Status
Missing
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
London : Penguin Books, 2015.
Description
Fiction. Literature. Suspense. Thriller. HTML: HOW DO YOU SOLVE A MYSTERY WHEN YOU CAN'T REMEMBER THE CLUES? In this darkly riveting debut novel�??a sophisticated psychological mystery that is also an heartbreakingly honest meditation on memory, identity, and aging�??an elderly woman descending into dementia embarks on a desperate quest to find the best friend she believes has disappeared, and her search for the truth will go back decades and have shattering consequences. Maud, an aging grandmother, is slowly losing her memory�??and her grip on everyday life. Yet she refuses to forget her best friend Elizabeth, whom she is convinced is missing and in terrible danger. But no one will listen to Maud�??not her frustrated daughter, Helen, not her caretakers, not the police, and especially not Elizabeth's mercurial son, Peter. Armed with handwritten notes she leaves for herself and an overwhelming feeling that Elizabeth needs her help, Maud resolves to discover the truth and save her beloved friend. This singular obsession forms a cornerstone of Maud's rapidly dissolving present. But the clues she discovers seem only to lead her deeper into her past, to another unsolved disappearance: her sister, Sukey, who vanished shortly after World War II. As vivid memories of a tragedy that occurred more fifty years ago come flooding back, Maud discovers new momentum in her search for her friend. Could the mystery of Sukey's disappearance hold the key to finding Eli… (more)
Media reviews
It's a very good novel and highly impressive for a debut. It's a rare imagining of a character pushing 90 years of age who has either severe Alzheimer's or just everyday senility (we never quite know) ... this book is an interesting exercise in genre, comparable to Kate Atkinson's Case Histories,
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not quite crime, not quite literary fiction, a "hybrid" work.... There's a lot here to praise, admire and enjoy. But ultimately this is a novel for readers who love unreliable narrators instead of being infuriated by them. Show Less
Normally a well-observed, literary novel that accurately shows us ourselves by deepening our knowledge of what it is to be human cannot manage, as well, to be both a comedy and a thriller. Elizabeth is Missing, however, encompasses these genres and deserves prizes in all categories.... Not only
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have we several genres in the one novel, we have two main themes. How it feels to experience dementia, and a page-turner of a detective story. If I had to describe it in one word, it would be beautiful. It is a gripping thriller, but it's also about life and love: the love of an exasperated daughter for her mother; the love of sisters and of friends and the love I felt for Maud. Show Less
British author Emma Healey’s debut novel, Elizabeth is Missing, is an engaging and beautifully written description of a mystery-within-a mystery.... Elizabeth is Missing is hard to put down, and Maud is an utterly likeable narrator. The novel launched a rare and justified bidding war among
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publishers after 29-year-old Healey submitted sections of the book as her MA thesis, which was then nominated for an award that a literary agent judged. Publishers were captivated by Healey’s light touch and lively phrases, married to her heart-breaking and accurate portrayal of what it must be like to feel your mind slipping away.... Show Less
The story eagerly tugs the reader from chapter to chapter, but the book succeeds more on the strength of its main character than the intrigues of its plot....But Healey resists turning her into a tragic figure, instead showcasing Maud’s pluck and wicked sense of humour. .... But by design, the
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reader cares. It’s vital to the reader – it’s the whole point. Like Ian McEwan’s Atonement, Elizabeth is Missing is a redeeming force for its main character, even if she’ll never know it. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member SandDune
'Elizabeth is missing' Maud tells her daughter Helen. 'Elizabeth is missing' she tells her carer Carla. 'Elizabeth is missing' she tells her doctor. But no one pays any attention. They tell her not to worry, and that no, of course Elizabeth isn't missing. But if she isn't missing, wonders Maud,
This is a beautiful and heart-breaking book, as Maud's ability to cope with the world deteriorates rapidly. At the start of the book, she can (just about) cope in her own home with daily visits from her daughter and carers, although her frequent visits to the shops usually result in the purchase of yet more tins of peaches as she can't remember what she went there for. But very soon even simple everyday tasks become more difficult, and words and then names begin to fail her. With Maud as the first person narrator the reader's sympathies are with her throughout, but the character of her long suffering daughter Helen is also beautifully drawn. Although Helen is seen only in snippets through Maud's eyes, who becomes more and more confused at her daughter's reactions, we get a clear picture of a woman who is trying her best to care for her mother, but is at times at the end of her tether with her mother's seemingly meaningless actions.
I've seen this book described as a mystery, and while there is an element of mystery to it, the central elements for me are the character of Maud, the exploration of relationships within families, and the concept of memory itself. Things happen quite slowly and readers expecting a faster paced psychological thriller type may well be disappointed. But in my opinion this is a wonderful book, which I strongly recommend, and even more impressive in being a debut novel.
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then where is she? She isn't at her house, Maud is certain of that. Or is she, for Maud is an eighty-two year old woman with worsening dementia who finds it difficult to remember what she has done yesterday, or that morning, or even ten minutes previously. But Elizabeth is her best friend, her only friend left, and Maud is determined to find out what has happened to her. Her pockets overflow with the notes that she writes to herself to help her remember, but even as she rereads them their meaning slips away. And interspersed with the story of Maud's search for Elizabeth is that of the search for another missing person, Maud's older sister Sukey, who disappeared as a young married woman in the same seaside town in England in 1946. Has she just run away, or is her husband Frank responsible for her disappearance? And what was the relationship between Sukey and Maud's parents' teenage lodger? And who is the 'mad woman' who seems to be pursuing Maud? And as Maud's memory and grasp on reality becomes weaker the two strands of the narrative start to intertwine in her mind.This is a beautiful and heart-breaking book, as Maud's ability to cope with the world deteriorates rapidly. At the start of the book, she can (just about) cope in her own home with daily visits from her daughter and carers, although her frequent visits to the shops usually result in the purchase of yet more tins of peaches as she can't remember what she went there for. But very soon even simple everyday tasks become more difficult, and words and then names begin to fail her. With Maud as the first person narrator the reader's sympathies are with her throughout, but the character of her long suffering daughter Helen is also beautifully drawn. Although Helen is seen only in snippets through Maud's eyes, who becomes more and more confused at her daughter's reactions, we get a clear picture of a woman who is trying her best to care for her mother, but is at times at the end of her tether with her mother's seemingly meaningless actions.
I've seen this book described as a mystery, and while there is an element of mystery to it, the central elements for me are the character of Maud, the exploration of relationships within families, and the concept of memory itself. Things happen quite slowly and readers expecting a faster paced psychological thriller type may well be disappointed. But in my opinion this is a wonderful book, which I strongly recommend, and even more impressive in being a debut novel.
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LibraryThing member lauralkeet
Maud, an elderly woman with symptoms of dementia, is concerned for her friend Elizabeth, who she believes has gone missing. She obsesses on this, repeatedly visiting Elizabeth's house, as well as the police, much to the frustration of her daughter Helen, and the amusement of her granddaughter,
Maud's days are long stretches of time alone, with a morning visit from a caregiver and an afternoon visit from Helen. Notes are posted all around her house, reminding Maud to lock the doors, and not to cook. Maud also writes notes to herself, to help her remember details. Her pockets are stuffed with tiny scraps of paper, most of which make no sense to her later. Slowly, the reason for Maud's obsession with Elizabeth becomes clear, as Maud reflects on her childhood and the disappearance of her sister, Sukey, in 1946 when Maud was still a young girl. Author Emma Healey deftly weaves narratives from the past and present, unraveling the Sukey mystery while also unraveling Maud's cognitive abilities. Maud's character was exceptionally well-developed and while I have no idea what it's like to slowly lose your memory, this felt like a realistic portrayal on both a physical and emotional level.
Since my parents both suffer from forms of dementia, I could relate to Helen's feelings of frustration and sadness. I couldn't put this book down, and yet sometimes it all became a bit much and I had to take a break, despite my keen desire to solve the Sukey mystery. And the present-day plot brought tears to my eyes many times as it progressed. This was an amazing debut novel.
