This is a story of jealousy, hatred, love, revenge and opportunism, not in any particular order.

Sooz, a rich kid, easily taken advantage of, is in love with Josh, a rich man’s son, who has little time for anything apart from his own hedonistic lifestyle. Horace, or Horse, is Josh’s best friend, but in Josh’s mind, Horse is just another person to take advantage of. Horse is secretly in love with Sooz, but Sooz thinks of him as just an unavoidable irritant.

Millie, is the daughter of a former rock singer who died a rock star’s death, and an average, rock drummer. She has one purpose in life, to take advantage of anyone with money. She uses her looks and her fabulous voice to worm her way into the affections of rich men, age being no barrier.

Josh’s father isn’t too enamoured with his son’s choice of girlfriend and when Sooz’s father hits the financial skids, instead of offering assistance, he does all he can to ruin him.

The setting shifts from Belfast to Derry to Portrush and the night life and scenery is painted with an expert eye. As an Englishmen who spent a fair bit of time in NI, I immediately recognised the landmarks and street descriptions.

The main group of characters work in the financial sector and much of the plot is set around dodgy dealings, using stocks and shares. Characters are at first beneficiaries of the system but some soon fall foul of it. Josh, the worst gambler in the history of the world, is convinced that he will have his big payday, even at the expense of his new family. I’ll say no more about this as it is an integral part of the story and I don’t want to ruin it for you.

Needless to say, things never work out as planned for any of the participants and there are plenty of twists and turns in the character’s fortunes along the way, as Millie tries to weave her spell and the men around her queue up to fall under it.

I thoroughly enjoyed Roundabout. The book is well written, the characters seem real and although the book is based on a novel that has seen many TV adaptations, this book is unique in bringing the story bang up to date. Any fan of the original will delight in the new telling of a classic tale.

Do these complex characters gain happiness and security or rather should they gain them? Do they accomplish those benefits by being selfless and good, or by acting in their own selfish self-interests? The themes of loyalty without hope of gain are questioned in this thought-provoking new read by author Gerry McCullough.

The author once more takes you to Northern Island and the descriptions color that world wonderfully well for the reader.

The pivotal characters of Millie and Sooze are beautifully fleshed out and clearly visible as they undertake a life as friends that neither one of them initially anticipated. The dialogue is rich, and the interactions between all the characters make for entertaining reading.

This author shows a depth of empathy with these people she’s created, this brings the book alive.

Millie an impoverished orphan and Sooze a child born to a wealthy family attend a convent school for girls in Belfast. In the last months of school, Millie seeks out Sooze and befriends the girl. This friendship opens the door to Sooze’s world—a place of opportunity for an amoral young lady who set her sights on bettering her position in life.