Small Things Like These (2024) by Claire Keegan is a poignant novella set in a small Irish town in the 1980s. It follows Bill Furlong, a coal merchant who lives with his wife and children, as he navigates a deeply personal moral dilemma during the Christmas season. The story subtly explores the themes of kindness, guilt, and complicity, while providing a rich portrait of the Irish community and its struggles. Bill’s seemingly simple life is disturbed when he learns of a disturbing secret hidden in the local convent, and he faces a moral conflict that tests his character.

The narrative captures the quiet, understated moments that shape a person’s life and decisions. Keegan’s lyrical prose evokes a sense of time and place, bringing the reader into the intimate world of her characters. Through Bill’s choice, the novella raises universal questions about conscience, the price of doing the right thing, and the complexities of human nature. Small Things Like These is a beautifully written meditation on the quiet power of individual actions.