By: Susan Fletcher
Narrator: Jenny Funnell
ISBN: 9781666664942
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Publication Date: 06/18/2024
Format: Audiobook
My Rating: 5 Stars (ALC)
A lyrical and emotionally engaging novel infused with mystery and wisdom about love, friendship, and the power of forgiveness.
Florrie Butterfield—eighty-seven, one-legged, and of cheerful disposition—believes there can't be any more adventures or surprises in life to experience. Yet one midsummer’s evening, there’s an accident at Babbington Hall—the adult residence where she lives—so shocking and strange that Florrie is suspicious; is this really an accident? Or is she being lied to? Is she, in fact, living alongside a potential murderer? In her efforts to learn the truth, Florrie is forced to look back on her own life, with all its passions and regrets; she must confront her own bloody secret—and, at last, forgive herself. Above all, Florrie learns, through the help of her new friend, Stanhope, that you’re never too old to have the life you’ve always dreamed of. When it comes to love, it’s never too late.
Readers of moving fiction about late-in-life second chances such as Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove and Rachel Joyce’s The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry will love this un-putdownable book.
My Review
Susan Fletcher's THE NIGHT IN QUESTION is a gripping, quirky, lyrical, and emotional novel that stands out with its unique blend of an elderly woman's past and a present-day mystery. This distinctive narrative will hook readers from page one to the end, exploring themes of regrets, love, forgiveness, and second chances.
About...
Florrie Butterfield —a lovely eighty-seven-year-old, one-legged woman of cheerful disposition—believes there can't be any more adventures or surprises in life to experience.
However, one evening there is an accident at Babbington Hall near Oxford—the senior assisted living residence where she resides. Florrie is shocked and suspicious, thinking it may not have been an accident. Was she murdered?
Do they have a murderer in residence?
With the assistance of others, they start their own investigation and sleuthing. While gathering facts, Florrie is forced to look back and reflect on her own life. She has lived a full life with regrets and passions—a life of loss and love.
She also has secrets and must forgive herself. Above all, Florrie learns, through the help of her new friend, Stanhope, that you're never too old to have the life you've always dreamed of. When it comes to love, it's never too late.
My thoughts...
I loved THE NIGHT IN QUESTION! Unputdownable, charming, cozy, and endearing. This emotional journey of self-discovery and forgiveness is a testament to the power of second chances.
THE NIGHT IN QUESTION is a lyrical, thought-provoking, and emotionally engaging novel that delves deep into the human experience, weaving a tale of mystery and wisdom about universal themes such as love, friendship, and the power of forgiveness. These themes will resonate with readers of all ages and backgrounds, making this book a compelling and thought-provoking read.
Introspective, absorbing, and reflective!
Beautifully written; I loved Florrie and her childhood friend Pinky, her past adventures (heartbreaking and heartwarming), and the present-day mystery and sleuthing. A fun cast of characters and humor. I also enjoyed Stanhope Jones, a charming man.
I enjoy stories of women and men late in life, whether in senior independent living, assisted living, or nursing homes. There are so many interesting seniors and elders that people and society overlook who have led full and fascinating lives. Some think they no longer matter. Indeed, they do. The younger generation could learn much from these mature, remarkable adults, their wisdom, vast knowledge, and their adventures of the past. You would be surprised. I love their stories.
I enjoyed Fletcher's captivating writing style and her well-developed characters, and I look forward to reading more. My first book by the author.
Audiobook...
I listened to the audiobook narrated by the talented Jenny Funnell for a fun, lively, and thought-provoking performance bringing the characters alive.
Recs...
For fans of uplifting late-in-life stories, mysteries, and literary fiction. For fans of authors Fredrik Backman, Elizabeth Berg, Rachel Joyce, Catherine Ryan Hyde, and Gillian Jackson. In particular, I would recommend Gillian Jackson's A Measure of Time, which has similar themes, secrets of the past, mystery, regrets, and reflections upon life. Also, Rebecca Keller's You Should Have Known. (all favorites)
THE NIGHT IN QUESTION is not as lively or as action-packed as Mark de Castrique's Secret Lives series with zany former FBI agent-turned-boardinghouse landlady Ethel Fiona Crestwater (age 75); however, THE NIGHT IN QUESTION is a mystery, but more introspective, literary fiction and reflective.
Many thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for introducing this fabulous author, title, and an advanced listening audio copy.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: June 18, 2024
Praise
“Full of warmth and humor. . . . Florrie unspools her own dramatic story in this beautifully executed, life, affirming novel.”
—AARP
“Equally heartbreaking and heartwarming, Susan Fletcher has crafted a tender, inspiring mystery ideal for those looking for a feel-good read full of prospects and possibilities. . . . Fletcher’s emotional, adept storytelling transcends the page and will provide hope to readers regardless of their position in life.”
—Seattle Times
“Fletcher (House of Glass) expertly intertwines two mysteries in this eloquent and astute tale set in a British assisted living facility. . . . This gloriously uplifting mystery will stay with readers long after they’ve turned the final page.”
—Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review
“Fletcher has a gift for creating memorable characters—even the minor characters have distinctive personalities and motivations—and Florrie’s dogged determination to solve the mystery keeps the pages turning. . . . This charming blend of cozy mystery and relationship fiction will appeal to fans of Beth Morrey and Phaedra Patrick.”
—Booklist, STARRED Review
“[Fletcher's] prose is extraordinarily lyrical . . . and her themes are profound.”
—London Sunday Times
“Fletcher is a gifted storyteller.”
—The Independent
“Fletcher unpeels with delicacy and insight the complex layers of the human heart.”
—The Guardian
“A wonderfully warm and involving page-turner."
—Clare Chambers, bestselling author of Small Pleasures
“A wonderful, life-affirming novel, full of surprises, tender of heart, and infused with a spirit as warm and generous as any I have read. It’s a gripping literary whodunnit and so much more. . . . I adored it.”
—Emma Stonex, bestselling author of The Lamplighters
“Every word is a jewel. A richly evocative and moving portrait of an unforgettable heroine who will teach you everything you need to know about life and love and loss. The best book I have read in a long time.”
—Veronica Henry, bestselling author of How to Find Love in a Bookshop
“As surprising as it is inspirational. I loved it!”
—Katie Fforde, bestselling author of A Country Escape
“A wonderful novel, uplifting, tender, wise, funny, sad, and a page-turner to boot. Florrie is a marvelous creation—warm, complex, and with a huge heart. I will miss her company.”
—Marika Cobbold, author of On Hampstead Heath
“How I love this book! A spellbinding mystery, beautifully and richly told, with characters who dive straight into your heart. I couldn’t put it down.”
—Hazel Prior, author of Away with the Penguins
“Full of unforgettable characters, a beguiling mystery with gorgeous prose, The Night in Question completely captured my heart. . . . A triumph.”
—Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things
About the Author
Susan Fletcher is a British novelist. She was born in Birmingham and studied creative writing at the University of East Anglia. Her first novel, Eve Green, won the 2004 Whitbread First Novel Award, the Authors' Club award, and the Betty Trask Prize; it was also picked for Channel 4's (UK) Richard and Judy Summer Reading list. Subsequent novels have been shortlisted for the John Llewellyn Rhys award, the Writers’ Guild fiction award, and longlisted for the Romantic Novel of the Year award. Her novel Witch Light won the Saint-Maur en Poche award 2013 in France. Fletcher is the current Fellow at the University of Worcester as part of the Royal Literary Fund's fellowship scheme.
