Listening Still

I really enjoyed this book! It’s a book that will leave you wanting more, with fully rounded and believable characters that are perfectly written. This was a really enjoyable read and I highly recommend you add it you to basket right away!

If I had to sum this book up in one word it would be ‘exquisite’.
I absolutely adored ‘When All Is Said’ written by the author back in 2019 and I’ve recommended it to anyone who will listen to me, so I’d feared this would not live up to my expectations, but I needn’t have worried. This book is just beautiful.. The story moves between the present day and the growing up and rites of passage of Jeanie, a woman who from an early age who can hear the dead. It’s full of emotion, dealing with death, loss, love, truth, lies, family expectations and secrets, but there’s humour too and a lovely Irishness. There is a great portrayal of small town Ireland and how it’s evolved, to allow its citizens more options in life. I read this book in one sitting, I loved all the characters the story and my heart leapt at the nod to the first book When All Is Said. This book made me laugh and sob and after I’d finished it I sat and reflected on it for a long time. I suspect I’llhave a book hangover from this for some time to come.

Listening Still tells the story of Jeanie Masterson, a girl with a gift passed down through the generations of her family – hearing the final words of the dead.

I have to start by saying how much I absolutely adored this book! It was a beautifully written, thought-provoking story exploring a variety of issues from parental expectations and family pressure, to lost love, self-discovery and having the courage to make your own life choices.

Anne Griffin also highlights the beauty and magic of conversing with the recently deceased, while balancing it against the struggles of people’s reactions to the gift and the challenge of deciding how much to pass on to the loved ones left behind.

The story has humour (lifelong friendships and shared experiences), heartbreak (of lives that could have been) and love (both actual family and the family we choose). I particularly loved characters such as Arthur and Ffion, who brought real heart to the book.

It made me tearful in places and I definitely needed a quiet moment to reflect after turning the final page. A highly recommended read and one I can’t wait to purchase a physical copy of when it is released!

Such an unusual book, and I am delighted I had the opportunity to read it via an ARC from Hodder and NetGalley. My opinions are my own. I started reading not really knowing what to expect and was hooked by the premise, the warmth of the characters and the Irish village. The background was beautifully written, and a Funeral Directors that receive messages from the newly deceased-wow! There is a quandary, should the messages be passed on even if they are not what those left behind would want to hear, or should they be more palatable?
This is also Jeanie’s story, told in the present and the past and I really felt for her. I was actually sad to reach the end, having really enjoyed it.

Wow I totally loved this book! Have literally just finished it and I’m still wanting more! An interesting storyline, very believable and with really strong characters. I loved Jeannie and Niall and all the other characters that made this book such a wonderful read! I enjoyed Anne’s first book a lot but this one really blew me away! Thank you

The Masterton family have enjoyed great success in their profession as undertakers in their little Irish village. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that they can communicate with the recently departed. The last wishes of the dearly departed are always granted and their families take great comfort in that. Jeanie inherited her family “gift” but fled to London to get away from the often unsettling thoughts and wishes she hears. There she settled into a new life and a sometimes happy marriage, but news of her parents imminent retirement leaves Jeanie in a quandary . Does she stay in a marriage that sometimes stifles her, or return to the life she ran away from? Griffin’s novel is so beautifully written, so lovely. I have recommended this book to everyone I know, there is simply nothing else like it

What a beautiful story! Everything about this book says emotion, empathy and love in it’s many forms. In a village in Ireland Jeannie is about to inherit her father’s funeral business but with a slight difference - she can hear the dead speak! Needless to say this doesn’t make for an easy life and although her friends and family are there for her she is trying to come to terms with what this change will bring! I was near to tears several times - the pictures the author evokes, the emotions she brought to life, it made me believe this could actually happen so real was the telling! I lived and loved it!

Written with such soulful insight and such empathy, “Listening Still” is yet another masterpiece after Griffin’s wonderful “When All Is Said”. Told by Jeanie Masterson, born into a family business of undertakers, who has just been told that her parents are going to retire to the other end of Ireland and she to be running the business.
We look back on Jeanie as a toddler, “growing into the business” with her special gift: just after their passing, some of the dead talk to her, about things unspoken, regrets, truths or simply where they’ve placed important documents. A blessing or a terrible burden? We see Jeanie growing up, her feelings torn between the reliable Niall and the charismatic Fionn. About choices made and decisions missed, all resurfacing at the precise moment when Jeanie is required to take the lead. And then, in chapter 19, a special gem for the readers of “When All Is Said” - *no spoilers*.
Never a dull moment, never an unnecessary length - I could have read on forever.

