A superb offering by Deborah Moggach. With her brilliant insight into relationships, loss of relationships, grief, desperation, all written with her subtle humour and wonderful characterisation. Loved it!

I truly enjoyed Deborah Moggach’s last novel The Carer thanks to it’s depiction of family dynamics, the problem of ‘the middle’ where often both children and parents need us in equal measure, and that issue of ‘caring’ for an elderly relative and the compromises we have to make. This novel concentrates more on a person who’s growing older and the difficulties and choices they face. We imagine there’s an age where we grow up and become adults. We expect wisdom to set in, the risks and mistakes to be less and for us to be settled into who and where we are. Of course I’ve reached middle age and realised I’m still the same heart on sleeve, leap of faith, in love with love, risk taker I’ve always been. There’s growth from experience, but my essential character has not changed. So I identified with Pru’s wilder side; the woman who sees a black dress in a charity shop and wonders ‘what if I was someone different for a while?’

Pru’s husband has walked out and has set up home in their little holiday cottage by the sea. Her only consolation is her friend Azra, always a little too wild and boho for Pru’s husband’s taste, but a great solace as she contemplates living the rest of her life without her other spoon. To be honest with herself, it’s not really him that she misses. She misses their life together - the past memories of playing on the beach with the children, always having someone next to her in bed, and those in-jokes that they would only get together. Now the bed feels huge and Pru feels numb and bewildered. In something of a daze, she has to attend the funeral of an old friend, but at the church she notices that somethings not quite right. There are people she expected to see, who aren’t here. As she listens to the hymns and the eulogy she wonders why it doesn’t sound like the friend she knew. Then the penny drops - she’s at the wrong funeral. Yet somehow she gets swept along with it and finds she has actually had a good time, conversation, a few drinks and banter with some of the other guests. So when she sees the black dress hanging there, she allows herself to wonder why not? Maybe she will meet a nice widower to bring some excitement into her life. With this in mind she starts to buy the paper and circle the obituaries.

It is Azra who points out that what Pru is experiencing is grief. The loss of a decades long marriage is enormous and it’s very clear she’s not thinking straight. Whenever she talks to her husband she doesn’t get a clear idea about why he wanted to leave. This is what she feels she needs to know and understand, before she can move forward. Yet, as she finds out, sometimes the truth is worse than not knowing. Now she can add anger to the list of emotions cycling through her head. In the midst of this she attends her first chosen funeral. The deceased is a woman of her own age and used to be a nurse, so her story will be that they lost touch after doing their nursing training together all those years ago. The widower seems a lovely man, devastated by his wife’s death and eager to hear stories about nursing college. Pru is welcomed back to the family home and meets the couple’s grown up children. She thinks there might be something there with this man, given a little time and the right encouragement. That’s if she had a reason to go back to the house of course? As she leaves her wrap behind as well as her number, in case he ever wants to talk some more.

Pru’s audacity really grabbed me. Yes, what she’s doing is crazy and there’s a good chance one of her escapades will go wrong. In that sense it’s a bit like watching a car crash, you can’t bear to look but you can’t look away either. Of course at first she’s looking for comfort, someone who understands the loss she has experienced maybe, and there’s an element of acting out on the anger she feels about her husband’s lies and betrayal. However, the sheer nerve it would take to walk into a stranger’s funeral and play another version of yourself for the day shows she has some sass and attitude. Whenever it goes wrong, and it does, she doesn’t stop taking those leaps of faith just to move forward. Yes, there are less messy and dangerous ways of grieving a lost relationship, but this is Pru’s way. It doesn’t matter where the next step takes her, as long as it’s away from those painful feelings and fear of loneliness. It’s in these early stages that a lot of the comedy lies too, just in the situations she places herself. There’s a kind of bravery in her actions, but a hint of madness too and I wasn’t sure which way Moggach would take her story. As it turns out, a much darker direction than I expected, but so very delicious too.

As Pru takes more risks and trusts the wrong people, her solutions take a darker turn. There were times when I wanted her to keep still for a moment and think, or even better, to feel the conflicting emotions she’s trying to stuff deep down inside. There’s a moment, where one of her beaus takes her on a helicopter ride down to an uninhabited island formed from sandbanks. As she steps onto this pristine sand, where no one else has been, there’s a brief spell of peace. Once the rotors stopped turning and she stops for a moment, I felt a sense of relief that everything was quiet. She’s in a space between places, somewhere she’s never been and that holds no memories. This moment feels like a metaphor for how Pru’s journey could have been, if she’d taken more time and space to think and explore how she really wanted the rest of her life to look. In the spiral of activity she’s missed things; if she’d struck up a friendship with that first widower, rather than a relationship, they might have been a comfort to each other, she brushes aside overtures of friendship from Pam across the road who’s always seemed a bit boring, but might have proved to be a great friend, and she might have come to terms with what happened. Now though, she’s in a spiral downwards.

