Seven Miles to Arden

Patsy O’Connell, a spirited young actress with a reputation for playing ingénue roles, finds herself recovering in the women’s ward of a city hospital. As she slips on a pair of worn gloves, she mentally inventories the scattered fragments of her past—memories, possessions, and the mysteries of her own origins. Through witty reflections on her Irish‑born identity and a faith that feels at home on solitary hilltops, she reveals a character both resilient and yearning for something beyond the confines of her current life.

When the hospital staff finally call her name, Patsy prepares to leave, clutching a modest suitcase and a resolve to chase the promise of “the hills of heather” that have haunted her imagination. The early chapters blend humor, a touch of melancholy, and a keen sense of place, inviting listeners to accompany her on a journey that promises both personal discovery and the unexpected encounters that lie seven miles away.