Listening Still is the beautiful story of Jeanie Masterson and her gift of being able to listen to and speak to the dead soon after their passing and pass on any last wishes or secrets that they may have failed to pass on in life.

My daughter in law is the daughter of an undertaker in an Irish town and if I’m honest that (and the unusual gift) is what attracted me to the book. I do also love books set in Ireland, the Irish dialect and their sense of humour.

I had no expectation of how much I was going to absolutely adore this book. It was an utter joy to read. I love the characters of Jeanie, her parents and especially her best friend Peanut who has a wicked sense of humour. The characters are so believable, not perfect, flawed in the ways all of us are and I liked them all. The story behind Jeanie’s marriage to her childhood best friend, I’m sure will be one that will resonate with lots of people, as will the story of ‘the one who got away’ - another pretty common but not often explored topic. This book made me think, made me laugh, made me sob and made me take some time out of my day just to contemplate.

It’s superbly written and captured me right from the start. It’s my first book by Anne Griffin and it won’t be my last. I love that she doesn’t idealise life or personalities or the ending of her book - there isn’t always a perfect ending in life and love and it’s lovely to find an author brave enough to embrace that.

I’ve already recommended this book to my family members and I will continue to extol it to anyone who I think will enjoy it! Congratulations Anne Griffin - great job!

My thanks go to the author, to NetGalley and to the publishers for an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review!

This is the story of Jeanie Masterson who can hear the final words of the dead. This is a lovely book that explores present and past love, family expectations and Jeanie growing up and working out what she exactly wants from life. The delicate way the dead are referred to is wonderful and the book has several tear-jerking moments, especially towards the end. Highly recommend this book.

What an original and engaging book!

The premise really caught my attention: a young woman working in the family's undertakers, who can hear the dead. Jeanie has this gift that she shares with her father, but at times it can feel like more of a burden. Should she reveal all that the dead tell her? Perhaps a little white lie will give comfort to those still living.
The book opens with her father and mother announcing their plans to retire and move away, leaving their daughter in charge of the business. It stirs something in Jeanie, and gives her cause to question what she's doing and whether she's living the life she should be.
Slipping back and forth from Jeanie's childhood to present day, the author handles, friendships and loss, death and love, all with a lightness of touch that had me thoroughly engaged. Her characters are well drawn and I loved Jeanie's brother who had some great lines.
It's an unusual concept, conversing with the dead, but I didn't once question it, I was fully on board with Jeanie's gift.
I haven't read Anne Griffen's first novel When All is Said, but it has been recommended to me and I'm going to rectify that immediately.
Thank you to NetGalley and to Hodder and Stoughton for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

Thought that the central premise of the book (that someone can hear the last words of the newly dead) was a really good one.

The book was an enjoyable look at the ethical implications that follow on from that, particularly whether it was right to tell a white lie to protect a recipient from a unpleasant message.

The book follows Jeanie who has this power and these questions are raised not just for her superpower but also in her personal relationships.

Besides looking at lying, it also treats well whether it is better to take risks to follow your dreams, or play it safe with what is reliable and solid.

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.

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.

With an intriguing storyline about a woman who can hear the last thoughts of the newly dead, I picked this book up expecting it to be about small town past regrets and secrets. It is, however, so much more than that, as the story of Jeannie’s remarkable gift and how it has affected her life choices and decisions is engaging, charming and highly compelling. With flashbacks to Jeannie’s childhood and youth and an exploration of her relationships with family and friends, it explores the impact this ability has on her and the dilemmas it presents her with, with plenty of secrets and lies being revealed as you go. It was thought-provoking and well-written with a strong plot and interesting characters. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time. Thanks to Net Galley for a chance to review it pre-publication.

What a wonderful and thought provoking book that will stay with me for a long time. The characters are well written and have a depth to them. It wasn’t the book I thought it would be when I started it - it isn’t all about talking to the dead - it’s so much more. Jeanie has always know that she could talk to the dead, she grew up living in the family funeral directors and know she is grown up and married she and her husband work alongside her father and Aunt in the family business. Jeanie has never fitted in, having been thought a freak at school because of where she lived, and know she is wondering if this life is for her. Her story is told through flashbacks and her current life, interspersed with stories of the dead that she has helped as she listens to their messages for their loved ones - and occasional surprises! Heartbreaking at times but also life affirming. Definitely made me think. I loved the supporting characters including Arthur, Harry (her Aunt), Peanut, Marielle and Fionn. Highly recommended but don’t forget the tissues.......

I really loved this book and will be recommending it!

Jeanie can hear the dead - both a gift and a curse. She works alongside her father passing on messages from the dead. Her father’s plan to retire makes her question her life and her future.

