Winner of a 2010 Royal Palm award in the Thriller/Suspense category, "The Gaelic Letters" is the debut novel by Irish-American author R. Thomas Roe who draws upon his background in family history research and the legal profession to weave an intense story of intrigue as the main character travels to Ireland to unravel a family mystery.

"The Gaelic Letters" follows retired attorney Quinn Parker as he traces his roots through the libraries of Georgia, Minnesota, and Utah, and then eventually to Ireland. His curiosity is peaked when he discovers a collection of old letters written in the ancient Irish language of Gaelic while rummaging around his mother’s basement after she recently passed away. When he finds someone who can properly translate these letters, he realizes that there is a whole side of his family that has remained in Ireland, straddling the line between the political conflict and becoming wealthy in the process. This family drama reaches its height as Quinn unravels the layers, exposing secrets that had been viciously protected for over a century. ( )