Moggach pulls off an incredible reveal that I really hadn’t seen coming. So much so that I had to go back and look for what I’d missed. It was brilliantly well done. I loved the atmosphere of suburbia, where curtains twitch and neighbours bring biscuits over just to get the gossip. The holiday Cottage was a beautiful place, completely idyllic and if I was a Pru I’d have been tempted to live there myself. It was great to read about a woman of Pru’s age still having an exciting life, when often women over 50 are dismissed as not interesting. The author does an excellent job of characterising pensioners of a certain class too, shown when Pru takes a rough diamond of a boyfriend to a party with friends.While comical in parts, there are darker moments towards the end that made me worry for Pru, and really show how easy it is to be preyed upon by others when we’re vulnerable. I was hanging on to the last page in the hope that Pru battled through - even if her methods were … unexpected. This book cements the author’s reputation with me, as a writer whose next book I would buy without hesitation.

An edited and tidier version of this will go out with the a random Things blog tour running currently.

Actual rating 3.5⭐️

It doesn’t matter whether you’ve known someone for thirty years or merely five minutes, everyone has the ability to take friends, family, and strangers by complete surprise, begging the question of how well can you ever know anyone? In Deborah Moggach’s latest novel her characters, in particular protagonist Pru are asking the same question. Suddenly alone at the age of 69, deserted by her husband Greg who’s experienced a late epiphany and decamped to their holiday cottage in Dorset where he can indulge in a spot of soul searching Pru is rattling around in the Muswell Hill family home with just her memories and a good helping of bitterness for company. In a bid to spice up her life and possibly find comfort in another man’s arms, gatecrashing funerals is Pru’s ingenious answer to overcoming her loneliness. With the purchase of a little black dress spotted in a charity shop, Pru’s reawakening truly begins, proving age is no barrier when it comes to new adventures. Is this the dress to impress would be eligible suitors? Let’s just say it’s transformative powers have a lot to answer for in this wonderfully comic and highly unpredictable read.

Narrated solely by Pru who adopts a confessional tone throughout as a way to explain and justify her altogether surprising behaviour, Greg’s sudden departure is just the tip of the iceberg. There’s a few more shocks in store for this woman whose novel, resourceful approach to dealing with her undesired freedom is both humorous and a teensy weeny bit desperate. Thanks to the black dress, which is both like a suit of armour and a portal into another world, life after Greg brings her into contact with some larger than life characters, some of whom are grieving for their recently departed spouses in much the same way Pru is lamenting the loss of her marriage. Wrapped up in these mini encounters are feelings of pity and sadness intertwined with deliciously dark humour but it’s the longer term relationships that hold the most surprises. Already hurt and betrayed, Pru is an ideal and vulnerable target for those with more dubious motives towards her, playing upon her gullibility and ultimately adding further to her sense of loss. However an unintentional consequence of these less than altruistic moves is that finally Pru can see herself in a new light. She may have cast herself as a victim in her own drama but there’s more to this woman than meets the eye and when an opportunity to turn the tables presents itself just watch this space!

My problem with Pru from the get go is she failed to elicit my sympathy regarding her enforced singledom. As someone who’s been single for twenty years I kept wondering what is so wrong about life without a man (or woman) by your side? I found her whiny and whinging, self obsessed, confused and contradictory which I suppose is hardly surprising given her drastic change in circumstances and I struggled to tune into her wavelength and understand her motivation for some of her subsequent erratic and bizarre behaviour. Slowly though my reservations melted away, especially when she displays another side to her character other than the one that’s mired in self pity and apathy. Pru is an enigma which is refreshing in itself. She’s far from the beige character you imagine her to be in the opening pages. There are so many layers to this woman it’s impossible to grasp her true identity and you’re never sure which version you’re going to glimpse next. Much like a chameleon she seems to change her persona at the drop of a hat in order to blend in with her surroundings and appeal to those currently in her presence. Morphing from depressed and housebound one minute to a lively,saucy madam the next I believe she’s in the throes of an existential crisis, fuelled by anger, desperation and a desire to have the last word.

