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Table of Contents
About The Book
Into the woods.
Count to ten.
Only one of us comes home again.
When a teenager disappears from her small Irish town and a therapist is brought in to break the silence of the only witness, old wounds are opened in a search that becomes a race against time—perfect for fans of God of the Woods and The Witch Elm.
Southwest Ireland, 1995: Two children go into the woods. Only one comes out.
When thirteen-year-old Saoirse Kellough goes missing, panic grips a rural Irish community. Saoirse is not the first girl to disappear in the forest, rumored by locals to be haunted, and the only witness—her troubled younger brother, Jack—refuses to speak. Saoirse went missing when they were playing the Counting Game, a ritual believed to ward off evil, and Jack has sworn to protect the forest’s secrets.
Freya Hemmings, a psychotherapist still healing from a loss of her own, is brought in to help investigators break Jack’s silence. As the race to find Saoirse alive accelerates, the search threatens to unravel a family facing the unthinkable. Everyone is a suspect, and the closer Freya and Jack become, the more danger they find themselves in.
Haunting and emotional, The Counting Game is a suspenseful debut from an unmissable new voice in crime fiction.
Count to ten.
Only one of us comes home again.
When a teenager disappears from her small Irish town and a therapist is brought in to break the silence of the only witness, old wounds are opened in a search that becomes a race against time—perfect for fans of God of the Woods and The Witch Elm.
Southwest Ireland, 1995: Two children go into the woods. Only one comes out.
When thirteen-year-old Saoirse Kellough goes missing, panic grips a rural Irish community. Saoirse is not the first girl to disappear in the forest, rumored by locals to be haunted, and the only witness—her troubled younger brother, Jack—refuses to speak. Saoirse went missing when they were playing the Counting Game, a ritual believed to ward off evil, and Jack has sworn to protect the forest’s secrets.
Freya Hemmings, a psychotherapist still healing from a loss of her own, is brought in to help investigators break Jack’s silence. As the race to find Saoirse alive accelerates, the search threatens to unravel a family facing the unthinkable. Everyone is a suspect, and the closer Freya and Jack become, the more danger they find themselves in.
Haunting and emotional, The Counting Game is a suspenseful debut from an unmissable new voice in crime fiction.
Reading Group Guide
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1. What were your overall impressions of The Counting Game? Which themes, characters or moments resonated most strongly with you?
2. The forest is a powerful presence throughout the novel. How did the setting and the local superstitions about the forest shape the mood and atmosphere of the story for you?
3. Trauma and mental health are central to the characters’ experiences, especially for Jack and Kate. How effectively do you think the author portrayed these themes? Did any particular scenes or moments stand out?
4. The story is told through multiple perspectives. How did this narrative structure influence your connection to the characters and your understanding of the mystery?
5. Freya’s role as a psychotherapist adds a unique dynamic to the investigation. How did her interactions with Jack and the family deepen the story for you?
6. The novel blends elements of folklore, superstition, and psychological realism. Did you interpret the supernatural elements as literal or metaphorical? How did this ambiguity affect your experience of the story?
7. How did the author’s vivid sensory descriptions enhance the atmosphere? Were there any descriptions that particularly stayed with you?
8. Community and suspicion play important roles in the novel. How did the villagers’ attitudes and behaviors impact the unfolding events and the family’s situation?
9. The family’s secrets and hidden pasts create tension throughout the novel. How did these secrets affect your feelings towards the characters? Did you sympathize with any character in particular?
10. How did you feel about the ending? Did it provide a satisfying resolution, or did it leave you with questions or thoughts about what might come next for the characters?
2. The forest is a powerful presence throughout the novel. How did the setting and the local superstitions about the forest shape the mood and atmosphere of the story for you?
3. Trauma and mental health are central to the characters’ experiences, especially for Jack and Kate. How effectively do you think the author portrayed these themes? Did any particular scenes or moments stand out?
4. The story is told through multiple perspectives. How did this narrative structure influence your connection to the characters and your understanding of the mystery?
5. Freya’s role as a psychotherapist adds a unique dynamic to the investigation. How did her interactions with Jack and the family deepen the story for you?
6. The novel blends elements of folklore, superstition, and psychological realism. Did you interpret the supernatural elements as literal or metaphorical? How did this ambiguity affect your experience of the story?
7. How did the author’s vivid sensory descriptions enhance the atmosphere? Were there any descriptions that particularly stayed with you?
8. Community and suspicion play important roles in the novel. How did the villagers’ attitudes and behaviors impact the unfolding events and the family’s situation?
9. The family’s secrets and hidden pasts create tension throughout the novel. How did these secrets affect your feelings towards the characters? Did you sympathize with any character in particular?
10. How did you feel about the ending? Did it provide a satisfying resolution, or did it leave you with questions or thoughts about what might come next for the characters?
About The Author
Photograph by Jason Holland
Sinéad Nolan grew up playing in the forests and on the beaches of leafy County Dublin, Ireland. She was a regular freelance feature writer for the Sunday World and the Irish Independent and has had short stories shortlisted for the Momaya Press Awards and the Francis McManus Awards for RTE Radio. Apart from writing, she works in private practice as a BACP Registered Counsellor seeing clients in central London.
Product Details
- Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press (April 7, 2026)
- Length: 416 pages
- ISBN13: 9781668099421
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Raves and Reviews
“Atmospheric and thrumming with tension. Sinéad Nolan is one to watch."
– Karin Slaughter, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Nolan cranks up the suspense to the maximum, mixing mounting dread and wells of compassion before arriving at a truly surprising finale."
– The New York Times
"The Counting Game takes us deep into the woods of superstition and buried secrets to explore all the ways in which we harm and save each other."
– Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of The New Couple in 5B
“This atmospheric, slow-build thriller will appeal to fans of Tana French and Flynn Berry."
– Library Journal
“An astonishing study of guilt and grief wrapped up in a mystery."
– Liz Nugent, nationally bestselling author of Strange Sally Diamond
"A debut filled with suspense. The deep gloom and superstition provide a gothic atmosphere that will appeal to readers who enjoy their thrillers dark.”
– Booklist
“Tense and haunting . . . a chilling blend of mystery and dark folklore."
– Emiko Jean, New York Times bestselling author of The Return of Ellie Black
"Twisty . . . fans of Irish crime fiction will admire Nolan’s regional detail and gift for atmosphere."
– Publishers Weekly
“Sinéad Nolan has written a richly layered psychological thriller that explores the long shadow of trauma and the tangled bonds of family. Atmospheric and surprising.”
– Caitlin Mullen, Edgar Award-winning author of Please See Us
"Clever and compulsive."
– Irish Examiner
"A powerful debut."
– Amanda Cassidy, author of The Returned
"There’s much more than meets the eye to Drumsuin and its residents, all of whom seem to harbor dark secrets and hidden pasts."
– Kirkus Reviews
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