Iris Lockhart is busy tending to the everyday business of her vintage clothing shop and sidestepping her married boyfriend's attempts at commitment when she receives a stunning phone call. Her great-aunt Esme, whom she never even knew existed, is being released from Cauldstone Hospital—where she has been locked away for over sixty years. Esme has been labeled harmless, sane enough to coexist with the rest of the world. But Esme is still a stranger, a family member never mentioned by the family, and one who is sure to bring life-altering secrets with her when she leaves the ward. If Iris takes her in, what dangerous truths might she inherit?
O'Farrell's intricate tale of family secrets, lost lives, and the freedom brought by truth will haunt readers long past its final page.
What a haunting story is that of Esme Lennox, a flighty girl locked in an Edinburgh insane asylum by her family for being troublesome. All kinds of things happen when she's released 60 years later into the care of a great-niece who never knew of her existence. Anne Flosnik does an excellent job with a story that shifts time periods and is told in a range of voices. She reads in a clear Scottish accent, shading character with subtle changes in pacing and modulation rather than creating a range of voices. Her flow of words creates a powerful story-current that pulls the listener along inexorably. Once begun, it's hard to turn this book off. A.C.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly (starred review)...
An intricate, eloquent novel of family malice, longings, and betrayal...
About the Author
Maggie O’Farrell is the author of three previous novels, including the beloved After You’d Gone. Born in Northern Ireland in 1972, she grew up in Wales and Scotland. She lives in Edinburgh.
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The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox
by Maggie O'Farrell
