Elizabeth Is Missing audiobook

Elizabeth is missing!!!This novel is quite creative and an unusual mix of several genres, since while the mystery is the lead genre, you also can find humor, romance, drama, even horror, maybe on this last one, not as you can expected but certainly it has elements truly horrific and creepy.Elizabeth is... mmh... is... mmh... what was I saying?Trying to explain what you can expect here, this is like "Memento" meets "Manhattan Murder Mystery" with some elements present on other films like "The Lady Vanishes" and any Mrs. Marple-type mystery. BUT with a totally unexpected twist. You won't see it coming!Also, beside the strong mystery angle on the storyline, Emma Healey, the author, was able to construct a wonderful portrait of the time when people reach old age, they have memory troubles, and after a whole life of being independent, they need to rely on the help of others, younger than them and even their offspring are giving them orders and telling them what they can do and where they can go.If younger people tend to critize and not being patient to their elders, just try to be in their places and maybe you will understand better how they may be feeling about the whole situation of getting older.Elizabeth is Missing! Isn't she? Mmh... who are you?! Why are you reading my review?! Why am I writing a review?! Let me check my pockets, it seems that I have some notes... give me a moment.A kinda downside point is that while is a quite short novel with like less than 250 pages, even so, I think that this story could work even better in a short story setting. It's not like that each episode is boring or anything, quite the contrary, and even some side-plots proved to be totally essential to the main storyline. However, even with the possitive impact left at the end of the reading, I do believe that in a short story development this could be a real masterpiece worthy of 5-stars rating. So, I think that taking out a star from the rating is enough to show my "feeling" that this could be better as a short story regardless that it's still a narrow novel.If you decide to read it, you won't regret it... or forget it! ;)Elizabeth? Which Elizabeth are you talking about?! I was here for a reason, right? Was I writing something? Was it something about a book? Did I read a book? Really? I don't think so! You must be confused! If I'd read that novel "Elizabeth is Missing" that you are talking about, I would remember it, right?

Maud, 82, living alone in suburbia - she makes cups of tea, and forgets them; she goes out and forgets what for, she often doesn't recognise her own daughter; but there's one thing that she keeps remembering... "Elizabeth is missing"!How do you solve a mystery when, you can't remember when it happened and to whom? The extremely unreliable narrator of her own story is Maud as she seeks to find out the truth about Elizabeth, and her own past, whilst suffering from not-named memory /dementia condition. Emma Healey's darkly comedic mystery thriller is a genre busting debut fully worthy of all the Costa Book Award, Best First Novel, 2014 generated best selling hype. A book that keeps you invested from the very first page to the last, as well as giving some huge insight and empathy to those with similar conditions. A masterclass in unreliable narration storytelling, that is not to be missed! 9 out of 12.

I loved this!Funny and sad. So different from that sort of perspective. Really well done. Loved Maud. I knew there would be a connection between the 2 time line stories and I really liked the ending.