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Katy. In reality, Maud's condition makes her unable to comprehend the real reason why Elizabeth is not at home. Maud's days are long stretches of time alone, with a morning visit from a caregiver and an afternoon visit from Helen. Notes are posted all around her house, reminding Maud to lock the doors, and not to cook. Maud also writes notes to herself, to help her remember details. Her pockets are stuffed with tiny scraps of paper, most of which make no sense to her later. Slowly, the reason for Maud's obsession with Elizabeth becomes clear, as Maud reflects on her childhood and the disappearance of her sister, Sukey, in 1946 when Maud was still a young girl. Author Emma Healey deftly weaves narratives from the past and present, unraveling the Sukey mystery while also unraveling Maud's cognitive abilities. Maud's character was exceptionally well-developed and while I have no idea what it's like to slowly lose your memory, this felt like a realistic portrayal on both a physical and emotional level.
Since my parents both suffer from forms of dementia, I could relate to Helen's feelings of frustration and sadness. I couldn't put this book down, and yet sometimes it all became a bit much and I had to take a break, despite my keen desire to solve the Sukey mystery. And the present-day plot brought tears to my eyes many times as it progressed. This was an amazing debut novel.
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LibraryThing member lit_chick
“I know what she’s thinking, that I’ve lost my marbles, that Elizabeth is perfectly well at home and I just don’t remember having seen her recently. But it’s not true. I forget things – I know that – but I’m not mad. Not yet. And I’m sick of being treated as if I am. I’m tired
Maud, an aging mother and grandmother, is struggling with dementia and losing her grip on everyday life. Convinced her best friend, Elizabeth, is missing and needs her help, she arms herself with handwritten notes she leaves for herself. But these are, of course, are easily made unreliable by her duplicitous mind: “I’m staring at a paper full of scribbles, meaningless scribbles. Except I have a feeling that some of them might be words and I just can’t read them.” (225) Sadly, but most certainly, no one else will listen to Maud: not her daughter, Helen, not her care workers, and not Elizabeth’s son, Peter. Adding only to the confusion of Elizabeth’s disappearance, the clues Maud does manage to hold onto lead her deep into her past, into another unsolved disappearance: that of Sukey, her only sister, who vanished shortly after World War II.
Elizabeth is Missing is an impressive debut novel: well-written, and a memorable, eerie portrayal of the cunning of the demented mind. Admittedly, I was less interested in the mysteries of Elizabeth and Sukey than I was in the development of Maud, but these too are unquestionably well done. And Maud herself is beautifully well-drawn, convincing, and achingly relatable. Highly recommended.
“God, I am sick of explaining myself all the time.” (196)
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of the sympathetic smiles and the little pats people give you when you get thing confused, and I’m bloody fed up with everyone deferring to Helen rather than listening to what I have to say. (18)Maud, an aging mother and grandmother, is struggling with dementia and losing her grip on everyday life. Convinced her best friend, Elizabeth, is missing and needs her help, she arms herself with handwritten notes she leaves for herself. But these are, of course, are easily made unreliable by her duplicitous mind: “I’m staring at a paper full of scribbles, meaningless scribbles. Except I have a feeling that some of them might be words and I just can’t read them.” (225) Sadly, but most certainly, no one else will listen to Maud: not her daughter, Helen, not her care workers, and not Elizabeth’s son, Peter. Adding only to the confusion of Elizabeth’s disappearance, the clues Maud does manage to hold onto lead her deep into her past, into another unsolved disappearance: that of Sukey, her only sister, who vanished shortly after World War II.
Elizabeth is Missing is an impressive debut novel: well-written, and a memorable, eerie portrayal of the cunning of the demented mind. Admittedly, I was less interested in the mysteries of Elizabeth and Sukey than I was in the development of Maud, but these too are unquestionably well done. And Maud herself is beautifully well-drawn, convincing, and achingly relatable. Highly recommended.
“God, I am sick of explaining myself all the time.” (196)
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LibraryThing member julie10reads
Maud, an aging grandmother, is slowly losing her memory--and her grip on everyday life. Yet she refuses to forget her best friend, Elizabeth, whom she is convinced is missing and in terrible danger.A page turning mystery and a piercingly honest portrait of love and memory that takes us from post -
Debut novel? You wouldn't know it. A 30 year old writer capturing the muddled mind of an 80-something English granny and making you fall in love with her? Incredible but true! Even that Ms Healey chose an elderly woman with dementia as the main character of her first novel is impressive, risky and to be commended. I hope ELIZABETH IS MISSING wins a prize....in fact, I think some important public woman like Meryl Streep or Hillary Rodham Clinton or Julie Andrews should sponsor a book award honoring fiction about women over 50 (that marginal group it’s okay to caricature or ignore).
I hope the above paragraph doesn't deter readers under 50. The story’s timeline moves forwards and backwards, giving equal pages to Maud’s present and her post-war young adulthood. Either era would make an engaging story on its own. The bombed out houses, the severe rationing and concomitant black market activity, the thousands of soldiers moving back home, the overcrowded feel of city living during those deprived years, Ms Healey brings to life in a crisp, unnostalgic way. No rose-coloured glasses fond view of that great time in our lives, World War II.
Nor is Maud’s dementia cute, funny, adorable; she wets herself, wanders dangerously around town, makes angry phone calls in the middle of the night, drives everyone around her crazy asking the same questions (how to plant marrows) and making the same declaration (Elizabeth is missing). Why would anyone want to read Maud’s story? Because she never complains. She sees people’s reactions, knows she has done something wrong (but not what that is) and takes another tack. Resourceful, driven, unyielding, Maud persists until she finds out what happened to Elizabeth. There’s a twist here that leads to a spoiler so I can’t say more except to praise Ms Healey’s objective depiction of dementia to the point of including it almost as a character in itself.
Helen and Katy, Maud’s daughter and grand-daughter respectively, are the calibre of people I would want caring for me if I had dementia (in the event I couldn't afford a trip to Switzerland...).Katy’s joking manner with her grandmother is both kind and effective. Helen’s love and patience is not the product of guilt or self-interest; I think she is simply the kind of daughter a woman like Maud would raise.
ELIZABETH IS MISSING would make a beautiful, gripping film. As a novel, it’s a beautiful, humane read. I have high expectations for Ms Healey's next book!
8 out of 10 Highly recommended to all!
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war Britain to the present day. Summary BPLDebut novel? You wouldn't know it. A 30 year old writer capturing the muddled mind of an 80-something English granny and making you fall in love with her? Incredible but true! Even that Ms Healey chose an elderly woman with dementia as the main character of her first novel is impressive, risky and to be commended. I hope ELIZABETH IS MISSING wins a prize....in fact, I think some important public woman like Meryl Streep or Hillary Rodham Clinton or Julie Andrews should sponsor a book award honoring fiction about women over 50 (that marginal group it’s okay to caricature or ignore).
I hope the above paragraph doesn't deter readers under 50. The story’s timeline moves forwards and backwards, giving equal pages to Maud’s present and her post-war young adulthood. Either era would make an engaging story on its own. The bombed out houses, the severe rationing and concomitant black market activity, the thousands of soldiers moving back home, the overcrowded feel of city living during those deprived years, Ms Healey brings to life in a crisp, unnostalgic way. No rose-coloured glasses fond view of that great time in our lives, World War II.
Nor is Maud’s dementia cute, funny, adorable; she wets herself, wanders dangerously around town, makes angry phone calls in the middle of the night, drives everyone around her crazy asking the same questions (how to plant marrows) and making the same declaration (Elizabeth is missing). Why would anyone want to read Maud’s story? Because she never complains. She sees people’s reactions, knows she has done something wrong (but not what that is) and takes another tack. Resourceful, driven, unyielding, Maud persists until she finds out what happened to Elizabeth. There’s a twist here that leads to a spoiler so I can’t say more except to praise Ms Healey’s objective depiction of dementia to the point of including it almost as a character in itself.
