Before The Leaves Fall

'Profoundly moving, I loved this book.' -Liz Nugent

Seeking a new purpose in life, Swiss widower Ruedi signs up to work with Depart, an assisted dying organisation. His role is to spend time with those who have sought out Depart's services, acting as a guide and companion in their final weeks.

Margrit, his crotchety first client, wants only to get on with things. Marking time in a care home, with poor health weighing down on her, she has decided it's time to go. Her family are upset by her choice, but she is determined. By the end of the summer, she'll have left the world behind - and on her own terms.

Yet when she and Ruedi realise their paths have crossed once before, an unexpected bond forms. One that will illuminate both their lives.

Clare O'Dea is the author of four books, including Voting Day, a Fairlight Moderns novella published in 2022. In May 2024, Clare O'Dea published All About Switzerland, a selection of 29 articles first published in The Local Switzerland.Originally from Dublin, Clare O'Dea has lived in Switzerland since 2003. She had a varied media career in Ireland, with a freelance stint in Russia. Clare worked for The Irish Times, the Irish state broadcaster (RTÉ) and the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation. Her first non-fiction book, The Naked Swiss: A Nation Behind 10 Myths, was published in 2016 by Bergli Books. A second updated edition followed in 2018. Clare turned to Ireland as a subject for her second book, The Naked Irish: Portrait of a Nation Beyond the Clichés (Red Stag Books, 2019).