KATE KERRIGAN'S latest novel may be called The Miracle of Grace but it is the character of Eileen Blake . . . Grace's middleaged, list-making, insecure mother . . . who makes this an enjoyable read. Eileen is instantly likeable, instantly recognisable in the traits she shares with your mother, your aunt, your older sister. "I avoided sinning as much as possible, but for a Catholic child in those days, sinning was a very complicated business, " she says of her childhood in a small town on the west coast of Ireland.

The story is told in two streams with alternate chapters from mother and daughter, starting when Grace, Eileen's 40year-old daughter, discovers her mother has cancer by way of a note. Grace's narrative proceeds in a confessional, Sex and the City tone . . . analysing, constantly tormenting the reader with her new-age jargon and belly-aching.

Kerrigan's real skill as a storyteller comes into play in Eileen's narrative, telling the familiar but colourfully detailed story of a good Catholic girl who left her small-town home for the capital, got in trouble and went to London. As Grace, she falters and the result is a more shallow, disjointed character who is difficult to engage with . . . other than through gritted teeth.

Despite this, Grace keeps us updated on the life of the present-day Eileen and, as Kerrigan deftly weaves between mother and daughter, between the past and the present, this dual-narration builds a welcome tension throughout the story when it comes to the secret Eileen has kept hidden from Grace all these years.

The Miracle of Grace is a thoughtful, touching read and, if nothing else, provides a gentle reminder that there are worse things in life than turning into our mothers.