Helen and Katy, Maud’s daughter and grand-daughter respectively, are the calibre of people I would want caring for me if I had dementia (in the event I couldn't afford a trip to Switzerland...).Katy’s joking manner with her grandmother is both kind and effective. Helen’s love and patience is not the product of guilt or self-interest; I think she is simply the kind of daughter a woman like Maud would raise.
ELIZABETH IS MISSING would make a beautiful, gripping film. As a novel, it’s a beautiful, humane read. I have high expectations for Ms Healey's next book!
8 out of 10 Highly recommended to all!
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LibraryThing member shelleyraec
Elizabeth is Missing by debut author Emma Healey is a poignant and gripping mystery about loss, memory and murder.
The narrative unfolds from the unique perspective of Maud Horsham, an eighty two year old mother and grandmother, suffering from progressive dementia. Maud relies on carefully written
Told with extraordinary insight into the complexities of a failing mind I was effortlessly drawn into Maud’s muddled world. It is not an easy space to inhabit, especially if you have witnessed a similar decline in a loved one as I have, or fear a similar fate, as I do. Fleeting instances of lucidity add to the poignancy of the narrative as Maud slips between the past and the present, between remembering and forgetting.
Entwined with Maud’s search for Elizabeth, and her everyday struggle with her failing memory, is a second narrative that reveals in 1946 Maud’s married older sister, Sukey, vanished without a trace. It soon becomes clear that Maud’s fears for her missing friend, Elizabeth, are tangled with the memories of Maud’s sister’s disappearance, and to solve one mystery, will be to solve the other.
The suspense of both mysteries are well maintained through out the novel and the past and present narratives flow seamlessly into each other. Despite the distressing nature of Maud’s illness there are also moments of humour which helps to temper the bleak realities.
A clever and compelling novel, I thought Elizabeth is Missing was an engrossing read with an unforgettable protagonist. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.
The narrative unfolds from the unique perspective of Maud Horsham, an eighty two year old mother and grandmother, suffering from progressive dementia. Maud relies on carefully written
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notes, and daily visits from a carer and her daughter Helen, to remember the things she forgets, but increasingly Maud’s concerns have narrowed to the lack of contact from her closest friend, Elizabeth. While Helen, and others, dismiss her fears as a senile obsession, Maud is convinced something awful has happened and embarks on an investigation to find her missing friend.Told with extraordinary insight into the complexities of a failing mind I was effortlessly drawn into Maud’s muddled world. It is not an easy space to inhabit, especially if you have witnessed a similar decline in a loved one as I have, or fear a similar fate, as I do. Fleeting instances of lucidity add to the poignancy of the narrative as Maud slips between the past and the present, between remembering and forgetting.
Entwined with Maud’s search for Elizabeth, and her everyday struggle with her failing memory, is a second narrative that reveals in 1946 Maud’s married older sister, Sukey, vanished without a trace. It soon becomes clear that Maud’s fears for her missing friend, Elizabeth, are tangled with the memories of Maud’s sister’s disappearance, and to solve one mystery, will be to solve the other.
The suspense of both mysteries are well maintained through out the novel and the past and present narratives flow seamlessly into each other. Despite the distressing nature of Maud’s illness there are also moments of humour which helps to temper the bleak realities.
A clever and compelling novel, I thought Elizabeth is Missing was an engrossing read with an unforgettable protagonist. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.
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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey was a wonderful read that I will be thinking about for a long time. Although it is offered as a mystery, it is indeed a study of dementia, with the reader being given an inside look at how the mind and memory disintegrate, and how it affects both the sufferer and
The author is to be applauded for weaving such a strong story, peopled with excellent supporting characters such as Maud’s daughter, Helen and her granddaughter, Katie, as well as the personalities from the past. I literally couldn’t put the book down, was I reading about two murders, one murder or no murders? Were Maud’s shattered memories to be believed, and how heartbreaking it was to read about everyone involved having to watch as Maud’s world became increasingly fragmented.
Elizabeth Is Missing is a riveting and creative read that probably appeals to me more at my age of 70 than it might have at 35 or 40. As I age I live in fear of either myself or my husband contracting this disease that is so excellently yet terrifyingly shown in this book. The author captures Maud’s anxiety, confusion and anger as she descends into dementia, but there are also moments of tenderness and humor. I have a strong feeling that Elizabeth Is Missing will be one of my top reads for 2022.
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the family. Maud is in her eighties and her memories tend to blend together as does her present and her past. She is convinced that her friend Elizabeth is missing and as she tries to take steps to discover what happened, she is constantly thrown back into the past when her sister Sukey also went missing.The author is to be applauded for weaving such a strong story, peopled with excellent supporting characters such as Maud’s daughter, Helen and her granddaughter, Katie, as well as the personalities from the past. I literally couldn’t put the book down, was I reading about two murders, one murder or no murders? Were Maud’s shattered memories to be believed, and how heartbreaking it was to read about everyone involved having to watch as Maud’s world became increasingly fragmented.
Elizabeth Is Missing is a riveting and creative read that probably appeals to me more at my age of 70 than it might have at 35 or 40. As I age I live in fear of either myself or my husband contracting this disease that is so excellently yet terrifyingly shown in this book. The author captures Maud’s anxiety, confusion and anger as she descends into dementia, but there are also moments of tenderness and humor. I have a strong feeling that Elizabeth Is Missing will be one of my top reads for 2022.
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LibraryThing member bookofsecrets
After seeing some great reviews for ELIZABETH IS MISSING, I bumped it to the top of my reading list. I'm glad I did, because it was an excellent read. The story is told from the first person point-of-view of Maud, an elderly woman with dementia. It was an eye-opening experience to view the world as
At the core of this book, there are two intriguing mysteries - the disappearance of Maud's sister, Sukey, just after World War II, and the disappearance of Maud's friend, Elizabeth, in present day. I could really feel her frustration and sense of hopelessness as she searched for Elizabeth, and no one would take her seriously. During the search, her mind would drift back in time to the 1940s, and she would relive the days when her sister went missing.
ELIZABETH IS MISSING was a page-turner for sure. I was very curious to find out what happen to the two women, and how, if in any way, they were connected. This book also made me more understanding of those struggling with memory loss. Maud's caregivers, including her daughter, weren't the most sympathetic people, though I can certainly see the frustration from both sides. Readers who enjoy psychological mysteries and WWII historical fiction set in England should give this book a try. It's an impressive debut novel from Emma Healey, and I'm looking forward to her next release.
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Maud did, her memories fading in and out. This book reminded me of the movie Memento, because Maud would experience something, and then a few minutes later not remember it happened.At the core of this book, there are two intriguing mysteries - the disappearance of Maud's sister, Sukey, just after World War II, and the disappearance of Maud's friend, Elizabeth, in present day. I could really feel her frustration and sense of hopelessness as she searched for Elizabeth, and no one would take her seriously. During the search, her mind would drift back in time to the 1940s, and she would relive the days when her sister went missing.
ELIZABETH IS MISSING was a page-turner for sure. I was very curious to find out what happen to the two women, and how, if in any way, they were connected. This book also made me more understanding of those struggling with memory loss. Maud's caregivers, including her daughter, weren't the most sympathetic people, though I can certainly see the frustration from both sides. Readers who enjoy psychological mysteries and WWII historical fiction set in England should give this book a try. It's an impressive debut novel from Emma Healey, and I'm looking forward to her next release.
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LibraryThing member EdGoldberg
Maud is 80-ish, is very, very forgetful but keeps insisting that her friend Elizabeth is missing (hence the title). She tells her 'carer', Carla. She tells her daughter, Helen. She tells the police--four times. She even calls Elizabeth's son, Peter (at 2 AM), who was brusque in his answer that
In a side story, Maud tells of the disappearance of her sister, Sukey, some 65 years earlier.
