This follows the story of Jeannie who works in the family's undertaking business alongside her Dad, her aunt , Harry, and her husband Niall. Her parents' retirement announcement throws her into turmoil. Partly this is due to her past in which she opted to stay in her Irish hometown, rather than take an opportunity to go to London and forge a new life there.

One big factor in her decision is the weight of responsibility she feels towards the dead, as she has an innate talent for being able to hear the dead. In the short space of time immediately after their death, the dead talk to her. Jeannie then feels bound to carry out their wishes but has to balance this against the needs of the surviving family and friends. This is especially tested with one particular "client".

The announcement also makes her question her marriage to Niall as there is still a past lover who she feels strongly about.. How and what will she decide?
Anne Griffin's previous book was about Maurice Hannigan (who makes an "appearance" in this book) and was also set in an Irish town with a vivid depiction of the way of life. As in her previous book there is a plot twist and also a character who is not neurotypical. Her brother Mikey has autism and collects military magazines etc.
For me the first book was more "mature" and complex in many ways, but that is maybe due to the narrator, as Jeannie is young and confused whereas Maurice was old and looking back over his life.

The USP is the talking to the dead, as this is something that captures the imagination (Mantel's Beyond Black, the films Ghost and Sixth Sense for example) . It was interesting to have a book set in a funeral directors as this usually hidden and "taboo", but then traditional Celtic funerals (ie Irish , Welsh etc) are more "open" in some ways towards death.

It's a warm book despite its subject matter. It's full of the range of human emotion from love to grief from death to life. an enjoyable read.

Jeanie Masterson works alongside her father in their family undertaker's. Both Jeanie and her father have the gift of hearing the dead's last words. This can be both a blessing and a curse as the dead don't always have nice things to say to their grieving loved ones.
Jeanie is starting to question her life and the choices she made when leaving school, did she do the right thing staying in her hometown to work at the family business.
I loved this book, it was such a lovely story and it had me in tears in places.

It wasn’t what I was expecting so didn’t really enjoy it I skimmed through a lot of pages and thought it was a waste of time having said that it was well written and I’m sure a lot of people will like it thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy

Jeanie has lived her life, as she was expected to do, sometimes feeling blessed, and sometimes feeling cursed by her unusual gift. A lost love takes her on an emotional journey, giving her time to consider what she really wants.

I had heard a bit about this novel, but it still came as a bit of a surprise - a pleasant one, but one I almost didn't get to after the long backstory that painstakingly introduced me to Jeanie's friends and her school years that took up a hefty chunk of the first part of the book. Once past that, however, I fell for the complexities of the characters and the gentle weaving in of the stories of the dead, moved by the parallels of the impacts of decisions we all make for better or for worse that we justify (or fail to) in defence/defiance of our human frailties. There is a complex moral heart to this and a more simple - but equally tortuous - tale of what love is and can be, and where and when to accept the decisions we've made in our lives as just that: something to be lived with and faced for all the difficulty and truths that come with that. It was enough to forgive that over-long set up and some of the more basic plot points. Just lovely.

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC of this book. I was excited to read this one, having discovered Anne Griffin through her debut novel All is Said
Listening Still has an interesting and unusual premise. It tells the story of Jeannie, an undertaker living and working with her family in Ireland. Jeannie and her dad have the unusual skill of being able to hear the dead. Although this is an integral part of the story, I thought it could have been explored further.
Essentially the book is about Jeannie taking stock of her life, thinking about past love Fionn and questioning her choices. The characters are well written and I found myself wanting to read more.
I enjoyed this book

I was gobsmacked by Anne’s first book, ‘When all is said’, and it was right up there in my top 5 of the year. I couldn’t wait to start this one,
thank you#netgalley, but it just didn’t compare. It has an interesting premise, girl who can speak to the dead, a love story to set the world on fire, but then the fire just sort of dimmed a bit and I had to keep reminding myself to pick it up and read.
Good, but not great.

I enjoy Paranormal books so was intrigued by the storyline of an undertaker who can talk to the dead. As I got into the story it became obvious that although it is a main part of Jeanie's life it isn't the main topic of the story. It is more about her relationship with her husband and coworker, Niall , and her first love Fionn who comes between them
It did make me think about what the recently dead may say, for good and for bad, and sympathised with Jeanie on how she was firstly dealt with others when she was young over this ability and also how she could pass on what was said to her to the relatives.
Overall a slow, but thoughtful book, again different to the romances that I normally read but and will be enjoyed by those who prefer that style of writing or just looking for something different.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

I thought this book was as much of a gem as "When all is said", Anne Griffin's first book and I was completely absorbed to the point of walking around in a semi-daze because my head was totally elsewhere. Surprisingly the 'talking to the dead' part of the book wasn't its main theme, to me it was a love story that played out from Jeanie's teen years. I especially loved the part where Jeanie is in France, that's where she seemed to grow up and really come to terms with her life, her gift and her future.

Anne Griffin has a gift for describing her characters so that you feel you know them inside out, even minor characters, and that's what makes her books such a joy to read. Fabulous!

