Eloise

Written by Judy Finnigan

Narrated by Anna Bentinck

Yesterday I almost saw her.

I was standing on the sun deck, looking out to sea, revelling in the unexpected warmth of the February sun. A butterfly trembled on a nearby buddleia and suddenly I smelled her perfume.

She wasn't there, of course. How could she be when I had seen her lying in her coffin just two weeks ago, the day before she was buried, her casket surrounded by the scented candles she loved? She lay in Cornish ground now...

Compulsively-readable and incredibly haunting, this is the Sunday Times bestselling debut novel from broadcaster, journalist and Book Club champion, Judy Finnigan.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Little, Brown (Hachette UK) Audio
• Release date: Oct 11, 2012
• ISBN: 9781405519175

Reviews for Eloise

[c.archer · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I found Eloise to be a decent story. The author combined genres a bit to mix mystery and adventure with a hint of supernatural, and she created an interesting and fairly well written story that kept my interest. The setting, while modern day, is Cornwall, England, which is the same as the classic, Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier. It is not a remake of this classic, but Ms. Finnigan has used similar elements in Eloise, and it was obviously part of her inspiration. Although I liked the book, I didn't love it. The element of suspense is interesting, but not gripping. The characters were a bit one-dimensional and not attractive to me. They are not people who I really cared about at the end of the story. I would still recommend it as a good read, particularly as a description of this interesting place. I think the author has put a great deal of heart into the story, and that keeps it from being a mediocre tale. If you enjoy stories of the English seacoast with a touch of mystery and some mild romance, Eloise will fit the bill.I am thankful to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this title.

[lostinalibrary · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

One year ago, Eloise died of cancer leaving behind her husband, Ted, their twin daughters, her mother, and her best friend Cathy. When Eloise' ghost starts haunting her dreams, telling her that her daughters are in danger, Cathy is convinced that the haunting is real and that Ted is the danger Eloise is referring to. However, no one believes her. She has only recently recovered from a breakdown and her psychiatrist husband, Chris, is convinced that this is just a symptom of her illness despite some odd and violent behaviour from Ted. Is grief causing Cathy to imagine Eloise' presence or are the twins really in danger?There is a definite Gothic feel to this novel. This is increased by its setting in Cornwall near cliffs overlooking the sea and its nods to both Daphne Du Maurier and Emily Bronte. There is the haunting, the suggestion of buried secrets, the handsome young stranger, the seemingly overwrought and fragile heroine whom no one believes, and even a exorcism thrown in for good measure. At times, the story becomes somewhat shmaltzy with Cathy's depiction of Eloise' and Chris' perfection despite the fact that Eloise, at least in ghost form seems willing to destroy Cathy's marriage and Chris seems more than willing to excuse the behaviour of others rather than that of his wife especially given that he's a psychiatrist and thinks she is having a breakdown. As well, despite Eloise' referrals to danger from an unnamed 'he' (if something is so important that someone needs to come back from beyond the grave, can't they at least name names), there is no real mystery in who this 'he' is.Despite these criticisms and, to be honest, these are faults of most gothic novels, for the most part, I enjoyed Eloise. Author Judy Finnigan has a deft hand at description and makes the mysterious beauty of Cornwall come alive and separate from the gothic nature of the tale, is a real and honest portrayal of grief, loyalty, and the ties that bind us to our families. Eloise has its flaws but, as a debut novel, it's pretty darn good.