Welcome to another Tuesday celebrating bookish events, from Tuesday/First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea; and Teaser Tuesdays hosted by Should Be Reading.
Today’s featured book is an ARC I’m reading…and enjoying. Elizabeth is Missing, by Emma Healey, is a sophisticated psychological mystery that is also a heartbreakingly honest meditation on memory, identity, and aging…
Intro: (Prologue)
“Maud? Was I boring you so much that you’d rather stand outside in the dark?”
A woman calls to me from the warm light of a cluttered dining room. My breath curls towards her, wet and ghostly, but no words follow. The snow, sparse but bright on the ground, reflects the light on to her face, which is drawn tight in an attempt to see. I know, though, that she can’t see very well, even in the daylight.
“Come inside,” she says. “It’s freezing. I promise I won’t say another word about frogs and snails and majolica ware.”
“I wasn’t bored,” I say, realizing too late that she’s joking. “I’ll be there in a minute. I’m just looking for something.” In my hand is the thing I’ve already found, still clotted with mud. A small thing, easily missed. The broken lid of an old compact, its silver tarnished, its navy-blue enamel no longer glassy but scratched and dull. The mildewed mirror is like a window on a faded world, like a porthole looking out under the ocean. It makes me squirm with memories.
***
Teaser: “The bath is filthy,” she says as I come into the kitchen. “And there’s a big lot of dirt on the lawn. What have you been doing?”
I wince at the question. Why is it I can remember the garden and the soil and the dew, but none of the reasons for being there? (p. 71).
***
Amazon Description: 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 Elizabeth?
***
What do you think? Would you keep reading? I know that I am loving it, even as I feel frustrated for Maud…and annoyed with the people in her life who dismiss her, not giving any credence to her quest for her friend.
***
This sounds like my kind of novel. I would pick it up……
Here is my intro post!
and
Here is my teaser post
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I have found it hard to put down, gautami. Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your reading.
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Much to my concern, I’ve got the same kind of memory.
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Yes, I suspect that normal forgetfulness can feel like a descent into something frightening…which is why this story is so intriguing. I can feel as though it is all happening to me. Thanks for stopping by, Alice Audrey.
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Sounds like a good read despite the frustrations. Enjoy.
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Definitely! The story alternates between the past and the present, so we get a sense of who Maud was before….
Thanks for visiting, Nise.
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I remember reading about this book not too long ago, wondering if it would be a good fit for me. It certainly sounds interesting. I am glad you are enjoying it. I will have to add it to my wish list.
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It is the kind of story that wraps itself around me and makes me feel all kinds of emotions. Thanks for visiting, Literary Feline.
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Not sure this is my cup of tea.
Here’s Mine: http://www.sarahsbookshelves.com/fiction/first-chapter-first-paragraph-tuesday-intros-moon-sisters/
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Not everyone enjoys this kind of story. Thanks for stopping by, Sarah.
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This sounds like an excellent novel. I’m already intrigued by Maud. I’ll watch for the release of this one.
Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving a comment about MILLSTONE.
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I think you’d enjoy it, Sandra….thanks for stopping by, and have a great week.
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I am so happy as I have this to read and yes I would carry on reading. I love the description of the compact. Thank you for visiting my TT http://cleopatralovesbooks.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/teaser-tuesday-march-18/
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Yes! The descriptions of the most ordinary objects take me right into the depths of the character’s elusive mind and how much each thing means to her. Especially since she is losing so much. Thanks for stopping by, Cleopatra.
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The book sounds like it contains a lot of sadness. Hope you enjoy and thanks for visiting.
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Yes, it does, Jo…and especially for those of us who are getting older…a reminder of what can happen.
Thanks for stopping by.
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The plot description really intrigues me, so I would keep reading. No Tuesday post for me today, I’ll be back next week.
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Thanks for visiting, Catherine, and I am definitely immersed in this story.
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Gripping — sounds like a good one! Night Broken
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It is definitely that, Heather…thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your reading.
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It sounds interesting, but you know me, I like the cozies, and this one sounds like it is out of my comfort reading zone. However, I’m glad you are enjoying it. Happy Reading….
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It is definitely not a cozy read, although there are cozy moments…but mostly it is about losses. Thanks for stopping by, Gigi Ann.
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I loved the intro, especially “The mildewed mirror is like a window on a faded world, like a porthole looking out under the ocean. It makes me squirm with memories.”
Thanks for including the summary, too… it makes me want to read the book even more. I should think about including them in my Tuesday posts, too.
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Yes, I like seeing a summary after reading the intros and teasers. That is a good description, isn’t it? Thanks for visiting, JoAnn…and enjoy your reading.
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The intro was ok-ish, but I love the synopsis and any psychological mystery is something I would definitely enjoy. Also have to say that I think it’s refreshing to see a book where the main heroine is an ageing grandmother.
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
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Lately I have read a few books with older main characters, and I must say that they have been definitely engaging.
Thanks for visiting, Peggy.
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this one sounds really good. enjoy your book and thanks so much for stopping by today. Have a good week. kelley—the road goes ever ever on
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I loved the book…just finished it! Thanks for stopping by, Kelley, and have a great week.
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I’m not sure about this one. It’s not grabbing me. I think I’d read to the end of the first chapter before deciding whether to go on, Hope you are enjoying it though.
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I’m not sure if the opener grabbed me, but after a few pages, I was in. Thanks for stopping by, Margot.
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Ooohh…this sounds like a good one.
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Oh, it was, Yvonne! I finished it a little while ago, and I won’t ever forget it!
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I love that intro and want to read it as well. I’ll keep an eye out for your review. Thanks Laurel
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Thanks, Diane, and I posted my review on An Interior Journey. Glad you could stop by.
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Sounds good. Here’s mine: http://pdworkman.com/teaser-from-looking-over-your-shoulder-teasertuesdays/
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Thanks, PD…glad you could stop by.
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Sounds like a heart rending story. I’d get too emotional reading a book like this and remembering my grandmother. Very poignant.
🙂
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I did find myself getting a bit worked up by those who ignored or treated her dismissively. Thanks for visiting, Pooch.
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The writing sounds really clear here. I liked it.
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I agree, Paulita…a very enjoyable, but emotional read.
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This book sounds right up my alley. Did you read Lisa Genova’s book, Still Alice? I loved that one; also her other book, Left Neglected. Only mentioning them because of the aging main character with dementia. I would love to read this and thanks for sharing it.
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I haven’t yet read Still Alice, but it is on Sparky, my Kindle. I’m looking forward to it.
I have read a couple of books this past few months with aging characters…Hmm, wonder if it has anything to do with my age? LOL
Thanks for stopping by, Rita.
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