Niamh Hargan and Tanya Sweeney in conversation with Tara Flynn 

Part of the joy of fiction is the exploration of unfamiliar worlds. The books of Niamh Hargan and Tanya Sweeney introduce us to characters living very unusual lives, from Tanya’s unsettling portrait of the underbelly of obsessive fandom to the glamour of film-making and high-end hospitality in Niamh’s work. Here they discuss the research involved and the art of balancing light and shade in plot-driven stories which at times address very difficult topics.

Niamh Hargan is a writer and lawyer. Born and raised in Northern Ireland, she is now based primarily in Scotland. Niamh’s debut novel, Twelve Days in May, was published in 2022 and her second, The Break-Up Clause, followed in 2023. Her third novel, Nothing Good Happens After 2am, was published in January. In her capacity as a screenwriter, Niamh has completed a pilot script for The Break-Up Clause, while Nothing Good Happens After 2am is also in active development for screen adaptation.

Tanya Sweeney is a journalist and columnist who has written for many publications, among them the Dubliner, STELLAR, U, Irish Tatler, and the Irish Times Magazine. Her debut novel, Esther Is Now Following You, a story about celebrity, fandom and what happens when it all becomes a bit too real, was published by Bantam Press in January 2026. Originally from Dublin, she lives in Kildare with her husband and daughter.