A glorious interwoven story of the lives of several characters, each striving for a better life in Dubai. When the body of a young woman is found floating in the city's marina, each character must reckon with the bargains he or she has had to make to enjoy this slice of paradise.

Praise for Diving for Pearls

“It's tough to link so many narrative threads . . . but O'Connell pulls it off with aplomb …(a) compelling tale that manages, without preaching, to say much about the fragility of our globalised, capitalism-soaked world. An often dark and poignant read that will fully engage the reader from the outset”

The Irish Times

“As a writer he has a talent for subtle observation ....A promising first novel combining a tawdry world with a strong morality tale”

The Sunday Independent

"An instantly gripping page-turner"

Sunday Independent Life Magazine

“This page-turner is the debut offering from Cork writer O'Connell and the sign of great things to come from him”

Irish Examiner

“The opening chapter grabbed me right away . . . I'm gripped”

The Art House, 96FM

“[O'Connells] talent is clear”

The Ryan Tubridy Show, RTE Radio 1

“We may not make it on a sun holiday this summer, but we can still treat ourselves to 'devote entire days by the pool to them' kind of books you devour on a break. Jamie O'Connell's first novel, Diving for Pearls, is just such a one – an instantly gripping page-turner set around a death in Dubai.”

The Sunday Independent

“Jamie O’Connell holds tender control over his story and still brings the literary magic of the written word to the page. There were so many beautiful sentences; I read slowly so as not to miss anything and I was rewarded a hundred times over with the beauty of the text. I may never go to Dubai but I won’t forget the stories I read here.”

Books Ireland

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/diving-for-pearls-ambitious-debut-mostly-delivers-

with-aplomb-1.4574861

https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/diving-for-pearls-reviewcruelty-and-

glamour-in-glittering-dubai-debut-40504180.html

https://www.rte.ie/radio/radioplayer/html5/#/radio1/21962483

https://www.virginmediatelevision.ie/player/show/723/0/0/

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/what-i-learned-growing-up-as-a-gay-jehovah-s-witness-in-north-cork1.4575902

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/jamie-o-connell-why-the-world-needs-writers-1.4616095

https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-40340456.html