While the author, Emma Healey does an admirable job of putting the reader inside the mind of someone with Alzheimer's Disease, the book did not progress. By page 115, we were no closer to finding Elizabeth or ever searching for her.
I liked Maud as a character, not so much for her parents or sister or daughter. I had high hopes, but I'm afraid it didn't live up to the review I read about it.
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Elizabeth was fine. However, she is still not to be found.In a side story, Maud tells of the disappearance of her sister, Sukey, some 65 years earlier.
While the author, Emma Healey does an admirable job of putting the reader inside the mind of someone with Alzheimer's Disease, the book did not progress. By page 115, we were no closer to finding Elizabeth or ever searching for her.
I liked Maud as a character, not so much for her parents or sister or daughter. I had high hopes, but I'm afraid it didn't live up to the review I read about it.
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LibraryThing member Informationoverlord
An interesting dual mystery that doesn't quite match the hype. However, the idea of having a central character who is either just normally senile or suffering from dementia or similar means you get a ready-made unreliable narrator, which I quite like. The thing with unreliable narrators is that you
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either accept them and take the rough with the smooth of you get frustrated and annoyed at them to the point that it spoils your enjoyment of the story. I've personally always been a bit of a fan of it as a literary device. Maybe I read too may John Fowles books in my younger years, but whether it be classic like The Catcher in the Rye or Lolita or modern exponents like Gone Girl, I find it a fun way to play with the reader and the storytelling. Show Less
LibraryThing member Twink
One of the best things about my job is being asked "What have you read that's really good lately?" Well, Emma Healey's debut novel, Elizabeth is Missing, is one title I'll be recommending over and over again this summer. I really, really loved this book. Okay, you loved it Luanne, now what's it
Maud is in her eighties and is slowly but surely losing her memory, her ability to live alone and to take care of herself. But the one thing she cannot forget is her friend Elizabeth. Maud is convinced she is missing, no matter what her daughter Helen, her carers and Elizabeth's son Peter says. She need to find her - Elizabeth is missing. Maud writes many notes to remind herself to continue to look for Elizabeth. And she does, putting herself in harm's way and her daughter at her wit's end.
But there is a second narrative as well, from Maud's past as a young girl in Britain, shortly after World II has ended. Maud is an unreliable narrator. As the past and the present become tangled in Maud's memory, the reader is not quite sure of what is truth, what is memory and what is what might have been. But as I read, I had suspicions creeping in......
It is difficult to watch Maud struggle with knowing she is losing her memory. She is determined to hand on to her pride, her dignity and independence. And desperate to know what has happened to Elizabeth. Healey's writing captures Maud's frustration, the lost time and the fear so well. But Healey does inject humour into Maud's life as well. She is a feisty soul. Her daughter Helen is just as well drawn and provides a real and touching look at the difficult, often painful role of being a child and/or a carer of someone with dementia or Alzheimer's. I thought Helen's granddaughter Katy was very well written as well. She jokes and laughs with her grandmother and loves her very much. I wonder if there's a bit of Healey written into Katy.
Elizabeth is missing is both a mystery and a story of lives, heartbreaking, yet life affirming. Above all, it is a brilliant read, guaranteed to grab you and not let you go, even after the last page is turned. (have a tissue handy) Part of what made this book so poignant was Healey adding in part of her life and memories, with a nod to her grandmothers, Nancy and Vera.
"It was a few months after she (Nancy) died, that I began to write Elizabeth is Missing in earnest, combining the exploration of dementia prompted by Nancy with some of the stories I'd collected from Vera."
As I read, I too thought often of my own grandmothers, now both passed away. And it made me love the book even more.
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about?Maud is in her eighties and is slowly but surely losing her memory, her ability to live alone and to take care of herself. But the one thing she cannot forget is her friend Elizabeth. Maud is convinced she is missing, no matter what her daughter Helen, her carers and Elizabeth's son Peter says. She need to find her - Elizabeth is missing. Maud writes many notes to remind herself to continue to look for Elizabeth. And she does, putting herself in harm's way and her daughter at her wit's end.
But there is a second narrative as well, from Maud's past as a young girl in Britain, shortly after World II has ended. Maud is an unreliable narrator. As the past and the present become tangled in Maud's memory, the reader is not quite sure of what is truth, what is memory and what is what might have been. But as I read, I had suspicions creeping in......
It is difficult to watch Maud struggle with knowing she is losing her memory. She is determined to hand on to her pride, her dignity and independence. And desperate to know what has happened to Elizabeth. Healey's writing captures Maud's frustration, the lost time and the fear so well. But Healey does inject humour into Maud's life as well. She is a feisty soul. Her daughter Helen is just as well drawn and provides a real and touching look at the difficult, often painful role of being a child and/or a carer of someone with dementia or Alzheimer's. I thought Helen's granddaughter Katy was very well written as well. She jokes and laughs with her grandmother and loves her very much. I wonder if there's a bit of Healey written into Katy.
Elizabeth is missing is both a mystery and a story of lives, heartbreaking, yet life affirming. Above all, it is a brilliant read, guaranteed to grab you and not let you go, even after the last page is turned. (have a tissue handy) Part of what made this book so poignant was Healey adding in part of her life and memories, with a nod to her grandmothers, Nancy and Vera.
"It was a few months after she (Nancy) died, that I began to write Elizabeth is Missing in earnest, combining the exploration of dementia prompted by Nancy with some of the stories I'd collected from Vera."
As I read, I too thought often of my own grandmothers, now both passed away. And it made me love the book even more.
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LibraryThing member lilywren
A great debut novel where the story is being told from the perspective of Maud, a woman in her 80's living with dementia.
We follow Maud as she presents her scattered thoughts and post it note reminders in her quest to find her friend Elizabeth. She is convinced Elizabeth is missing, she is doing
Maud's daughter, Helen, is portrayed as the family member trying to help mum but clearly showing the stress and anxiety which can go hand in hand when supporting a loved one with dementia. As someone who has had a close family member diagnosed with the condition, I certainly found parrallels with Maud's behaviour and the close family reactions to it.
Elizabeth is Missing isn't a depressing story though. It could easily have been and yes, there are some sad and bitter sweet moments. However, in using Maud as the narrator of the story, we are presented with a character full of humour, strength and tenacity (much to her families angst) especially in trying to complete her self assigned mission of finding Elizabeth. Maud is certainly not presented as a 'victim' here and quite rightly so.
A well crafted tale which presents an alternative perspective on dementia and a different take on the detective story genre.
We follow Maud as she presents her scattered thoughts and post it note reminders in her quest to find her friend Elizabeth. She is convinced Elizabeth is missing, she is doing
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everything she can do (and remember to do) to find Elizabeth, including persuading those around her that she is indeed missing. Maud's daughter, Helen, is portrayed as the family member trying to help mum but clearly showing the stress and anxiety which can go hand in hand when supporting a loved one with dementia. As someone who has had a close family member diagnosed with the condition, I certainly found parrallels with Maud's behaviour and the close family reactions to it.
Elizabeth is Missing isn't a depressing story though. It could easily have been and yes, there are some sad and bitter sweet moments. However, in using Maud as the narrator of the story, we are presented with a character full of humour, strength and tenacity (much to her families angst) especially in trying to complete her self assigned mission of finding Elizabeth. Maud is certainly not presented as a 'victim' here and quite rightly so.
A well crafted tale which presents an alternative perspective on dementia and a different take on the detective story genre.
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LibraryThing member NCRainstorm
Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey is an absolutely beautiful book! I've never read anything like it, and it's one of the few books that keeps me thinking. I received a copy of the book for my honest review.
