The publication of Lyra McKee’s book is a bittersweet moment, says her sister

The sister of Lyra McKee has described seeing her book in print as “bittersweet”.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Aug 2019, 23:20 BST
Nichola Corner, the sister of murdered journalist Lyra McKee, with her sister's first book titled Angels with Blue Faces at the Linen Hall library in Belfast today, Friday August 2. Photo: Rebecca Black/PA WireNichola Corner, the sister of murdered journalist Lyra McKee, with her sister's first book titled Angels with Blue Faces at the Linen Hall library in Belfast today, Friday August 2. Photo: Rebecca Black/PA Wire
Nichola Corner, the sister of murdered journalist Lyra McKee, with her sister's first book titled Angels with Blue Faces at the Linen Hall library in Belfast today, Friday August 2. Photo: Rebecca Black/PA Wire

The journalist, 29, was shot dead by dissidents while observing a Londonderry riot in April, weeks before publication of her book.

It is an investigation by Ms McKee into the 1981 murder of Ulster Unionist MP Robert Bradford, and speculation he had been about to expose details of sex abusers of children at the east Belfast boys’ home Kincora.

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In the book, Ms McKee writes that she wanted to write a non-fiction story that read like a novel and she began her research aged 22.

Her sister Nichola Corner said: “We’re extremely proud of her, it’s obviously very bittersweet that she is not here with us to hold it because the book had meant so much to her and had circumstances been different we would have been celebrating this achievement with her.”

Ms Corner said Lyra learned of Mr Bradford’s murder at Belfast’s Linen Hall Library, venue for yesterday’s book launch: “She was researching the Kincora scandal when she came across news reports about Robert Bradford and she initially wondered who he was.”

Angels With Blue Faces is published by Excalibur Press, which says it will donate its commission to its not-for-profit entity The Merlin Project.