For me this book was one huge surprise. I certainly didn’t anticipate how twisty the storyline would prove to be (in a good entertaining way) nor how dumbfounded I would feel at the unpredictable and sometimes bizarre turn of events. I appreciated the funny side of Pru’s funeral outings, loved how strange and complicated her life becomes at times and liked the use of the black dress as a temporary crutch until such time Pru feels able to walk alone and unaided. Undoubtedly well written, this novel falls just short of 4 ⭐️because there is one instance which has a significant bearing on the ending where I wasn’t entirely convinced by Pru’s change of heart and behaviour. It’s rather left field and out of the blue. Did I appreciate the mention of the C word? It’s increasingly hard for authors to avoid some reference to the ongoing pandemic but on this occasion it serves to highlight Pru’s recognition that she might actually welcome her freedom from the confines and constrictions of a relationship, no longer hemmed in by a significant other’s thought and feelings. Surely that’s a powerful and inspiring note on which to bid farewell to Pru and some of the other flamboyant characters who grace these pages? I really wasn’t sure what to make of this author’s writing style but I’m intrigued and impressed enough to want to read more and have already downloaded an audio version of a previous title to get stuck into on my daily commute to and from work.

My thanks as always to the publisher Tinder Press and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

I had forgotten just how good an author Deborah Moggach is. She writes so easily and elegantly and the sentences just flow together so beautifully. This is a deceptively simple story about marriage, divorce, separation, grief and redemption and I loved it. I was moved by the situation the heroine found herself in and how she finally found a way through her isolation.

I enjoyed this book immensely and felt recharged after reading it.

This book is it just about a woman wearing a black dress to funerals of people she doesn’t know, It s the story of the later years of her life, after her husband leaves her. Pru has a range of relationships, and while there are funny moments, the book is not primarily humorous. I enjoyed most of the book, but it does veer towards unbelievable for the last few chapters, hence 4 stars not 5.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I have enjoyed everything this author has written and this was no exception, great characters and a great storyline. Really enjoyed it.

This book was not what I expected from the blurb. Deborah Moggach examines relationships old and new in Prudence’s life, questioning true recollection and the rose tinted glasses of nostalgia. There are quite a few twists and turns in the story which I enjoyed, but I found that Pru’s relationships with her husband and best friend were not entirely credible.

A Precarious Path…
When sheer mistake leads protagonist Pru into an unexpected situation she has a lightbulb moment. The path it leads her down is a precarious one and takes her to odd and oddly humorous situations. A nicely written tale with much wry wit and with a well drawn and well crafted cast of characters. An undercurrent of bleak humour and a dark edge finishes the package off nicely. A satisfying read.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

Love this author and have read several of her books
I did enjoy this but its not my favourite by this author - hence not full stars

Loved the storylines and the humour with dark undertones

I really don’t know if I liked this book or not! At one stage I nearly gave it up as I was bored with the main character. I didn’t care about her. I persevered though but at the end I still didn’t care for her. I thought the ending was rushed and didn’t like it at all. Very disjointed. Not like Deborah’s other books at all.

I really enjoy Deborah Moggach's writing, her books are deceptively easy reads but extremely insightful and contemporary with great social commentary. The Black Dress started off very promisingly and the novel looks at ageing and grief and loss sensitively but with a comic undertone. Moggach does characterisation brilliantly and I really enjoyed the novel and believed in all the characters until about two thirds through. At this point the plot seemed to veer all over the place and became completely unbelievable. I found the end section on COVID completely unnecessary and it felt like it had been shoehorned into the plot and did not flow well. Overall a quick and enjoyable read let down by the ending.
3.5 stars.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

4-5 stars

When Pru sees the black dress in the window of a charity shop in Deal she views it as a metaphor for her life. She’s mourning the loss of her marriage to Greg who has left her to find enlightenment, for life on a higher plane and has gone to start his spiritual journey..... only his definition of it is somewhat different to hers. She buys the dress and wears it to gatecrash funerals .... with unexpected results.

This is such a good read with a marvellous mixture of poignancy and grief with the darkly humorous. In places it’s extremely funny at others it’s witty and clever and on other occasions it’s sad. She misses Greg especially as she lives in ‘smugly coupled’ Muswell Hill and her panicky inertia and desolation followed by periods of madness are well portrayed. Some of the scenes are quite surreal but always entertaining. The writing is very visual (no surprise from this author!), the characters are colourful and well crafted and Pru is an excellent narrator. It’s as if she’s talking directly to us and pouring it all out as if we are a therapist or even a priest. At times she is honest, at others she’s concealing things and guilty of the crime of omission although the does all come out in the end. She’s betrayed more than once, duped and tricked, she can be a crafty minx but somehow she bumbles her way through. There are moments of magic, of energy, instances of impending doom, several extremely tense situations and some good jaw dropping twists. I like how the Covid lockdown is brought into the story and this really brings things to a head with all its tensions and feelings of claustrophobia in the glorious spring of 2020. I like how it ends with the black dress being cast off like a chrysalis and a butterfly emerges!