My Cuban mother — God bless her soul — used to lament, “Ivonne, ¡llegar a viejo es lo último!” (Ivonne, getting old is the absolute worst!) Still in my 30s, I nodded sympathetically, but I really had no idea at all. Emma Healey’s Elizabeth Is Missing brought those memories back for me — rather ironic for a novel about the gradual fading of memory. Elizabeth Is Missing ostensibly recounts how Maud Horsham, a tenacious 80-plus-year-old Englishwoman battling dementia, tries to investigate the abrupt disappearance of her longtime best friend, Elizabeth Markham. But it was a very, very different novel to what I imagined. (To say any more would be to spoil it.) However, I can say that this bittersweet novel, in addition to examine Maud’s obsession to the very end with finding Elizabeth, unblinkingly examines the indignities, small frights, embarrassments, patronizing remarks and attitudes, and limitations that come with aging. Whether humorous, cringe-worthy, or poignant, these episodes ring so true to life. This exploration of the fragility of memory and identity, coupled with two fabulous mysteries, will keep you glued to Healey’s amazing debut novel. Maud calls Elizabeth repeatedly, then repeatedly visits Elizabeth’s home, then visits her church, and Maud keeps on relentlessly investigating. Recognizing her slipping mind, Maud scrupulously jots down her every discovery and clue on slips of paper she squirrels away in her purse.Although her daughter Helen, granddaughter Katie, caregiver Carla, and just about everyone else presumes that Maud is merely indulging a senile obsession, Maud knows that something has gone terribly wrong — no matter what Peter, Elizabeth’s tightfisted, unpleasant, foul-mouthed son, tells the world. As Maud investigates Elizabeth’s disappearance, she finds herself increasingly thinking about another disappearance nearly 70 years ago, when her beloved older sister, Susan “Sukey” Gerard, vanished in the autumn of 1946. Both cases contain remarkable parallels. Investigating one disappearance reopens that earlier case in Elizabeth’s mind, which she re-examines in a fresh light. As the novel progresses, Maud remembers less and less about the now and more and more about then.Readers will find themselves embracing proud, vulnerable Maud, who writes herself notes on the case for when her memory fails. They’ll also find themselves sympathizing with Maud’s beleaguered daughter Helen and enjoying Maud’s cheerful bohemian teenage granddaughter Katie. A loyal friend to the end, Maud doesn’t want to let go until she gets to the truth — and you’ll find you can’t let go of Maud Horsham long after you’ve devoured the last page and unraveled both mysteries, the new and the old.

I was hooked from the start however felt I could feel where the book was heading early on. Despite this it was still an enjoyable read and has stuck in my mind many months after reading.

Emma Healey did an extraordinary job of putting me into the mind of 82-year old Maud who was suffering from Alzheimer's disease. From paragraph to paragraph, you never knew if you would be in Maud's past where her older sister, Sukey, disappeared or in her present trying to find her close friend, Elizabeth, who she believes to be missing. Yes, I wanted to know what happened to Elizabeth and Sukey, but I got so involved in Maud's thinking process that I felt like I was reading three novels at once."Elizabeth is Missing" had a very interesting storyline which kept me engaged throughout, but I couldn't help wish I had read this book before I watched this disease take a close friend and my beloved aunt away from me. It was a clever approach for a mystery but was also an unexpected lesson in compassion.I would definitely recommend this book.

If you have ever wanted to understand a person with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s disease, this is the novel for you. I am amazed at how Emma Healey got into the mind of a women declining into full-blown dementia. Healey writes Maud as the narrator of this novel. Through Maud’s musings the reader comes to understand how individuals suffering from dementia perceive the world. Healey’s stunning ability as a writer allows the reader to understand the anger and confusion of dementia sufferers. What the world sees as inappropriate behavior in the demented is actually justifiable if one could go inside the head of the dementia person. The character of Maud is written with such sensitivity and compassion, that the reader will be hard pressed not to be far more compassionate in future dealings with elderly dementia sufferers. This is the strength of the novel.Healey weaves a mystery which is secondary to the novel’s strength. Maud’s best friend, Elizabeth is missing. No one in Maud’s life responds to her need to find Elizabeth seriously. Maud continues to be frustrated with quest to find Elizabeth. Compounding Maud’s problem is her memory. She needs notes to remind herself of her daily agenda. In Maud’s case, her notes become more frequent and are necessary for more than agenda purposes. She needs to be reminded NOT to eat lunch because she already ate lunch and she forgets when she eats. She must be reminded NOT to use the stove. It’s sad, her mental decline. While she’s trying to find Elizabeth, her memory is triggered about her sister Sukey who went missing in 1946. Healey shows how memories confuse the elderly, which causes them to live in the past.Although this novel is billed as a mystery, I found it to be an amazing read on the decline of the mind. How this young novelist achieved creating this remarkable character is amazing. I highly recommend it.

