Maeve Binchy, Irish born contemporary writer, usually features her homeland in her stories that revolve around the interactions between her characters during periods of unrest. Her books always focus on the female perspective often featuring timeless problems associated with regular life, including marriage, divorce, corruption, abortion and bankruptcy. The tensions are often based on the differences between rural and city life which is also mirrored with the differences between English and Irish life. The issues between England and Ireland and the related Church division are core themes of her work. Often the same characters appear in several of her books. Her latest book ‘Heart and Soul’ has been rumoured to be her last as she devotes her time to her family and other activities.