Overall, a highly entertaining, very well written novel with plenty of touches of originality. It’s enjoyable from start to finish.

With thanks to NetGalley and Headline, Tinder Press for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

The Black Dress

I’ve read most of Deborah Moggach’s novels (3 to go!) and have never been disappointed. She is a consummate storyteller, with the versatility to ensure that each novel has an inventive storyline, fully-fledged characters and convincing dialogue which draw the reader into the world she writes about.
In this novel, the unreliable narrator, Prudence (ironically named, considering her penchant for getting herself into unfortunate situations) tries to combat the loneliness of recent divorce, ageing and bereavement with various unsuitable liaisons - leading to entertaining and humorous (for the reader, that is) results.
Unusually for this author of feel-good situation comedy, there is a dark undercurrent to this narrative, with an unexpected twist in the denouement that I didn’t see coming.
Highly recommended.

I couldn't quite decide between 4 and 5 stars but on balance, this isn't the best Deborah Moggach book I've read so I've given it 4.
Having said that, I did really like it. She is just a wonderful writer - one of my favourites. Some of her phrases are just wonderful - witty and very clever. In places, I laughed out loud.
I also admire the way she is tackling loneliness in this novel and tackling it very well. I love the way it's described - such a difficult emotion to convey.
I also love the unreliable narrator - she only tells us some of what's happening, later revealing stuff she has missed out.
All in all, a very good read.

At 70, Pru Weston’s just had a double bereavement - not deaths - her husband has left her and then she found out for whom....her best friend Azra.
Her oh-so-ordered life of marriage, big house in Muswell Hill and flown-the-nest children implodes. She slumps in self-pity Her habits become erratic. She buys a black cocktail dress at a charity shop and what better use for it then to go to a funeral...a funeral for someone she does not even know.
I really took to Pru in all her vulnerability, when she was going off the rails, needy and stroppy, weepy and disorientated.
What I did not like was when “the pandemic” was shoehorned into the plot. Unnecessary tick-box exercise, that.
A quick beach read.

I absolutely loved the main character Pru and The Little Black Dress. Deborah Moggach really is at her best with this book, showcasing her superb talent in the clever plot and with every beautiful word she writes. Pru finds herself in a dreadful situation late in life, just at a time when she be enjoying herself in retirement, she is abandoned by her husband, who leaves her to find himself. When she accidentally attends 'the wrong funeral' being that of a person she does know, she has a rather crazy idea of attending funerals as a way of meeting new people... Although Pru is slightly odd, she is a great character, full of wonder as she tells her story. As the book draws to a close, it is spring 2020, and lockdown is starting. It certainly does not impede on the story in any way, is wholly realistic and not laboured upon.
I would highly recommend this book, which is beautifully written and perfectly blends light, very humorous and rather darker moments.
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Late-life love, the perils of ageing, loneliness and second chances all get an airing in The Black Dress, a gently entertaining and very readable novel with a sixty-nine-year-old protagonist in Pru Weston, whose character drives the entire novel. Pru’s life changes overnight when following a cancer scare her professor husband, Greg, announces he is leaving her to go on a “spiritual journey” and moving to their cottage in Dorset. Pru finds herself living alone for the first time and rattling about their sizeable Muswell Hill home with no one to tackle the household problems that Greg used to fix, but far worse than that is the crippling loneliness she experiences. The sympathy of her larger-than-life best friend of thirty years, Azra, only lasts so long and when Pru mistakenly attends the wrong funeral it gives the pair ideas for Pru to catch herself a very recently widowed new man... However it turns out that love at any age comes with its own unique set of problems with men of Pru’s generation bringing more ailments than excitement, but footloose and fancy free she is undeterred and ready to test the water.

Wryly amusing as opposed to riotously funny The Black Dress is an undemanding story with first-class characterisation. Moggach explores her characters with both warmth and unflinching honesty, so much so that they are readily conceivable, further drawing you into their dramas with Pru’s exploits never less than engaging. Deborah Moggach is as on point as ever in a hugely contemporary novel packed with social observations that even touches on the pressures of life during Covid. Some of the plot turns are more credible than others and in truth none of them proved truly surprising but despite having an idea of the reveal on which the novel would turn, and where it would go, it didn’t diminish my enjoyment of a good comfort read.