It is a heartwarming as she unravels her current situation and plans for her future.

A lovely read.

Ah this is a great book! I really loved the story and the characters in it. I'm not generally a believer so if you're not either then don't let that put you off.
Highly recommended.

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.

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.

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.

I adored this book. Once again, Anne Griffin captures the peculiarities and bonds of Irish rural life, this time through Jeanie Masterson as she stands at a crossroads in her life and we get to follow her along the way for a while. About to inherit her father's undertaker business, Jeanie also has the pressure of continuing on the family gift of being able to hear the dead.

The writing was beautiful and I couldn't put it down, each character could be someone in our own village or town and central of it all is Jeanie looking for her place in it all.

. It's a book of life lessons which explores family, place and living a life more than expected and I think it will be a story that will stay with me, much like When All is Said, for a long time after.

This book is about Jeanie who work in the family undertaking busy and can speak to dead people. The book is set in Ireland and the story is about how she copes about hearing the dead, love , loss and how she feels things are falling apart and she does not know what to do. Until something happens and she goes away to find her self and what she wants in life and where she wants to live. I thought the story was a bit slow at the beginning but than I got into it and really enjoyed the story. I really liked the characters and did feel sorry for Jeanie and her husband. There was apart of the book where I got very emotional and the tears fell. I left it for bit and came back and still ending up crying. I wish the part of the story was different because I was rooting for two people.
I will definitely read more books from this author.
Thank you for NetGalley for letting me read this book.

This is the story of Jeannie Masterson who works in the family undertaker business and can communicate with the dead. She struggles between telling families the truth of their dead relative's word or softening what can sometimes be harsh truths.

This is first book I have read by this author and I enjoyed

This was my first book by this author and oh my goodness, I loved it.

I cared about the family and the changes they were facing. I immediately felt at home with them, their environment and the extraordinary gift/curse of Jeanie and her dad.

A great story that I devoured over a weekend.

Highly recommend.

I read When All is Said back in 2018 and enjoyed it very much, so was excited to see Anne Griffin had a new book out. For me this book outstripped all expectations, I thought it was a beautifully written heartwarming story, which I found in some ways shared similarities with When All is Said. Perhaps a younger, modern-day version of Maurice Hannigan is written in the form of Jeanie Masterson, a young woman who works in her family owned undertakers business.

Like her last book, this story is set in Ireland in the present time. The reader follows Jeanie’s life both now and goes back to her school days and teenage years as she grows up within the family business. Jeanie shares the ability to hear the dead, along with her Father. For a brief period when they are preparing the departed for their funeral, the deceased will speak to either Jeanie or her Father and pass on a message for their loved ones who they’ve left behind, though there are times when what they’ve had to say might not necessarily be what their closest relatives would like to hear.

It’s a small, tight knit community where Jeanie lives, where everyone knows each others business. Everyone knows the Mastersons can speak to the dead. School life was difficult for Jeanie where she faced much ostracism from her peers because of her family traits. But amongst the animosity Jeanie becomes life long friends with ‘Peanut’ who always sticks up for Jeanie and is there for her through thick and thin long into adulthood.

It’s a story of loyalties – both family and romantic loyalties. Of looking back and wondering what if’s and is this the life that Jeanie truly wants for herself. There are many revelations within the story both from the dead and from Jeanie’s family which are very touching. I’ve shed a tear or two on more than one occasion reading this.

I loved the ending, in fact I just loved the whole book. From Jeanie’s family members to her romantic interests, all the characters have a story of their own to relate, for whom you feel both compassion and often a great sense of sadness.

Anne Griffin weaves a deep and compelling story, telling a wonderfully poignant family tale. I highly recommend this book which is worthy of much more than 5 stars.

*Review to be posted to blog on date of publication 29 April*

My thanks go to the author, to NetGalley and to the publishers for an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review

Straight off............ i am going to be recommending this book to anyone who will listen

Listening Still is a beautiful, well written, emotional story that kept me up until some stupid hour finishing it.

Every single character was believable. It was about true life-time friendships, love and life struggles. The raw emotion that runs through this story is amazing. It has you both laughing and crying and the little twist caught me!

Just a lovely, lovely book and my favourite this year so far.......thank you

Listening Still is a tender sweet and profound read which I adored. Just like her father, Jeanie Masterson has The Gift. She can communicate with those who have just died, passing on messages to loved ones left behind. Jeanie is married and when her parents announce they are retiring and leaving her and her husband to run the funeral parlour business ... well it shakes things up in Jeanie's life. Is she happily married? Does she still yearn for he first love? A beautifully crafted read about a woman who discovers it's never too late to right wrongs and begin again.

