'As funny and frank a portrayal of a close-knit Dublin community as I've read since Roddy Doyle's Barrytown trilogy. Unputdownable' -- Niamh Greene, author of A Message to Your Heart 20120801 Praise for Maria Duffy -- : 20120801 'Fresh, zany and, at times, laugh-out-loud funny' -- Irish Examiner 20111029 'A funny, heart-warming novel which sparkles with rich Dublin wit throughout.' -- Off the Shelf, Hello! Magazine Blog 20111107

Born in Dublin, Maria Duffy knew from an early age that she loved writing, but it never occurred to her that she could pursue the craft as a career. Instead, she began working at a bank after completing a business course. Maria went on to have four children with husband Paddy and became a stay-at-home mum. She had never stopped writing and when her youngest started school four years ago, she decided to dust off the book she'd once started. Once she began to write again she knew it was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Any Dream Will Do, her first novel, was published in 2011. After becoming a self-confessed Twitter addict, Maria also began writing a blog for Hello's online magazine entitled 'Stars in the Twitterverse'. To date she has interviewed Eamonn Holmes, Jedward, Keith Barry, Wonderland, Gino d'Acampo and many more. The Terrace is Maria's second novel.