The Bee Sting Audiobook By Paul Murray cover art

The Bee Sting

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The Bee Sting

By: Paul Murray
Narrated by: Heather O’Sullivan, Barry Fitzgerald, Beau Holland, Ciaran O'Brien, Lisa Caruccio Came
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

WINNER OF THE NERO BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION 2023
WINNER OF AN POST IRISH BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2023
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WRITERS’ PRIZE FOR FICTION 2024


The Barnes family are in trouble. Until recently they ran the biggest business in town, now they’re teetering on the brink of bankruptcy – and that’s just the start of their problems. Dickie and Imelda’s marriage is hanging by a thread; straight-A student Cass is careening off the rails; PJ is hopelessly in debt to the school bully. Meanwhile the ghosts of old mistakes are rising out of the past to meet them, but everyone’s too wrapped up in the present to see the danger looming . . .

'A tragicomic triumph. You won't read a sadder, truer, funnier novel this year' Guardian

'Generous, immersive, sharp-witted and devastating; the sort of novel that becomes a friend for life' Financial Times

‘Paul Murray [is] the undisputed reigning champion of epic Irish tragicomedy’ Spectator

‘An instant classic’ Washington Post

‘[An] astute, remorselessly funny novel’ Daily Mirror

‘A wagyu steak of a novel . . . A classic in the mode of The Corrections’ The Times

©2023 Paul Murray (P)2023 Penguin Audio
Family Life Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Funny Thought-Provoking
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What listeners say about The Bee Sting

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Very enjoyable - tale of modern Ireland

I got very involved in the characters - but I found the ending a big too brusque

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Well

Wonderful story writing and story telling, ….
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Spoiler
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How depressing and then hopeful and then hopeless and then limbo.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Beautiful story

A Slow start but a beautiful haunting story that captivates the listener. Beautifully read too.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

So sorry it ended!

Loved this saga. Worth all the Best Seller Hype! Beautifully performed, accents and story telling authentic and engaging! Might be my best 2023 listen, although there are close contenders., Paul Murray ❤️

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A masterpiece

Absolutely loved this book. No notes. Soaring, heartbreaking, lyrical, funny, tense, full of wisdom. And beautifully narrated.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding story and fantastic actors

I held my breath listening to a couple of parts of this book! Absolutely loved it. The ability to stand in the shoes of each diverse character so believably - what a talent! The actors were phenomenal.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Toooooooo long

22 hours for a story which could have been told in 11! Good characters and I guess well written, but the author used twice as many words than they might have needed, so overall a frustrating listen. However, it was very well narrated which pushes my overall score up a bit.

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1 person found this helpful

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Brilliant story

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It’s beautifully written and one really gets inside the minds of the main characters, who are described with a deep sense of empathy. There are haunting images that linger long after reading. I particularly loved the description of the wedding from the viewpoints of the protagonists. A deeply human novel, I hope it receives the accolades it so deserves.

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Deserves the accolades

Poignant, well paced, great performances. Touching portrayals of flawed, good people trying to cope within a complex and sometimes uncaring universe

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    5 out of 5 stars
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The ending!

It was brilliantly narrated. I actually bought this as I thought it would be a good listen even with my tweens around, how wrong I was! It was a brilliant listen but not for tween ears. I found myself suddenly needing to turn it off. I loved the past stories of the parents, the how they are who they are, the understanding you then develop of their marriage. I wanted to look after dear PJ. Just brilliant. The ending though. Goodness me. I already know this book will haunt me for some time.

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