The subject of aging and dementia is forefront in today's society and Healey does a
Despite the memory struggles, Maud never gives up. She writes herself notes, she tries everything she can think of to find her friend Elizabeth. Maud's flashbacks to her childhood when her sister went missing show how strong she was even then, always pushing to find the truth. I found myself crying, realizing that even if she found out what happened to Elizabeth and her sister (or if perhaps she had already found out) that she would never remember. So she would always be searching.
The story shows the pain children go through as their parents age and can't take care of themselves; the difficult decisions that have to be made. Maud's daughter and granddaughter have to endure her repeatedly not recognizing them. It reminded me of my father and his mother, and left me wary of the future with my aging parents.
Elizabeth is Missing is charming and hauntingly provocative. Do yourself a favor and read it.
The subject of aging and dementia is forefront in today's society and Healey does a
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masterful job with 80-yr old Maud. Written in her voice, I could feel Maud's frustration with her memory over her missing friend as well as what happened to her sister decades ago. As the story progresses, Maud's memory deteriorates even more. Despite the memory struggles, Maud never gives up. She writes herself notes, she tries everything she can think of to find her friend Elizabeth. Maud's flashbacks to her childhood when her sister went missing show how strong she was even then, always pushing to find the truth. I found myself crying, realizing that even if she found out what happened to Elizabeth and her sister (or if perhaps she had already found out) that she would never remember. So she would always be searching.
The story shows the pain children go through as their parents age and can't take care of themselves; the difficult decisions that have to be made. Maud's daughter and granddaughter have to endure her repeatedly not recognizing them. It reminded me of my father and his mother, and left me wary of the future with my aging parents.
Elizabeth is Missing is charming and hauntingly provocative. Do yourself a favor and read it.
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LibraryThing member Carolee888
Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey is both a mystery and a portrayal of the frightening experience of memory loss. Maud is eighty-two and a grandmother. She has a dear friend, Elizabeth who can't see that well but loves the feeling of the different forms of pottery. Maud also had a sister, Sukey,
Maud, likes a spot of tea but forgets that she has made it and there is a line of teacups in a row that she has forgotten earlier. She forgets that when she has eaten. She forgets what she wants when she goes to the store. Embarrassed that she has forgotten, she buys a can of peaches, never mind that when she comes home, she finds that she has a lot of cans of peaches.
She worries about her friend, where is she? She also remembers when Sukie disappeared. She just vanished. Did she run away? Was she killed by her mean husband? How could she leave without saying goodbye?
Emma Healey weaves the story of the two women who are gone with the confusion of only having snips of memory left. I love her portrayal of someone losing the connection of words and what they stand for, of losing independence. The mysteries are done very well too, the common link being her love for her sister and her dear friend.
I strongly recommend Elizabeth is Missing to all who love mysteries and those who would like to learn about the experience of living with dementia.
I received this book as a win from First Reads but that in no way influenced my thoughts or feelings in this review.
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who went missing in 1946. She loves both of them. But when your memory is slipping away, it is hard to hold ideas in your head long enough to put things together and make sense of them.Maud, likes a spot of tea but forgets that she has made it and there is a line of teacups in a row that she has forgotten earlier. She forgets that when she has eaten. She forgets what she wants when she goes to the store. Embarrassed that she has forgotten, she buys a can of peaches, never mind that when she comes home, she finds that she has a lot of cans of peaches.
She worries about her friend, where is she? She also remembers when Sukie disappeared. She just vanished. Did she run away? Was she killed by her mean husband? How could she leave without saying goodbye?
Emma Healey weaves the story of the two women who are gone with the confusion of only having snips of memory left. I love her portrayal of someone losing the connection of words and what they stand for, of losing independence. The mysteries are done very well too, the common link being her love for her sister and her dear friend.
I strongly recommend Elizabeth is Missing to all who love mysteries and those who would like to learn about the experience of living with dementia.
I received this book as a win from First Reads but that in no way influenced my thoughts or feelings in this review.
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LibraryThing member UnderMyAppleTree
Maud is losing her memory and her ability to live on her own. She has a caretaker to help her out, her daughter checks on her everyday plus she writes notes to help her remember things. But she forgets what the notes mean. She writes a note reminding herself not to buy more canned peaches and
A note Maud has written reminds her that her friend Elizabeth is missing. She must find Elizabeth. She tells others her concern for Elizabeth, but no one takes her seriously. She knows there is something important about Elizabeth’s garden, but what is it? Maud’s thoughts about Elizabeth trigger memories of her sister, Sukey, who mysteriously disappeared more than fifty years ago.
The story is told in the first person, from Maud’s point of view. The narrative moves back and forth between the present and years ago when Maud was a young girl. As the two mysteries unfold, the connection between the past and the present becomes clear.
The author has painted a strikingly accurate and poignant portrait of a woman sinking into dementia. Maud’s memories of the past are detailed and vivid, while in the present, we feel her frustration as she struggles to remember what happened moments ago. As Maud’s account in the present becomes more and more unreliable, we begin to wonder if there is really any mystery at all about Elizabeth’s whereabouts. The reader is left to decide what’s real and what isn’t.
More than just a mystery, this is also a novel about aging, memory loss, and the pain and frustration it causes to all involved. Insightful, often heartbreaking and at times humorous, a great debut from a promising new author.
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doesn’t remember why. So she buys them anyway when she already has plenty in her cupboard.A note Maud has written reminds her that her friend Elizabeth is missing. She must find Elizabeth. She tells others her concern for Elizabeth, but no one takes her seriously. She knows there is something important about Elizabeth’s garden, but what is it? Maud’s thoughts about Elizabeth trigger memories of her sister, Sukey, who mysteriously disappeared more than fifty years ago.
The story is told in the first person, from Maud’s point of view. The narrative moves back and forth between the present and years ago when Maud was a young girl. As the two mysteries unfold, the connection between the past and the present becomes clear.
The author has painted a strikingly accurate and poignant portrait of a woman sinking into dementia. Maud’s memories of the past are detailed and vivid, while in the present, we feel her frustration as she struggles to remember what happened moments ago. As Maud’s account in the present becomes more and more unreliable, we begin to wonder if there is really any mystery at all about Elizabeth’s whereabouts. The reader is left to decide what’s real and what isn’t.
More than just a mystery, this is also a novel about aging, memory loss, and the pain and frustration it causes to all involved. Insightful, often heartbreaking and at times humorous, a great debut from a promising new author.
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LibraryThing member nicx27
Maud is in her 80s and is desperately trying to find her good friend, Elizabeth. But Maud has increasingly bad dementia and is unable to grasp hold of and keep her thoughts. Her daughter, Helen, is trying to look after her but it's hard work. And somewhere in the middle of Maud's thoughts is her
I found this to be a mixture of the funny things that Maud does, which made me smile, but much more than that I found it a heart-breaking look at the descent into complete dementia told by Maud herself. Emma Healey has written so well and has been able to tell the reader not only Maud's muddled thoughts but also what she means by them.
It's a clever and moving story and one that I would definitely recommend.
Thank you to the publishers for allowing me to review this book through Netgalley.
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sister, Sukey, who disappeared almost 70 years ago, in 1946. The mystery of what happened to Sukey is all tied up with the fact that Elizabeth is Missing.I found this to be a mixture of the funny things that Maud does, which made me smile, but much more than that I found it a heart-breaking look at the descent into complete dementia told by Maud herself. Emma Healey has written so well and has been able to tell the reader not only Maud's muddled thoughts but also what she means by them.
It's a clever and moving story and one that I would definitely recommend.
Thank you to the publishers for allowing me to review this book through Netgalley.