Wow! What a beautiful story! At one point I was crying and didn't realise it!!!
The story follows Jeanie who can talk to the dead. We find out past and how her life has been up to this point.
I loved everything about this story. It held my attention the whole time and I couldn't believe it had finished! Is there more? I hope so!!
Thanks to Net galley for allowing me a free copy of this book to read for an honest review.

I loved this book! It had such an unique selling point, people who can talk to the dead, and pass on family messages, both good and bad .
Set in a close knit Irish community, Jeanie and her father are funeral directors, and both have this gift of being able to talk and listen to the dead. It can be a dubious privilege as you never know which last messages to reveal or hide, in order not to upset those left behind. A strange premise, I found myself wondering what last message I would want my family to hear!! It was a love story as well, in that Jeanie had always wondered if she did the sensible thing by staying at home to help with the family business, rather than follow her first love to London. She married Niall, who also took exams to join the family firm, due to his love for Jeanie.
I found Jeanie to be a real pain, always the glass half empty. I adored Niall, and felt he had been dealt a rotten hand of cards. How do you go on, knowing that you will always be second best? That did make me misty eyed , and it really tugged at the heart strings.
It was funny, sad, thoughtful, emotional and heartwarming, dealing as it did with friendships, first love, and always the unvoiced ‘ what if’.
Happiness is not always found , but it is possible to be brave and strive for something you can live with and be content.
I loved this book, and will take great pleasure in recommending it. Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for my ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

#netgalley Thankyou for the privilege of reading this book
A book about a funeral director in a small Irish town where the director speaks to the dead, not a normal everyday book
The Mastertons can speak to the dead but only certain ones like Jeannie and her dad and only for a short time after their death. Jeannie found out when she was very small she could do this but her dad has done it all his life
When her mum and dad decide to retire and leave the business to her and her husband Niall - the embalmer she doesn’t know how she feels about it
A beautiful book written about something none of us wants to think about and that is death

Wow. Absolutely loved this read, unable to put it down, it’s had me in tears, laughing, anxious and waiting with baited breath! I truly hope there’s a sequel, I felt so in touch with the characters and mourned the losses they felt. Honestly deserves more than 5 stars!

Jeanie is the daughter of an undertaker and has grown up with the gift of being able to hear what the dead are saying just after they died. Listening Still follows Jeanie throughout her life as she deals with her gift and then the possibility that her dad is going to retire and leave the business to her. Whilst the premise is unusual, this is a truly beautiful novel. Griffin follows in the footsteps of Irish writers such as Donal Ryan, Colm Toibin and Marian Keyes by weaving the minutiae of Irish life and its unique nuances effortlessly through the story. I loved it.

I really wasn't sure what to expect from this book, I thought from it's description it would be quirky and a bit different, and it certainly was. But it was so much more than that, the characters were well written and real, the setting were well described and interesting, and I loved the main character. I thought the book was beautifully written, and brought a tear to my eye in some parts, not usual for me but the beauty of the writing really moved me .I loved this unusual book and I hope other readers enjoy it as much as I did.

I really liked the quiet poignancy of Anne Griffin's first book and was delighted to find a cameo appearance by the protagonist of When All is Said in Listening Still. This is a great concept for a novel and I thought Griffin really carried off the 'supernatural' element of this well, never allowing it to become fantastic or silly. LIstening Still is the story of Jeanie, who works in her family's undertaking business. Jeanie can talk to the dead. She take their last confessions, their messages and regrets and requests. But the rest of her life is falling apart. Her marriage is rocky (for the record, I thought her husband was a whiny petulant type who was lacking in empathy but never seemed actively unpleasant - masterful stroke of characterisation) and her parents have decided to have retire early and up sticks to the seaside, leaving her and her husband to run the business with her aunt. The book tells of how Jeanie grew up with this gift, how she had a grand passion and a close circle of friends and most of all, it tells of the burden she carries by listening and talking to the dead.
This is another quiet triumph for Griffin, who can tell deep truths about unknown lives with charm and insight.

My thanks to #NetGalley and #Hodder&Stoughton for allowing me to read this ARC.
I absolutely loved this book an absolute joy. Easy reading with a cosy feel. You think you know how it’s going to end but it has surprising twists and turns.
I can highly recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this. A quirky idea for a story line and great characters that were well written. Definitely highly recommended.

Listening Still by Anne Griffin

This is the story of Jeanie Masterton, a young woman who can hear the dead and pass messages on to their family and friends. This gift has both helped and hindered her in her job in the family undertakers business and in her personal life. We follow Jeanie in the present day when her parents have announced their intention to retire and revisit her teenage/early adult years.

