Experts in a Dying Field: The funny and moving novel about friendship, secrets, and the alchemy of music

The Heathens thought of themselves as 'the 1000th best band of all time'. Then their tour van crashed, and one of their members died.

Twenty years later, weird things are happening in Dublin, bringing the surviving members of the band together in ways none of them could have anticipated and lifting the lid on mysteries from their shared past.

Experts in a Dying Field is a gloriously sharp, witty and surprising novel about friendship, secrets, the strange workings of grief and guilt, and the joyful alchemy of music, from a writer with a unique ability to access humour and deep emotion.

This audio edition features original music from the author.
Singing by Anna Carey, recorded by Aaron Smyth.
Piano by Patrick Freyne, recorded by John Carney.
"Nothing Stays the Same" full song performed and written by Patrick Freyne and Aaron Smyth, produced and mixed by Aaron Smyth.

'Offbeat, ironic, humane and hilarious, Experts in a Dying Field is an earworm you’ll be humming along to for a long time to come.' PAUL MURRAY

'A wonderfully evocative novel from a major storytelling talent.’ JOSEPH O'CONNOR

‘Just pure joy and pure heartbreak and GENUINE LAUGHS all the way through. I cried a few times too.’ MARINA HYDE

© Patrick Freyne 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026