New Book By Pat Shaughnessy
The Unknown Mystic
Available October 2026
While you wait, read the Prologue & Chapter 1 free.
About the Book
The Unknown Mystic is a love story that opens a window onto the unseen world. It begins when Pat Shaughnessy meets a young woman with remarkable mystical gifts. Her name is Cushla, an Irish term of endearment which means 'pulse of my heart.' Pat, then a sceptic regarding God and the afterlife, nevertheless senses that this girl, with ethereal beauty, does not seem to be of this world. They fall in love and get married.
Despite bearing heavy crosses, including a mysterious, debilitating illness she develops at age 33, Cushla is the wisest and happiest person he's ever known. Inspired by her faith, he begins to climb the spiritual mountain with her. Soon enough, he will need all the strength given to him from above when they both have a dramatic vision in which Cushla is asked to suffer for a greater purpose. Shortly afterwards, she succumbs to an even more serious illness, facing her final journey as she lived every day: with unshakable faith, fearlessness and serenity. Later, from the other side of the veil, she lets Pat know that she is still very much with him.
The Unknown Mystic is both a testament to enduring love and an invitation to glimpse the mystery of life here and beyond.
“This book is a love poem—a celebration of the profound spiritual bond between the author and his late wife, Cushla. They shared a deep faith in life’s goodness, which was severely tested when they faced the heartbreak of cancer. Pat Shaughnessy writes with great sensitivity about journeying with a partner through cancer and confronting loss. He explores grief in a way men rarely reveal. Perhaps his greatest achievement lies in immortalising Cushla and allowing us to experience her life-giving spirit.”
“The Unknown Mystic is not only a story of unconditional love and union between two people, but also a story about love for the world itself, for the unseen, for faith, and for the interconnectedness of all things.”
“This memoir celebrates how the human experience of love is the most authentic experience of mysticism. Fall in love— become a mystic!”