So, I've finally read it, and can confirm, it is worth all the fuss. I can hardly believe this is a debut! It is written with such confidence and eloquence, but then Healey did study creative writing.The story centers around Maud, an 81 year-old woman descending ever deeper into dementia. The book is told both from Maud's present and her past, and as the story moves along, the line between these times becomes ever more blurry, disintegrating slowly as Maud grows more confused. While Maud is the kind of character you want to hug and make a nice cup of tea, she isn't portrayed as this vision of perfection. From the flashbacks into her past, we see a willful young woman who isn't always the easiest to sympathize with. But taking that into consideration, Healey manages to create very real character for us. A person with flaws, but a good, kind heart and you cannot help but be drawn into her world, as much as you might actually want to escape it.I was truly impressed with the thoughtfulness and level of dignity in this book, and the handling of a subject that is often dismissed or misunderstood. Growing old is, in today's society especially, treated as an illness in itself, but the alternative is nothingness. Maud's story emphasized the fact that old age is deeply deserving of respect. What happened to her to get through her 81 years was no walk in the park, and what she, and surely other sufferers of dementia, are faced with is terrifying, for them and also for the families having to watch their loved ones get lost and being unable to do much to prevent it. Maud had a kind daughter and granddaughter, who were overwhelmed, but helpful, and seemed quite realistic. This is certainly well worth reading. But read it when the sun is shining, before winter swoops in and everything is gray and too bleak to read such a sad story.Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com

I loved this book. Unsettling, moving, and tender....I couldn't put it down.

Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healy is a 2014 Harper Publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. For me this was a stunning novel, not only as a mystery but one that gives an unique insight into the mind of someone dealing with dementia and the effects it has on them and their family. When Maud who is 82 years old, realizes her friend Elizabeth is gone, she desperately tries to convey this to her daughter, Helen, who is her sole care taker. No one takes her seriously, which frustrates and agitates Maud even more. But, this turn of events has jarred loose a torrent of memories regarding the disappearance of Maud's sister “Sukey” when she was much younger. She tends to confuse the two events in her mind and of course is fighting so hard to keep things straight and communicate to those around her who are totally clueless about what is really going on in Maud's head When her sister disappeared, Maud was driven nearly mad by it . Slowly, Maud's mind sketches together the events of the past with the present day vanishing of her friend Elizabeth. It's a slow moving realization and the saddest thing of all is Maud's inability to hold on to her train of thought long enough to enjoy some kind of peace of mind or obtain closure in any way for herself. I found myself feeling intensely angry with Helen and the police and Elizabeth's son, Peter. While I know it is so difficult to deal with a parent suffering from dementia, and I am certainly not making light of that burden, I couldn't help but feel irritation at Helen's making faces at Maud behind her back or dismissing her symptoms with the doctor or a thousand other ways she was rather unkind to her mother. I mean, this was her mother!! She resented every single thing she had to do for her and blamed her brother for not helping out more, which of course I would have to agree with that, and realistically this happens more often than people realize among siblings. Helen performs her duties admirably, but it's seldom she shows any real empathy or tenderness for her mother. The two mysteries, the cold case, if you will, and the current mystery of Elizabeth's disappearance is compelling mostly because we know that there is something twisted up in Maud's mind and our frustration is as deep as hers. We know on one level that Elizabeth's disappearance is more of a catalyst for the deeply buried trauma of Maud's memories regarding her sister, but there is also a feeling of foreboding in regards to Elizabeth, mainly because Maude simply can not turn the idea loose. She is like a dog with a bone when it comes to her great concern over her friend's absence. I think at times there are books placed in a rather generic genre classification, like mystery, suspense or psychological thriller, and that fits in this case, no doubt, BUT, it also leads people to draw a certain expectation of what to expect, and then perhaps, as could be the case with this book, the reader isn't quite sure what to think. The mystery is certainly understated, but I'm afraid many missed the poignancy of the story and the truly remarkable thing the mind really is. While, Maud was mostly unaware of what she has ultimately revealed by insisting Elizabeth was missing, it is astounding what she has managed to accomplish here. No, this is not exactly a whodunit in the traditional sense. Yes, it is difficult to read, and is very emotional and yes, it is slow moving without many of the elements most mysteries employ. So, I suppose it might have been best to have added this one to the literary fiction or contemporary fiction category along with mystery/ suspense to give the potential buyer an idea of what lay ahead. I thought this was a well thought out novel that maybe went over the heads of some who perhaps are not in any way familiar with dementia other than what they see on television. If you know someone with this disease, I can think you would look at this book with a different perspective. If you are interested in reading the typical mystery novel, police procedural, detective, forensic, sort of thing, then keep going. But, if you are looking for something that digs a little deeper into the human psyche and examines the long term emotional effects of loss, crime, guilt and in some ways even redemption, give this one a look. 4.5 stars rounded to 5

