Publisher: RedhookRelease Date: September 17, 2013
Pages: 384
About the Book: Yesterday I almost saw her.
I was standing on the sun deck, looking out to sea, revelling in the unexpected warmth of the February sun. A butterfly trembled on a nearby buddleia and suddenly I smelled her perfume.
She wasn't there, of course. How could she be when I had seen her lying in her coffin just two weeks ago, the day before she was buried, her casket surrounded by the scented candles she loved?
She lay in Cornish ground now...
She was a daughter, a wife, a mother. She was a friend. But what secrets did Eloise take to her grave?
Compulsively readable and haunting, this is the Sunday Times bestselling debut novel from Book Club champion, Judy Finnigan.
Wanda's Review: This story is beautifully woven into a tale of mystery and intrigue that takes place in Cornwall. Cornwall is a beautiful haven for family holidays.
Forty five year old Eloise is married to Ted and they have beautiful twin daughters. She had been terminally ill with cancer, that had metastasized throughout her body. But, then she seemed so much better. The doctors said she was in remission - a sort of reprieve - and she was full of energy and enjoying her life so much. Suddenly, Eloise was dead, her life snuffed out in an instant. When someone is terminally ill, do they die as if they'd had a heart attack? Did Eloise really die because of the cancer? There were concerns about her death because there was no obvious period of decline - she died so quickly. Her dearest friend, Cathy, and Eloise's mother, Juliana, had questions and anxieties about her death, but the alternative seemed utterly ridiculous. It just didn't make sense.
Cathy, a wonderfully portrayed character, seemed to be obsessed with Eloise's death. She felt as if Eloise was pulling at her, filling her with dark thoughts and fear. Eloise came to Cathy in her dreams, sometimes in broad daylight, and seemed desperately unhappy and afraid for her children. Was Eloise not at peace? What was Eloise trying to tell Cathy through these ghostly supernatural hallucinations? When Cathy came out of these dreams, she couldn't shake off a feeling of foreboding. She was totally subservient to Eloise's domination of her dreams. Cathy was risking her happiness with her husband and family because of this obsession with a ghost and the story unfolds ---
This book lured me in early with its well constructed plot and eloquent descriptive writing. The storyline was intriguing and slightly eerie, layered with dark secrets. And everything was tied up beautifully with a satisfying conclusion.
Forty five year old Eloise is married to Ted and they have beautiful twin daughters. She had been terminally ill with cancer, that had metastasized throughout her body. But, then she seemed so much better. The doctors said she was in remission - a sort of reprieve - and she was full of energy and enjoying her life so much. Suddenly, Eloise was dead, her life snuffed out in an instant. When someone is terminally ill, do they die as if they'd had a heart attack? Did Eloise really die because of the cancer? There were concerns about her death because there was no obvious period of decline - she died so quickly. Her dearest friend, Cathy, and Eloise's mother, Juliana, had questions and anxieties about her death, but the alternative seemed utterly ridiculous. It just didn't make sense.
Cathy, a wonderfully portrayed character, seemed to be obsessed with Eloise's death. She felt as if Eloise was pulling at her, filling her with dark thoughts and fear. Eloise came to Cathy in her dreams, sometimes in broad daylight, and seemed desperately unhappy and afraid for her children. Was Eloise not at peace? What was Eloise trying to tell Cathy through these ghostly supernatural hallucinations? When Cathy came out of these dreams, she couldn't shake off a feeling of foreboding. She was totally subservient to Eloise's domination of her dreams. Cathy was risking her happiness with her husband and family because of this obsession with a ghost and the story unfolds ---
This book lured me in early with its well constructed plot and eloquent descriptive writing. The storyline was intriguing and slightly eerie, layered with dark secrets. And everything was tied up beautifully with a satisfying conclusion.
My rating is 4.5 stars. I really enjoyed this book and if you're into paranormal, you'll love this book.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley for an honest review of this book. All opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.
The Author - Judy Finnegan - Judy Finnigan is an author, television presenter and columnist. In 2004, Judy's name became synonymous with discovering and sharing great fiction, through the Richard and Judy Book Club, where authors including Kate Mosse, Rosamund Lupton and Victoria Hislop were championed and brought to the attention of millions of readers. Eloise is her first novel.
No comments:
Post a Comment