As I have said before, I love Alice McDermott. While her books are quiet, they are beautiful pieces and enjoyable reads. The Ninth Hour is much like her other works, focused on the Irish experience in New York. The story is told by the children and grandchildren of the main characters, which is an interesting structural choice and one that works well. We begin with the suicide of a husband soon-to-be father. His wife, Annie, ends up becoming employed by a Catholic order of nuns. She brings her daughter, Sally, to work with her until Sally is old enough to go to school. And, then we follow Sally’s life as well. While I would not describe this story as an edge of the seat kind of experience, there’s enough drama to keep you reading.