Peter – Memoir

Doodlebug is a memoir of love, faith, and the unbreakable bond between siblings. Set in 1980s Dublin, it follows the chaotic, creative McCarthy family - eight children, a father who builds beehives from scrap wood, and a home brimming with invention. But when evangelical Christianity takes hold, obedience replaces freedom, and the siblings begin to fracture.

As Peter comes of age, he watches his family unravel - some siblings escape, others retreat. His brother Frank, once the family jester, spirals into obsession and addiction after a traumatic assault. His tragic death becomes the heart of this story.

Darkly funny and deeply human, Doodlebug explores how belief can turn to control, how loyalty can conceal as much as it reveals, and how silence can be overcome. With the spirit of The Glass Castle and Educated, but in a voice all its own, this is a story of resilience, grief, and the quiet triumph of finding your voice.