#@sallyhepworth – kindread spirits

It’s no secret that Lucy has never been close to her mother-in-law, Diana. In fact, while she has always wished for the ideal mother-in-law – someone with whom she might share recipes and inside jokes – she feels she inherited the exact opposite of that. Nevertheless, she is still caught off-guard when two police show up at her home to break the news to her and her husband that Diana has died and that the circumstances of her death are under suspicion…

This is one of those wonderful novels where you think you see where it is going but you are completely wrong (at least I was!). The story beautifully illustrates how what you see on another person’s surface may not at all be who they are underneath. We are first introduced to the characters from Lucy’s perspective, and we feel compassion, even pity for her, particularly where Diana is concerned. Once the narrative switches and we hear Diana’s backstory and perspective, we have a whole new understanding of her life, her circumstances, and her motivations. It is a powerful lesson.

The plot is also quite intricate, built not only by going back and forth primarily between these two characters, but also back in time. Each woman, strong in her own right, is a product of her time, which makes it harder for them to connect, to warm to each other. They have each formed their very differing ideas on how to parent and how to relate to others, by their generational influences and life experiences. Their challenge is how to bridge this gap.

I highly recommend this novel. Excellent writing, great characters, and a suspenseful surprising plot. All the things!

Elsie believes she has found the perfect, quiet street to live on, during her aging years. Yes, there is the annoying neighbor Ishaan with his yappy dog, and there is the distinctly unfriendly Joan across the street, and so on; but for the most part, she finds she is left alone. Thank goodness for her best (and only) friend, Daphne, who does come often to keep her company and entertain her. When Elsie finds Ishaan dead in his home (at the age of 93), her life and the life story she’s been carefully guarding suddenly become public, and she finds her world turned upside down.

This is a brilliantly written novel. While there is much in Elsie’s story that is tragic – the moniker she is given by her father of Mad Mabel being the least of it – the story is nevertheless told with a biting wit and tremendous warmth. We cannot help loving Elsie herself, despite her being the epitome of snarky and ornery. And while she claims to detest children, she develops a relationship with the little girl down her street, Persephone, which is utterly tender and beautiful.

Elsie’s story is not unique, sadly. Her history of neglect and abuse at the hand of her father is devastating and yet we know it occurs rampantly, with no regard for class, color, or creed. While she has an aunt who cares deeply for her and is her only advocate among a sea of adults who desert her, she is mostly alone, isolated, and vulnerable. She becomes the victim of circumstance again and again, but it is not by coincidence – it is by design. And it is so important for us as readers to be exposed to these circumstances, again and again.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel, with its humor, its depth, and the multiple twists at the end. I think it just might be a MUST READ!