Dying to Survive

Rachael Keogh was catapulted into the public consciousness when a shocking image of her needle-ravaged arms - skin burnt from injecting heroin into her wasted veins - made front pages around the country. Desperate for help, she made a public appeal to secure one of just 27 detox beds in Ireland so that she could reclaim her life from the drugs that had consumed it. What followed was an extraordinary story of grit and determination as she embarked on her recovery journey. Dying to Survive is Rachael's classic, bestselling addiction memoir, now with a new introduction reflecting on her struggles with relapse and what has changed about the drugs culture in Ireland. 'The best book by far about the drugs explosion in Dublin' Irish Independent 'This book should be on the school curriculum' Evening Echo 'This is an incredible story, told completely straight - no sensationalism, no self-pity and plenty of wicked humour thrown in. Gripping, extraordinary and so shocking you have to keep reminding yourself that this really happens - this is one all teenagers and parents should read.' Evening Echo 'Through sheer grit and determination, Rachael pulled herself out of the hell she was living in ... what an achievement. She is an inspiration.' Alison O'Reilly, Mail on Sunday

Rachael Keogh is now a 39-year-old Dubliner, the mother of one son, an interior design student, writer, playwright and scriptwriter, activist and artist.