Eloise

She was a daughter, a wife, a mother. She was my friend. But what secrets did Eloise take to her grave? After her best friend Eloise dies from breast cancer, Cathy is devastated. But then Cathy begins to have disturbing dreams that imply Eloise's death was not all it seems. With a history of depression, Cathy is only just recovering from a nervous breakdown and her husband Chris, a psychiatrist, is acutely aware of his wife's mental frailty. When Cathy tells Chris of her suspicions about Eloise's death, as well as her ability to sense Eloise's spirit, Chris thinks she is losing her grip on reality once again. Stung by her husband's scepticism, Cathy decides to explore Eloise's mysterious past, putting herself in danger as she finds herself drawn ever deeper into her friend's great -- and tragic -- secret.Compulsively-readable and incredibly haunting, this is the debut novel from broadcaster, journalist and Book Club champion, Judy Finnigan -- Britain's Oprah."THE INCREDIBLY HAUNTING SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING DEBUT NOVEL

From Booklist

When Cathy’s friend Eloise dies, she leaves behind grieving friends, a husband, and twin five-year-old girls. Shortly after the funeral, Eloise visits Cathy in a dream, begging Cathy to protect her children. Cathy is shaken by the visions, which continue to occur, and she reaches out to Eloise’s mother and husband, hoping to learn more. But Cathy has a history of clinical depression, and her own husband questions the sanity of her ghostly claims. With Eloise’s visits intensifying, her marriage becoming increasingly troubled, and with even her children and friends beginning to doubt her faculties, Cathy is forced to choose between her own life and her friend’s ghost. Set in Cornwall, England, this well-meaning mystery gives an appreciative nod to the culture and setting of that area as well as many other English traditions. What could have been a real page-turner, though, is hampered by an inconsistent tone and a guessable ending. Add to that an infuriatingly weak heroine, unrealistic dialogue, and unbelievable characters, and this debut is likely to frustrate more readers than it satisfies. --Cortney Ophoff

Louise Candlish

"Exudes a deep and soulful sense of place. Romantic and rain-lashed, du Maurier's Cornwall haunts the pages of Eloise as powerfully as the spirit of the elusive heroine herself. A stirring and intriguing read."

Dorothy Koomson

"Highly readable, incredibly moving in parts, and with wonderful echoes of Daphne Du Maurier, Eloise had me turning pages late into the night."

Sunday Express

"A moving meditation on grief, family bonds, motherhood and female friendship."

Fabulous Magazine

"A haunting, pacy page-turner, with a real ghostly feel - a must read."

Bella

"A creepy ghost story . . . the real star of the book is Judy's beloved Cornwall - a wild beautiful backdrop to the tale that is almost a character in itself."

The Sun

"Atmospheric, creepy and original, Judy has written a blinder of a first novel"

About the Author

Judy Finnigan is an author, television presenter and columnist. In 2004, Judy's name became synonymous with discovering and sharing great fiction, through the Richard and Judy Book Club, where authors including Kate Mosse, Rosamund Lupton and Victoria Hislop were championed and brought to the attention of millions of readers. Eloise was her first novel.

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