The Gem of Ireland's Crown

The Aisling Series, Book 4

By: Jean Grainger

Narrated by: Gary Furlong, Siobhan Waring, Jean Grainger

The opportunity of a lifetime lands in Peter Cullen’s lap and nothing is going to stop him taking full advantage, not even the misgivings of his wife. Cullen’s Celtic Cabaret has been flying high, but the real goal, the secret desire of Peter’s heart, America, is finally, incredibly, looking like a reality.

The troupe are not at all prepared for what awaits them in prohibition era Atlantic City and they are dazzled by the bright lights. Keeping discipline and ensuring everyone remains focused drives Peter to the edge of his patience, but he soon realises that this is the least of his problems, as the gloss and sheen of the New Jersey shore reveals a dark side, and somehow his cabaret has fallen foul of it.

What begins as a summer of fun, looks to be taking a sinister turn, and Peter is in way over his head. He can possibly survive, all he needs now is the luck of the Irish.

If you enjoyed The Great Gatsby or Boardwalk Empire, you'll love The Gem of Ireland's Crown, the final instalment of the Aisling Series.

©2025 Jean Grainger (P)2025 Gold Harp Media

Learning history through historical fiction

The Aisling series is the perfect companion to the Queenstown series, bringing the fight for independence through two major eras to life. The addition of multiple other nationalities, Cherokee history, Prohibition and more, gave many more learning opportunities. The only complaint I have was the cringeworthy Spanish. As much as I enjoy the performances, especially Siobhan Waring’s, the Spanish was really terrible. The Spanish accent in English wasn’t great but the spoken Spanish was a problem. In this instance, it would have been better for a native Spaniard to have performed Aida’s part or just stuck with English. It also would have been nice to hear even more Irish (with native speakers) since many of the characters used it frequently.

I loved this series and, once again, I have caught up with all Jean Grainger’s books available on Audible!!
Go raibh maith agat, Jean! You are so gifted!!

Great characters and plot twists

It absorbed my attention and reached a reliable and happy conclusion. I highly recommend this book!

It kept me guessing

This is the first series I recall being centered on men, as a ladies crept into the story. It was fascinating to try to keep up with the way the story was going. I truly enjoyed the characters, the direction and the suspense, I look forward to Jeanne Granger's next series.