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LibraryThing member ChristineParker
This narrative is told from the perspective of Maud, a woman starting to suffer from the strains of dementia in her later years. She relies on her notes and those around her to try to stay coherent, but she keeps coming back to the terrible feeling that her friend, Elizabeth, is missing. As Maud
I found this to be a difficult read, both because of the bittersweet relationship between Maud and her daughter, and the constant switching between the present and the past. At the same time I thoroughly enjoyed the main character and the slow reveal of what may (or may not) have truly happened. This book explores memory, the stories we tell ourselves, and how much we rely on those around us as we age. Things seem to resolve in the end, but the epilogue may leave you wondering about the dependability of past memories and how coping with traumatic events may alter our reality. I appreciate the author making me question this storyline long after putting it down, as I suspect that’s part of the point. Great book.
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slips in and out of the present she also remembers the time from her childhood when her elder sister Sukey went missing and was never found. The story bounces back and forth between the present and the past, while Maud tries desperately to remember what seems to have been forgotten.I found this to be a difficult read, both because of the bittersweet relationship between Maud and her daughter, and the constant switching between the present and the past. At the same time I thoroughly enjoyed the main character and the slow reveal of what may (or may not) have truly happened. This book explores memory, the stories we tell ourselves, and how much we rely on those around us as we age. Things seem to resolve in the end, but the epilogue may leave you wondering about the dependability of past memories and how coping with traumatic events may alter our reality. I appreciate the author making me question this storyline long after putting it down, as I suspect that’s part of the point. Great book.
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LibraryThing member Cherylk
This is one book I was really looking forward to reading. So when it arrived I picked it up right away to start reading. I actually thought this book would be more psychological thriller. It kind of did mess with my mind but the problem was that I found most of the characters lacking personalities.
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Also the story seemed to drag on and move at an incredibly slow pace with little action. Another thing that I did find distracting was the many different characters introduced though out the story with hardly any background as to what part they played in the whole story. The last third of the book is where the whole story comes together and thre mystery surrounding what happened to Emma is revealed. Show Less
LibraryThing member bsquaredinoz
ELIZABETH IS MISSING is a Big Thing in publishing. Its debut author was reportedly paid a hefty sum for the rights and the book has more than once been referred to as Gone Gran in reference to the last thriller-with-an-unreliable-narrator that broke all sales records. For me such labelling was
Muad is 82 and has dementia. This makes it difficult for her to make anyone believe that her friend Elizabeth is missing but it doesn’t stop her trying. She reports frequently to the police, visits Elizabeth’s house, writes copious notes to herself in an effort to help her remember what steps she has taken. The circumstance of her friend’s disappearance remind Maud of another missing woman in her life. Her older sister Sukey disappeared when she was a young woman, just after the end of the second world war. The book progresses to unravel these two parallel stories about missing women with Maud increasingly at the mercy of her dysfunctional brain.
For me ELIZABETH IS MISSING does its best work as a study of the impact of dementia on both the sufferer and their loved ones. As both of my parents are currently in the grips of different forms of the disease I definitely identified with Maud’s adult daughter Helen. She swings from annoyance to sadness to guilt when dealing with her mother in much the same way as I have found myself doing. Although it was a tough read precisely because it is so close to my own experiences, I found some solace in meeting a character who struggles to cope with the manifestations of dementia in her beloved parent and doesn’t always behave with the patience and understanding she might hope for. I can’t speak to the experience of someone suffering from the disease but the outward manifestations of Maud’s dementia ring very true too, though her inner monologue sometimes seemed to be too linear and organised to be truly representative.
As a novel of thrilling suspense however ELIZABETH IS MISSING missed the mark by quite some distance. I thought the solution to the present-day mystery was obvious from the very beginning and while sometimes the journey to an expected outcome can be rewarding for its own sake I didn’t find that to be the case here. The injection of a potential suspect for Elizabeth’s disappearance felt forced and unrealistic because the conceit that enables there to be a mystery at all is completely unbelievable. The part of the story dealing with Sukey’s sudden disappearance from her family life was more compelling but only relatively speaking. I still found it trod a fairly predictable path, though the sense of time and place which the author created was very well done and the family’s sense of loss was also quite beautifully drawn. So, if I hadn’t been led to believe by the hype machine that is modern publishing to expect a thriller I might not have been nearly so disappointed to find something else entirely.
I will be the first to admit that what I know about the inner workings of the publishing industry could comfortably be written on the back of a postage stamp but it seems to me that with genre fiction especially there is an increasing emphasis on The Premise. The elevator pitch if you will. Hooking people with an idea that can be easily and quickly explained. The problem with such a focus is that it doesn’t leave a lot of room for complexity and nuance and sometimes the need for those things – the need for something more than a two-sentence blurb – is forgotten entirely. I felt ELIZABETH IS MISSING suffered somewhat in this way. The hook is a good one – elderly lady with dementia has potentially important information about two disappearances…will she be able to unscramble her memories and thoughts enough for the cases to be solved? – but as far as plot goes there is not a whole lot more than this. The details of Maud’s early life at the end of the war and her present-day experiences of slowly losing her memory and her sense of self are well written and compelling in their way but mystery novel plot development they are not. And the very conventions of the Genre-Novel-With-An-Exciting-Premise lead to an unconvincing conclusion. It feels to me as if a thoughtful character study has been shoe-horned into a suspense novel shaped straight jacket and the end result pays poor service to both art forms.
As always, other opinions are available and most of them are vastly different to mine. But if I were going to recommend a novel about the horrendous effects of dementia on both sufferer and their loved ones I’d opt for Alice LaPlante’s TURN OF MIND. And either way; bring tissues.
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counter-productive. I didn’t really want to read it in the first place (hype shmype). And when it was selected by my book club all the buzz had made me expect a certain kind of book – a thrilling, suspenseful kind of book. When it wasn’t either of those I couldn’t help but be disappointed.Muad is 82 and has dementia. This makes it difficult for her to make anyone believe that her friend Elizabeth is missing but it doesn’t stop her trying. She reports frequently to the police, visits Elizabeth’s house, writes copious notes to herself in an effort to help her remember what steps she has taken. The circumstance of her friend’s disappearance remind Maud of another missing woman in her life. Her older sister Sukey disappeared when she was a young woman, just after the end of the second world war. The book progresses to unravel these two parallel stories about missing women with Maud increasingly at the mercy of her dysfunctional brain.
For me ELIZABETH IS MISSING does its best work as a study of the impact of dementia on both the sufferer and their loved ones. As both of my parents are currently in the grips of different forms of the disease I definitely identified with Maud’s adult daughter Helen. She swings from annoyance to sadness to guilt when dealing with her mother in much the same way as I have found myself doing. Although it was a tough read precisely because it is so close to my own experiences, I found some solace in meeting a character who struggles to cope with the manifestations of dementia in her beloved parent and doesn’t always behave with the patience and understanding she might hope for. I can’t speak to the experience of someone suffering from the disease but the outward manifestations of Maud’s dementia ring very true too, though her inner monologue sometimes seemed to be too linear and organised to be truly representative.
As a novel of thrilling suspense however ELIZABETH IS MISSING missed the mark by quite some distance. I thought the solution to the present-day mystery was obvious from the very beginning and while sometimes the journey to an expected outcome can be rewarding for its own sake I didn’t find that to be the case here. The injection of a potential suspect for Elizabeth’s disappearance felt forced and unrealistic because the conceit that enables there to be a mystery at all is completely unbelievable. The part of the story dealing with Sukey’s sudden disappearance from her family life was more compelling but only relatively speaking. I still found it trod a fairly predictable path, though the sense of time and place which the author created was very well done and the family’s sense of loss was also quite beautifully drawn. So, if I hadn’t been led to believe by the hype machine that is modern publishing to expect a thriller I might not have been nearly so disappointed to find something else entirely.
