'Restless Souls turns genre inside out . . . it never stops being a page-turner' Colum McCann

After three years embedded in the Siege in Sarajevo, war correspondent Tom returns to Dublin a haunted shell of his former self. Laughably unqualified, but determined to see him through the darkness, his childhood friends Karl and Baz embark on a journey for an unlikely cure, to an experimental Californian clinic called Restless Souls. But as they try to save Tom from his memories, they are forced to confront their own - of what happened to the lost member of their group, Gabriel.

'Ambitious, rambunctious and extremely accomplished' Sunday Times
'A bawdy, alive, profane panegyric to the indissoluble bonds of friendship' Colin Barrett
'The funniest sad book I've read in a long time' J. Robert Lennon
'A tender, banter-filled debut' Daily Mail
'Sheehan is a brave new voice in fiction, fusing comedy and heart to explore a friendship transformed by trauma' Alexandra Kleeman

"Sheehan's debut novel is ambitious, rambunctious and extremely accomplished. Ambitious, in so far as it addresses daunting and complex issues; rambunctious, in its wild, road-trippy exuberance; and accomplished because it combines these elements with style, wit and compassion . . . The prose style, full of vibrant wise-cracking energy, can turn on a dime into a controlled lyricism befitting serious subjects such as PTSD, mental health and the nature of masculinity..." - SUNDAY TIMES

"One part war story, one part bro story, and one part road trip, RESTLESS SOULS is a wonderful debut by a talented, intelligent writer who knows how to make you think and make you feel and make you laugh. I devoured it" - David Ebershoff, author of THE DANISH GIRL and THE 19TH WIFE

"[An] enjoyable debut novel . . . there's some fine Irish comedy along the way, and Sheehan adeptly pierces the nature of lasting friendship" - Observer

"[Sheehan] evokes the boys' confusion, their tenderness, their fear. But also their hope that they can save their damaged friend and, in so doing, rescue themselves from the guilt that has haunted them since the first of their number took his life, a message that transcends generations." - GUARDIAN

"Vivid, funny and emotionally intelligent, Sheehan's exploration of male friendship yokes extremes of human behaviour into a labile, and page-turning, tragicomedy. " - SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

"A strong and striking debut" - THE AU REVIEW

"[A] tender, banter-filled debut" - DAILY MAIL

"[A] bold, brave, bravura debut" - SUNDAY EXPRESS S MAGAZINE

"Sheehan's stunning and moving debut novel explores the weight of trauma and the complicated contours of male friendship . . . Sheehan's blend of breathless action, unsentimental depictions of love, and spot-on period touches will appeal to readers who like their hopeful narratives tinged with powerful uncertainties" - PUBLISHERS WEEKLY starred review

"An insightful dissection of male friendship" - CANBERRA TIMES

"A great and intriguing read . . . an astonishingly assured look at three friends battling to make sense of their lives . . . I love the structure - as it flits back and forwards, and a picture is gradually built of the friends as they develop from being teenagers when, with Gabriel as the protector, their futures seemed full of promise, through a sense of helplessness, and finally to, if not an assured future, at least a feeling of hope . . . the heartrending scenes in Sarajevo are meticulously researched" - IRISH EXAMINER

"I was engrossed in this novel from the start - engaged by the author's acute observations of human nature, and the way the friends' characters gradually emerge through their, apparently mindless, banter. [Sheehan] is destined for great things. He has combined horror, sadness and comedy to brilliant effect; his structure is masterly; his pacing pitch perfect, and his characters ring eerily true. I was blown away by this; it's a book I will never forget." - BOOKS IRELAND MAGAZINE

"Striking . . . Sheehan deals deftly with sensitive subjects, tempering his prose with a darkly comic streak that never feels misjudged. As a study in how young men process and express their grief, Restless Souls is a highly promising debut" - TLS