The Ghost Factory
- Author Jenny McCartney
- Narrator Adam Best
- Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date 21 March 2019
- Run Time 8 hours and 3 minutes
- Format Audio
- Genre Modern and contemporary fiction.
Click to open directly in the xigxag app.
Flexible Pricing & Rewards For Listening
At xigxag, the more you read, the less you pay* on select audiobook and x-book® titles, as in the table below. Pricing updates automatically in the app and resets one year after your first purchase. And you can always find a selection of brilliant titles available for only $7.99.
*Only the full price titles you buy count toward your personal pricing tier. Full price titles don’t include Listen for Less or other books bought with a voucher or discount code.
Titles Purchased
- 1-5
- 6-10
- 11-15
- 16-20
- Over 20
Price p/Title
- $15.99
- $14.99
- $13.99
- $12.99
- $11.99
Listen to a sample
What to expect
A powerful debut set in Belfast and London in the latter years of the twentieth century.
The Troubles turned Northern Ireland into a ghost factory: as the manufacturing industry withered, the death business boomed. In trying to come to terms with his father’s sudden death, and the attack on his harmless best friend Titch, Jacky is forced to face the bullies who still menace a city scarred by conflict. After he himself is attacked, he flees to London to build a new life. But even in the midst of a burgeoning love affair he hears the ghosts of his past echoing, pulling him back to Belfast, crying out for retribution and justice.
Written with verve and flair, and spiked with humour, The Ghost Factory marks the arrival of an auspicious new talent.
Critics Review
‘Several recent novels have taken the Troubles as their theme
… The Ghost Factory ranks among the best of these fictions. It is a wonderfully large-souled book’ Guardian
‘Wonderful. I was gripped at times, and surprised by laughter, and bound up helplessly with Jacky’s fate. I read sentences that were piercing and true on every page. The Ghost Factory deserves to be a huge success’ Anthony Quinn, author of Freya
‘As a private, intimate reflection on what it was like to live through the worst years of the violence, this novel is unrivalled’ Irish Sunday Independent
‘Deftly plotted and adroitly written, this account of Jacky’s conflicts is mesmeric’ New Statesman
The novel explores the effects, psychological and physical, on victims, families and neighbourhoods. Beyond the darkness, though, it is also a humorous window onto a tightknit community, and a love story, warmly told‘ Sunday Times
‘This outstanding debut, written with flair and an all-pervasive dark humour, gives a deeply human face to Northern Ireland’s Troubles’ Mail on Sunday
‘Friendship, loyalty, love and retribution are the stuff of this violent but emotional and touching novel with a cautionary sting in the tail. Jacky is a well-rounded character, torn between his future and what has gone before. He is given an authentic, engaging voice which pulls in the reader, with well-judged flashes of humour’ Daily Mail
‘Spare, elegant and effective’ The Tablet
‘For those concerned with the everyday practice of human rights violations in Northern Ireland, The Ghost Factory is a landmark in the literature of the Irish Terror. It is about “the pain of others”, as the writer Susan Sontag might put it. But it is also about the universal qualities of empathy, friendship, humour, faithfulness and erotic love’ Belfast Telegraph
More from the same
About xigxag
Experience the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed for seamless discovery, purchase, and enjoyment of your favorite titles. Our flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less, providing affordable prices and the best audiobook deals without requiring a subscription. Perfect for gifting, xigxag also features convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.
Beyond the listening experience, xigxag stands as an exciting alternative to big tech, embodying a strong commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we ensure a guilt-free listening experience from a leader in audiobook innovation.
Effortlessly search audiobooks, access honest audiobook reviews that evaluate both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. Whether you prefer to download or stream top audiobook titles, xigxag provides the best possible listening experience anytime, anywhere, on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Discover the future of audiobooks today.