Maud has not heard from her friend Elizabeth for some time. She tells her concern to her daughter and Elizabeth's son. But no one believes Maud when she tells them that Elizabeth is missing. So Maud starts to look for her. We also learn about Maud's sister, Sukey who went missing seventy years ago. Maud has early on set dementia. Thus is quite an emotional and thought provoking read. Thenstory jumps back in time to when Maud was a teenager 5o Maud now with early signs of dementia. What a wonderful character Maud is.

Maud has one of the most poignant, memorable and distinctive voices I've ever read. She's eighty-two years old and suffers from Alzheimer's disease, meaning that everyday life is struggle for her, although she doesn't always realise it herself. Maud buys tins of peaches even though she has a cupboard full of them. She makes cups of tea and leaves them to go cold. She has to be told don't leave the house, don't cook, don't keep calling the neighbours.One day, Maud finds a piece of paper in her pocket that says "Elizabeth is missing". Elizabeth is one of Maud's closest and dearest friends, so she embarks on a confusing and disorienting journey to find out the truth. She needs to find ways to ensure she doesn't forget her mission, so she makes little notes of her discoveries. Maud's present experiences are twisted with memories of her sister Sukey's disappearance decades before, and she often cannot tell whether she's living twelve-year-old Maud's story or her future.If you've ever struggled to comprehend what having dementia must be like, surely Elizabeth is Missing is one of the most vivid ways of experiencing it for yourself. As the reader, we're in the mind of Maud. It'll leave you frustrated on behalf of Maud and a little angry at the way people with dementia are treated, yet you'll find yourself understanding it at the same time. It's a lose-lose battle for everyone. Maud frustrates her daughter, annoys the doctor and amuses the police, and not one of them is able to help her find Elizabeth. Because dementia is one of those things that both fascinates and terrifies me, I adored the present story ("Elizabeth is missing") but occasionally wanted to push past her sister Sukey's. As the story went on, I couldn't wait to see how both stories were connected.Elizabeth is Missing is brilliant not because of the mystery aspect of the story, although it kept me on edge, but because of its unforgettable perspective. It'll leave you questioning your own memories and ability to hold onto them. Elizabeth is Missing has done a fabulous job in showing the world just how serious dementia is – it doesn't receive as much attention as illnesses affecting younger people, but Maud – as a much older protagonist – shows us that she is most certainly still here.I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.

But it’s not true. I forget things—I know that—but I’m not mad. Not yet. And I’m sick of being treated as if I am. I’m tired of the sympathetic smiles and the little pats people give you when you get things confused, and I’m bloody fed up with everyone deferring to Helen rather than listening to what I have to say.Elizabeth Is Missing is one of the weirdest books I've ever read. It is also one of the most unique ones. The story of this novel is quite simple: we follow our main character Maud, who is an older woman suffering from dementia, so to say that she is forgetful would be quite an understatement. Maud is convinced that her best friend Elizabeth is missing, and that is where the story starts. I wouldn't want to spoil anything more because I went into this novel knowing just this, and I feel like I enjoyed it more because of that. Even though I did enjoy the plot of this novel, and how past and present blended together, my favorite thing about it would be the writing style. Since I've read a few of negative reviews for this book, I can see how the writing style can annoy a person, but to me, it made the book even more unique and better. The Author, Emma Healey, in a perfect way presented Maud's disease: through her way of thinking, and how she constantly repeated the same things. That really set this book apart from other mystery novels. To conclude, Elizabeth Is Missing definitely is not a novel for everybody. It's quite strange and the writing style can be annoying at times. However, I completely enjoyed the novel, and after a few days of thinking about it I decided to change my rating from 4 to 5 stars. The book stayed with me, and I couldn't keep my mind of it, so it definitely did deserve 5 stars from me.