loved the dual timelines and I especially enjoyed the cops investigating the dead body. I also used to live in Dublin and I knew where a lot of the book takes place. It’s one of my favorite cities!
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Top reviews from the United States

RDT
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2024
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I really enjoyed this story. On the surface it seems ludicrous that Ciara would move in with a guy she had only had for days (and she obviously has reservations about doing so), but centered around the early lockdowns of Covid, I bought into the premise rather easily. Great twists and turns throughout. The time jumps were occasionally annoying, but Howard generally did a good job keeping them relevant.
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Shiloh
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting mix of domestic thriller and police procedural
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2022
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Set in the early days of the COVID lockdown, this novel interweaves multiple timelines and character viewpoints, but is done well enough that I never found it confusing. The main storyline follows Oliver and Ciara, a young couple navigating the early (56) days of a relationship, with some chapters narrated from her viewpoint and others from his. It's immediately clear that each of them is hiding something, and as the story progressed I found myself forming opinions about what was going on, only to change course a few chapters further on. Toward the end there were several I-didn't-see-that-coming twists that upended the original dynamic and sent the story in an entirely different direction.

The later detective storyline, which occurs after a body is found in the apartment the young couple shared, is less successful. The chapter introducing the two detectives is abrupt and just plain weird. The detectives are undeveloped as characters, and seem to serve primarily as a sort of Greek chorus explaining the aftermath of the earlier events with Ciara and Oliver.

In general, I found the book interesting, with an ending that neatly brought the plot full circle. I felt there were some flaws in Ciara's story, having to do with her plans and how she intended to achieve them. (I can't be more specific without spoilers.)

The writing in general is competent, but I was VERY turned off by some linguistic lapses, such as a reference to traffic noise including squealing "breaks." That was on page 3, and I almost threw the book against the wall and stopped reading right then. There are also several incidences of pronoun abuse ("... her and Karl aren't due on shift ..." ) that NO author should ever commit, and no editor ever permit. Doesn't anyone actually read a manuscript before slapping a cover on it and shipping it out to bookstores?!

Despite those quibbles, the book is worth reading, with a timely and inventive story, a couple of interesting characters, and some plot twists that will keep you guessing.
8 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars The story is great
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2023
Verified Purchase
This is a great story a really great story but I don't understand all the time jumping It just really took me out of the scene. I Not only how to remind myself who's thoughts I was in but also at what point in time those thoughts were in. Normally I love multiple points of view and normally I love time jumping But this was a little over the top. Still a great read!!!
3 people found this helpful
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Kat Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars Is justice served?
Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2024
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This is my first Catherine Ryan Howard book and I am a fan. The narrator was perfect! Even though it’s been 4 years now since the world was submitted into a lockdown, hearing/reading about it made it seem like it just happened. It brought back my own memories of all the restrictions and the fear that everyone had. This story was about 2 underage boys who committed a crime, and were sentenced to a juvenile facility. Keira is the FMC, she is the sister of one of the boys, and she sets out to find out the truth about what happened that day. Her mother is very sick and she wants to be able to give her a better story about her son. Oliver is the MMC, he was one of the boys, he has served his time and is now trying to re-acclimate himself as a productive member of society. But he’s always looking over his shoulder, and weary of anyone who gets close to him. There’s a journalist who has found his location, and he has started a relationship with Keira who works in the same area as him. Then covid hits just as they were starting to talk to each other. He doesn’t know why, but he proposes that she stay with him during the initial lockdown. Can they trust each other? What secrets will come to light? I actually had tears hearing about the crime they committed, I did not see the twist coming at the end. Well done Catherine. On to the next!
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zuzetta
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Plot Twists
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2024
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Since we all lived through the COVID situation the premise was interesting….a CHANCE meeting…or so we thought
A little confusing, at first, the back and forth of the story but once I figured it out I enjoyed the read!
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David Elliott
5.0 out of 5 stars Something New on the Thriller Front
Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2023
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A fresh approach to the murder mystery genre, 56 Ds Days is set in Dublin during the pandemic lockdown. In addition to the murder element, it's also a romance, and features a secondary mystery from the past. The two primary characters are complicated and fascinating, The novel's timeline , captured in chapter titles, adds to the complexity while keeping the reader guessing. This gripping thrill ride is compelling throughout. I look forward to reading more from Catherine Ryan Howard. She really knows hows what she's doing.
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Top reviews from other countries

Gwendolyn Leigh
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read.
Reviewed in Canada on December 5, 2021
Verified Purchase
This author has an unusual and creative way of telling a tale. The book drew me in from the beginning and the suspense worked extremely well as the story played out. Highly recommend. Some parts are not for the squeamish.
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Nicole
4.0 out of 5 stars A somewhat realistic spin on COVID
Reviewed in Canada on September 20, 2021
Verified Purchase
I was hesitant to read this book due to being written during the pandemic and currently going into a 4th wave. However, the premise of this book is SO interesting.

Ciara and Oliver meet right before covid begins. Sparks fly and they start to date and hunker down and live together because it's only two weeks for lock down so they think. We alternate between Ciara and Oliver and present-day when a body has been discovered ( this isn't a spoiler). Then we follow the reader trying to figure out who the body belongs to? and why was the person killed? I really don't want to give things a way but this book was not what I expected and I thought I had everything figured out!

This is the first book I have read by this author, and the descriptive way of death, the stench, and decomposition of the body is nothing less than fascinating. You can almost picture being in the room with the detective
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Kindle Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Pandemic setting for an original thriller
Reviewed in Canada on December 12, 2021
Verified Purchase
Loved the concept of the pandemic lock down accelerating the speed of a budding relationship between two (supposed) strangers that hook up at the onset of the pandemic. A quick tight read with enough unanswered questions to keep you hanging in to the end.
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Melissa
4.0 out of 5 stars twists and turns
Reviewed in Canada on August 23, 2022
Verified Purchase
This is my first mystery story in a while and there were several twists in this story I never saw coming. I loved how the author used the beginning of Covid lockdown in her setting for this story, hardly would have been believable only a few years ago… the characters were a bit dry, my favourite was the relationship between the partner police officers. I enjoyed it.
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Gwendy P.
4.0 out of 5 stars clever twist
Reviewed in Canada on February 13, 2022
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The story was one I'd read before.....or so I thought:) I loved the past and present structure, the different POV from the 2 main characters. I thought I had it figured out so was very pleasantly surprised by the twist/reveal which I thought was well presented; it did what it was supposed to do which was catch me off guard and make me (almost) re-read a certain section. Brava.
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