I will be the first to admit that what I know about the inner workings of the publishing industry could comfortably be written on the back of a postage stamp but it seems to me that with genre fiction especially there is an increasing emphasis on The Premise. The elevator pitch if you will. Hooking people with an idea that can be easily and quickly explained. The problem with such a focus is that it doesn’t leave a lot of room for complexity and nuance and sometimes the need for those things – the need for something more than a two-sentence blurb – is forgotten entirely. I felt ELIZABETH IS MISSING suffered somewhat in this way. The hook is a good one – elderly lady with dementia has potentially important information about two disappearances…will she be able to unscramble her memories and thoughts enough for the cases to be solved? – but as far as plot goes there is not a whole lot more than this. The details of Maud’s early life at the end of the war and her present-day experiences of slowly losing her memory and her sense of self are well written and compelling in their way but mystery novel plot development they are not. And the very conventions of the Genre-Novel-With-An-Exciting-Premise lead to an unconvincing conclusion. It feels to me as if a thoughtful character study has been shoe-horned into a suspense novel shaped straight jacket and the end result pays poor service to both art forms.
As always, other opinions are available and most of them are vastly different to mine. But if I were going to recommend a novel about the horrendous effects of dementia on both sufferer and their loved ones I’d opt for Alice LaPlante’s TURN OF MIND. And either way; bring tissues.
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LibraryThing member smik
Maud organises her life with little bits of paper. She writes notes but doesn't always discard the paper when she should. She know Elizabeth is missing because the note says so, and because Elizabeth's house is empty. But she can't understand why no-one will do anything about Elizabeth's
Events in the present trigger vivid memories from the past, when she was a teenager and someone else close to her also disappeared.The war was recently over, they had a lodger, and a mad woman was killed by a car right outside their house.
Emma Healey does a wonderful job of of presenting Maud's fractured memories.
An excellent read.
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disappearance - not the police whom she visits several times, not her daughter, not her doctor.Events in the present trigger vivid memories from the past, when she was a teenager and someone else close to her also disappeared.The war was recently over, they had a lodger, and a mad woman was killed by a car right outside their house.
Emma Healey does a wonderful job of of presenting Maud's fractured memories.
An excellent read.
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LibraryThing member froxgirl
Two mysteries within a saga of aging. So well constructed and frustrating, just as it would be if your elderly mother was failing and kept telling you that her friend Elizabeth was missing, missing, missing, and how do you grow summer squash and who are you?
Maud has had a good life with her husband
Also missing for more than 50 years is Maud's sister Sukey, who also disappeared mysteriously. Maud's touching attempts to find them, and the endless patience of her daughter Helen, invoke the same love and frustration in the reader.
Books like this can be difficult to wrap up, but Healey does a fine job here. A novel told in first person when that person is not all there is a big balancing act, and she really pulls it off.
Maud has had a good life with her husband
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Patrick and her two children Tom and Helen. Patrick dies after their 50th wedding anniversary and Maud stays relatively happy with a job and her great friend Elizabeth. When the novel opens, she can no longer work due to dementia and Elizabeth is gone and Helen is her caretaker.Also missing for more than 50 years is Maud's sister Sukey, who also disappeared mysteriously. Maud's touching attempts to find them, and the endless patience of her daughter Helen, invoke the same love and frustration in the reader.
Books like this can be difficult to wrap up, but Healey does a fine job here. A novel told in first person when that person is not all there is a big balancing act, and she really pulls it off.
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LibraryThing member nyiper
I found this to be rather an amazing book---almost tragic to feel as though you were inside this woman's head and nothing really held together. The author captured a horrific trend in the world---the increase in people with some form of dementia/Alzheimer's is frightening and here it was, as the
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main character, Maud, shows us. Living with it---trying to make some sense of her life but everything disappeared within moments in her mind. The sub-plot of the mystery of the missing Elizabeth and her long-lost sister Sukey pulled the story together, going back and forth in time but constantly confusing the two time frames and the people within them. Show Less
LibraryThing member TooBusyReading
“I feel rather drab and shy for a few minutes,. But then I remember that I am old and nobody is looking at me.”
Maud is old. No one looks at her unless she is doing something foolish. And no one takes her seriously. Her mind is increasingly befuddled, her memories untrustworthy. Still, she knows
While this book is classified as a mystery, there are actually two mysteries, and I found those to be the least compelling aspects of the book. There are no great surprises. To me, that didn't matter.
This book, in my eyes, is a beautiful and heartbreaking character study. Maud is a character I won't forget. Her increasingly poor memory and increasing befuddlement, her inability to find the right words, strike a too-believable and very sympathetic tone. Her irrational behavior is explained through her thoughts, but she can't explain to the people around her. Granddaughter Katy is a gem.
Just as interesting a character is Helen, Maud's daughter and chief caregiver. She tries so hard to be endlessly patient, and yet that is an impossible task. She loves her mother but the frustration of dealing with her is overwhelming. Her brother, Maud's son, visits once a year and does none of the work, and is resented, understandably, by Helen.
The emotions in this novel ring so true, and I really feel for the characters as though they are people I know personally. The story is never maudlin but is very touching.
This is a debut novel by the author, and I can't wait to see what she writes next.
I was given an advance reader's copy of the book for review, and the quote may have changed in the published edition.
Maud is old. No one looks at her unless she is doing something foolish. And no one takes her seriously. Her mind is increasingly befuddled, her memories untrustworthy. Still, she knows
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that her friend Elizabeth is missing, and she is determined to find her. When she remembers, anyway, that she is missing.While this book is classified as a mystery, there are actually two mysteries, and I found those to be the least compelling aspects of the book. There are no great surprises. To me, that didn't matter.
This book, in my eyes, is a beautiful and heartbreaking character study. Maud is a character I won't forget. Her increasingly poor memory and increasing befuddlement, her inability to find the right words, strike a too-believable and very sympathetic tone. Her irrational behavior is explained through her thoughts, but she can't explain to the people around her. Granddaughter Katy is a gem.
Just as interesting a character is Helen, Maud's daughter and chief caregiver. She tries so hard to be endlessly patient, and yet that is an impossible task. She loves her mother but the frustration of dealing with her is overwhelming. Her brother, Maud's son, visits once a year and does none of the work, and is resented, understandably, by Helen.
The emotions in this novel ring so true, and I really feel for the characters as though they are people I know personally. The story is never maudlin but is very touching.
This is a debut novel by the author, and I can't wait to see what she writes next.
I was given an advance reader's copy of the book for review, and the quote may have changed in the published edition.
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LibraryThing member littlegreycloud
Maud forgets things. Little things, such as the fact that she had already made herself some toast earlier, and what she wanted to buy in the shop. Bigger things, such as what things are called, even quite ordinary things that she has used every day in her life, and the fact that she no longer
But there is one thing Maud almost never forgets -- the fact that Elizabeth is missing. And if she forgets, she has a note in her pocket to remind her of it. Elizabeth is Maud's friend, a friend she has made quite late in life, and the way this friendship came about is one of the many lovely scenes in this book. And while Maud quite doggedly pursues this mystery, it becomes clear that this loss is not the first one she has suffered, that there is another person who has gone missing from her life, ever so many years and decades ago.
"Elizabeth is missing", is a novel about friendship and family, about loss and grief, about forgetting -- and remembering. It is one of the best books I've read so far this year and it was made even better by the expert narration of Davina Porter who succeeds brilliantly at giving the young and the old versions of Maud their own distinctive voice and characteristic style.
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volunteers at the charity shop. And really big things -- who her children are, and that she even has them and is not still a young girl who has yet to be kissed by anyone.But there is one thing Maud almost never forgets -- the fact that Elizabeth is missing. And if she forgets, she has a note in her pocket to remind her of it. Elizabeth is Maud's friend, a friend she has made quite late in life, and the way this friendship came about is one of the many lovely scenes in this book. And while Maud quite doggedly pursues this mystery, it becomes clear that this loss is not the first one she has suffered, that there is another person who has gone missing from her life, ever so many years and decades ago.
"Elizabeth is missing", is a novel about friendship and family, about loss and grief, about forgetting -- and remembering. It is one of the best books I've read so far this year and it was made even better by the expert narration of Davina Porter who succeeds brilliantly at giving the young and the old versions of Maud their own distinctive voice and characteristic style.
