Jon Hembrey of The Strumbellas loved reading Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
This interview originally aired on May 8, 2021.
Jon Hembrey is an actor and musician. He's the lead guitarist for The Strumbellas, a Canadian rock band known for its alternative country and gothic folk sound. The two-time Juno Award-winning band's most recent album was 2019's Rattlesnake and its most recent single is titled Greatest Enemy.
Hembrey stopped by The Next Chapter to talk about the book he's reading: Say Nothing by American writer and investigative journalist Patrick Radden Keefe.
"Say Nothing follows the disappearance and murder of a woman named Jean McConville. She was a widowed mother of 10 who was abducted by gunmen one night and never seen again. The book follows the decades-long search to find out what happened to her, while also outlining the history of 'The Troubles' from the late 1960s right to the Good Friday Agreement and the present day.
If you have any interest in Northern Ireland and The Troubles, I strongly recommend you to read this book.
"My mom's family is from Northern Ireland. I've been aware of The Troubles, but I didn't know much of what actually happened. I just thought, I'm going to read this book — and I'm really glad that I did.
"If you have any interest in Northern Ireland and The Troubles, I strongly recommend you to read this book."
Jon Hembrey's comments have been edited for length and clarity.
