Book 196: The Long Shadow by Celia Fremlin

Celia Fremlin wrote this book before she died. Her publisher, Faber & Faber, reached out to me to read the book and write a review of The Long Shadow and publish it today as part of an international blog tour. And I am extraordinarily sad that I can't tell Celia myself how much I loved it!

Imogen, the main character of this story, has lost her husband. She's been trying to put the pieces of her life together ever since he died so that she could move on. She's been in sort of a funk, and some guy keeps accusing her of having something to do with her husband's death.

All of a sudden, her family - her husband's stepchildren, their families, and even one of her husband's ex-wives - descend upon Imogen's home to keep her company during the Christmas holiday. Just as suddenly, odd things begin to happen around the house that make her question her own sanity and analyze the relationship she had with her husband. Who was he, really? What did she really know about him? The truth eventually comes out.

This book is full of surprises. Just when I thought I understood what was happening, Fremlin would open another door with her writing that I didn't even know was there.

I'm not going to tell you the conclusion, but I will say that if you love a good mystery, this is a great book to dig into!

And thank you, Joanna Lee of Faber & Faber, for the opportunity to contribute to the blog tour!

Hugs,

Es