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LibraryThing member bfister
This accomplished novel puts readers in the disconcerting point of view of an elderly woman suffering from dementia who has a feeling her friend Elizabeth is missing, but has trouble remembering from one moment to the next what she's doing or where she is. Her frustrated daughter tries to help (and
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is a great character). Her past is clearer, and it too includes a missing person, the narrator's older sister. It's very well done, with fragmenets that come together satisfactorily in the end - but the strongest impact is in experiencing what it's like to have an unreliable short-term memory - more chilling than the gruesomest of thrillers. Show Less
LibraryThing member gpangel
Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healy is a 2014 Harper Publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
For me this was a stunning novel, not only as a mystery but one that gives an unique insight into the mind of someone dealing with
When Maud who is 82 years old, realizes her friend Elizabeth is gone, she desperately tries to convey this to her daughter, Helen, who is her sole care taker. No one takes her seriously, which frustrates and agitates Maud even more. But, this turn of events has jarred loose a torrent of memories regarding the disappearance of Maud's sister “Sukey” when she was much younger. She tends to confuse the two events in her mind and of course is fighting so hard to keep things straight and communicate to those around her who are totally clueless about what is really going on in Maud's head
When her sister disappeared, Maud was driven nearly mad by it . Slowly, Maud's mind sketches together the events of the past with the present day vanishing of her friend Elizabeth. It's a slow moving realization and the saddest thing of all is Maud's inability to hold on to her train of thought long enough to enjoy some kind of peace of mind or obtain closure in any way for herself.
I found myself feeling intensely angry with Helen and the police and Elizabeth's son, Peter. While I know it is so difficult to deal with a parent suffering from dementia, and I am certainly not making light of that burden, I couldn't help but feel irritation at Helen's making faces at Maud behind her back or dismissing her symptoms with the doctor or a thousand other ways she was rather unkind to her mother. I mean, this was her mother!! She resented every single thing she had to do for her and blamed her brother for not helping out more, which of course I would have to agree with that, and realistically this happens more often than people realize among siblings. Helen performs her duties admirably, but it's seldom she shows any real empathy or tenderness for her mother.
The two mysteries, the cold case, if you will, and the current mystery of Elizabeth's disappearance is compelling mostly because we know that there is something twisted up in Maud's mind and our frustration is as deep as hers. We know on one level that Elizabeth's disappearance is more of a catalyst for the deeply buried trauma of Maud's memories regarding her sister, but there is also a feeling of foreboding in regards to Elizabeth, mainly because Maude simply can not turn the idea loose. She is like a dog with a bone when it comes to her great concern over her friend's absence.
I think at times there are books placed in a rather generic genre classification, like mystery, suspense or psychological thriller, and that fits in this case, no doubt, BUT, it also leads people to draw a certain expectation of what to expect, and then perhaps, as could be the case with this book, the reader isn't quite sure what to think. The mystery is certainly understated, but I'm afraid many missed the poignancy of the story and the truly remarkable thing the mind really is. While, Maud was mostly unaware of what she has ultimately revealed by insisting Elizabeth was missing, it is astounding what she has managed to accomplish here. No, this is not exactly a whodunit in the traditional sense. Yes, it is difficult to read, and is very emotional and yes, it is slow moving without many of the elements most mysteries employ. So, I suppose it might have been best to have added this one to the literary fiction or contemporary fiction category along with mystery/ suspense to give the potential buyer an idea of what lay ahead. I thought this was a well thought out novel that maybe went over the heads of some who perhaps are not in any way familiar with dementia other than what they see on television. If you know someone with this disease, I can think you would look at this book with a different perspective. If you are interested in reading the typical mystery novel, police procedural, detective, forensic, sort of thing, then keep going. But, if you are looking for something that digs a little deeper into the human psyche and examines the long term emotional effects of loss, crime, guilt and in some ways even redemption, give this one a look. 4.5 stars rounded to 5
For me this was a stunning novel, not only as a mystery but one that gives an unique insight into the mind of someone dealing with
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dementia and the effects it has on them and their family. When Maud who is 82 years old, realizes her friend Elizabeth is gone, she desperately tries to convey this to her daughter, Helen, who is her sole care taker. No one takes her seriously, which frustrates and agitates Maud even more. But, this turn of events has jarred loose a torrent of memories regarding the disappearance of Maud's sister “Sukey” when she was much younger. She tends to confuse the two events in her mind and of course is fighting so hard to keep things straight and communicate to those around her who are totally clueless about what is really going on in Maud's head
When her sister disappeared, Maud was driven nearly mad by it . Slowly, Maud's mind sketches together the events of the past with the present day vanishing of her friend Elizabeth. It's a slow moving realization and the saddest thing of all is Maud's inability to hold on to her train of thought long enough to enjoy some kind of peace of mind or obtain closure in any way for herself.
I found myself feeling intensely angry with Helen and the police and Elizabeth's son, Peter. While I know it is so difficult to deal with a parent suffering from dementia, and I am certainly not making light of that burden, I couldn't help but feel irritation at Helen's making faces at Maud behind her back or dismissing her symptoms with the doctor or a thousand other ways she was rather unkind to her mother. I mean, this was her mother!! She resented every single thing she had to do for her and blamed her brother for not helping out more, which of course I would have to agree with that, and realistically this happens more often than people realize among siblings. Helen performs her duties admirably, but it's seldom she shows any real empathy or tenderness for her mother.
The two mysteries, the cold case, if you will, and the current mystery of Elizabeth's disappearance is compelling mostly because we know that there is something twisted up in Maud's mind and our frustration is as deep as hers. We know on one level that Elizabeth's disappearance is more of a catalyst for the deeply buried trauma of Maud's memories regarding her sister, but there is also a feeling of foreboding in regards to Elizabeth, mainly because Maude simply can not turn the idea loose. She is like a dog with a bone when it comes to her great concern over her friend's absence.
I think at times there are books placed in a rather generic genre classification, like mystery, suspense or psychological thriller, and that fits in this case, no doubt, BUT, it also leads people to draw a certain expectation of what to expect, and then perhaps, as could be the case with this book, the reader isn't quite sure what to think. The mystery is certainly understated, but I'm afraid many missed the poignancy of the story and the truly remarkable thing the mind really is. While, Maud was mostly unaware of what she has ultimately revealed by insisting Elizabeth was missing, it is astounding what she has managed to accomplish here. No, this is not exactly a whodunit in the traditional sense. Yes, it is difficult to read, and is very emotional and yes, it is slow moving without many of the elements most mysteries employ. So, I suppose it might have been best to have added this one to the literary fiction or contemporary fiction category along with mystery/ suspense to give the potential buyer an idea of what lay ahead. I thought this was a well thought out novel that maybe went over the heads of some who perhaps are not in any way familiar with dementia other than what they see on television. If you know someone with this disease, I can think you would look at this book with a different perspective. If you are interested in reading the typical mystery novel, police procedural, detective, forensic, sort of thing, then keep going. But, if you are looking for something that digs a little deeper into the human psyche and examines the long term emotional effects of loss, crime, guilt and in some ways even redemption, give this one a look. 4.5 stars rounded to 5
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Awards
Women's Prize for Fiction (Longlist — 2015)
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2016)
Costa Book Awards (Shortlist — First Novel — 2014)
Betty Trask Prize and Awards (Award Winner — Shortlist — 2015)
British Book Award (Shortlist — New Writer — 2014)
Independent Booksellers' Book Prize (Shortlist — Adult — 2015)
Waverton Good Read Award (Longlist — 2014)
Authors' Club First Novel Award (Shortlist — 2015)
Desmond Elliott Prize (Shortlist — 2015)
Language
Original publication date
2014
Physical description
274 p.; 20 cm
ISBN
9780241968185
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DDC/MDS
| 813.6 |