I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

A strange book in that I found myself disliking it intensely, then actually quite enjoying it, and then ending up somewhere between the two.
I loved the magical realism, that it's an utterly mundane world in which the protagonist just happens to hear the dead. And I think, this is where I began disliking the book - it was too mundane. I wanted more of the cool stuff - the hearing the dead. But instead it revolved around the protagonist's very mundane life and the dissolution of her marriage, and her wishes that her life hadn't turned out the way it had, and how she changes for the better.
I then kind of got into this (by the way Niall is awful, she should have got rid of him years ago), but was still left wishing we had more of the magic stuff.
Interesting, but ultimately, fell short for me.
Well written nonetheless.

I finished this book a few days ago and it is just so wonderful. Anne Griffing is an amazing storyteller. We get such an insight into her characters and I felt that I really knew who they all were by the end.

This is the story of a girl named Jeanie who can hear the dead for their last words just after they die and pass on. Wow. What a unique story. We move through Jeanie’s life, encountering lots of other wonderful and heart warming characters along the way, both living and dead. We even briefly meet a very very special character which I was just thrilled about.

Jeanie has had an unusual life but also a very typical Irish small town upbringing which I could relate to. Her desire to move away from this life is also extremely relatable. So what Anne Griffin has done has made the ordinary extraordinary. Her way with words and again her storytelling would put her in the same bracket, for me, as Anne Tyler, Ann Patchett, Elizabeth Strout and this book reminded me in ways of Home Stretch by Graham Norton - where the small irish town appears ordinary but is anything but. I cannot wait to read more from Anne Griffin. I don’t know how she does it but her writing hits deep with me. Thank you NetGalley for giving me this book. Of course I have preordered it for my mum as well! An easy 5/5

Another beautifully different book by this author who is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Well written and different. It’s refreshingly strange. Loved it.
It’s disturbing to me that folks here rate books they didn’t finish, which brings down the average rating.

Really lovely story where you don't know how it is going to end up! Jeannie is a great character and you can really relate to her story and the journey she goes on.

I loved 'When all is said' by Anne Griffin and so I was really looking forward to reading 'Listening Still'. I was not disappointed!! Like many of the reviewers I thought it would be a different type book, as in I thought it would be all about talking to the dead and their stories, I was so wrong. The story follows Jeanie (an Undertaker) who has a gift that she can talk to the dead for a short period after they die. While we do come across some of their stories for the most part the book is how this 'gift' affected the decisions that Jeanie made as she struggled with growing up. Then as an adult what the consequences of these decisions impacted on her life.

I love the way that Anne Griffin write characters and you will fall in love with all of them.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book.

I had not read the previous book by Anne but the description of this one had me curious. I must say the description is not really what the book is about it is more about the central characters life and how she has and is living it.
It is certainly thought provoking and in a couple of places incredibly moving. I can not say much as it gives the plot away but the central theme of talking to those that have departed is the key to many of the main parts of the book (though not what it is really about - that makes probably no sense but will once you read it).
This is truly a book that gives your emotions a roller-coaster of a ride and I can not recommend it highly enough. It will stay with you for a very very long time.

The concept of being able to hear the dead was very unusual, but it sets the stall for so many possible storylines. The main plot in this book surprised me and the ending was a but of a shocker too. Nevertheless I found this tale wound me in and I couldn’t put the book down. Such well developed characters and beautifully described settings - all added to this enchanting story. I loved the places the main character visited and felt her anxiety for letting people down was explained really well, in a sensitive way. Many people find themselves trapped by life, so her issues were easy to relate to. I’m just sad it wasn’t a happier ending- but I guess that wouldn’t be very realistic.

Listening Still by Anne Griffin. I loved When All is said so I couldn’t wait to read this one. It’s a good read, it’ll keep you interested, and there are a few twists which will prevent you from putting the book down but when it came to the lead protagonist Jeanie, I really didn’t like her. I thought she was self centred and childish, despite her age and although the reason for much of her behaviour comes to light as we read on, it did take away from my enjoyment of the book. Her background, and the family business and why it thrives as it did was an interesting concept, one I thought to be terribly far fetched at first but that did make for a good storyline as the plot progressed. I do think the story lacked depth of character though. I felt little connection to anyone in the novel which I did feel was a shame, except perhaps poor Niall who put up with far more than any man I've ever known. It was an enjoyable read though.

Jeanie is an undertaker with a difference. Both she and her Dad can hear the dead.; only for a short while after they have passed away. Sometimes this can be comforting to the relatives and sometimes not though the father and daughter try to filter these messages and make them more acceptable to the living. As her father decides to retire Jeanie faces a crisis. She is unsure in what direction to take her life and that of her husband. Does she love him? Does she want children?? It takes a while but she does get there in the end. Entertaining book, keeps the reader engaged. Well written

A really great book. I had really enjoyed When All is Said and wondered would Listening Still live up to it. I delighted to say it did. When I started it late at night I had a few weird dreams. Set in a funeral home in the Midlands we meet some great characters. The story features lies betrayal love. There are some very funny moments as well as some very sad. Get the tissues ready.

I was so excited to get approved for Listening Still as I absolutely adored the author's previous book. I have to admit even though I did really enjoy the story it didn't full live up to my high expectations. I found the ending slightly disappointing but overall it was still a good read of a book. Anne Griffin is an extremely talented author and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.