What a beautiful book! I loved Anne Griffin's first novel, When All is Said, and this is just as brilliant. Fantastic story, great characters, really original and such beautiful writing. This is a book that really makes you think and that lives on with you after you've turned the last page. I can't wait to read what Anne Griffin writes next. Very highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Having read and loved When All is Said by this author, I couldn't wait to read Listening Still. This book didn't disappoint and I know I've found a new favourite author and won't hesitate to buy any book she releases. Listening Still tells the story of Jeanie a girl with the gift of being able to hear the final words of the dead. The story is beautifully written and gave me lots to think about. It is a story about courage and family and finding oneself. The story is filled with emotion and deals with death, loss, love, lies, truth, and so much more and I loved that it was balanced with some great humour. I read this book in two sittings but I know its a story that will stay with me for a long time just as Maurice from When All is Said has. I highly recommend this book to any one that loves to read and even those who don't. Jeanie is a great character and Anne Griffin is a superb author. A very easy 5 star review from me.

Jeannie works in the family undertakers but she has a gift of hearing the dead say their final wishes and secrets.
When her parents announce their retirement she is forced to face decisions about her life and the way forward. She is married to Niall who also works in the business but she feels her marriage is falling apart. Niall was her first love but Fionn was the love of her life and when he moved to London she had to decide whether to follow him or stay..
Then Fionn dies and Niall leaves her.
With her life unravelling she escapes first to Norway to stay with an old school friend and then to France.
What will happen when or if she moves back?

What a magnificent book!

Jeanie is someone so very special.. she can hear the dead for a little while after they’ve passed away.. what a gift.. or curse?

The struggle of a young girl growing up following her family’s path and not managing to find her own.

When her dad announces he’s retiring and living her the undertakers business, things start to unravel and Jeanie needs more than ever to find herself and what she wants.

Anne takes you deep in the psyche of Jeanie and demonstrates how hard it I can be to make a choice and find one’s place. The love story between Jeanie and Fionn; Jeanie and Niall, the family dynamics, the secrets. This was all truly beautiful.

It was so heartbreaking... I cried so many times and I can’t say more for fear or letting out spoilers but this is a masterpiece that we all ought to read.

Wonderful and soul crushing at the same time, I can’t explain why I related so much but I don’t often cry that many tears!

Thank you so much Net Galley and Sceptre for giving me the opportunity to read this gem in advance.

I wondered if any follow-up could possibly be as good as When All Is Said, Ann Griffins' debut novel, but this brilliant author has done it again with the story of Jeanie, a 32-year-old woman living in a small Irish town where she works at the family funeral parlour. When her parents announce they are retiring, leaving Jeanie and her husband, Niall, in charge, Jeanie feels conflicted, remembering how once she longed to spread her wings.
But she's trapped in Ireland, by the living and the dead - the latter, it transpires, need her as much as her family, For, like her father, she can hear their final thoughts and relay their messages to their surviving loved ones. Messages as banal as where they can find the will to as shattering as revealing their parentage isn't what they thought!
Against the backdrop of conversations with the the dead, Jeanie's own story emerges, of schoolday friendship with Peanut, Ruth and Niall, of taking up her post at the funeral parlour, of meeting the love of her life, Fionn, who wanted her to move to London. But she could not abandon her responsibilty to the dead - a decision that may come back to haunt her.
Bent under the weight of her responsibilities as a listener to the late departed, facing trouble in her marriage and touched by personal tragedy, Jeanie must finally decide where her future lies. Can she continue to bear the needs of her clients - or is it time to turn her back on the dead?
What a joy of a read! Funny and emotional, the story draws you in straightaway with its matter-of-fact acceptance of the living and the dead conversing "as naturally as woodpigeons." It's peopled with wonderful characters, from Arthur the Twix-addicted postman to Jeanie's autistic brother, Mikey, her embalmer aunt Harry, and her friends Peanut and Ruth.
The author's prose is superb - descriptions of people, places and events spring naturally from the pages, and she makes great use of similes and metaphors to capture exactly the emotions she want us to share - like Jeanie feeling as if "I'd jumped into Lough Sear on the coldest day in winter" to describe her reaction to Fionn.
None but a born storyteller could tell us Jeanie's "Irish freckles cover every surface like daffodils in March", and that's what Ann Griffin is - a born storyteller who has given us another great story of human relationships between family, friends and lovers, introduced a quirky twist with the voices of the dead, and encouraged us to think about the importance of being true to ourselves in this life, and maybe even the next.