One Puzzling Afternoon

By: Emily Critchley

Narrated by: Elizabeth Sastre

Perfect for listeners of Elizabeth is Missing with notes of The Maid comes a dual-timeline novel that balances heartfelt tenderness with a suspenseful mystery as elderly Edie Green uncovers the clues behind her best friend's disappearance before the truth is lost in her memory forever

I kept your secret Lucy. I've kept it for more than sixty years...

It is 1951, and at number six Sycamore Street, fifteen-year-old Edie Green is lonely. Living with her eccentric mother and her mother's new boyfriend, she is desperate for something to shake her from her dull, isolated life. So when the popular, pretty Lucy Theddle befriends Edie, she thinks all her troubles are over. Even though Lucy has a secret, one Edie is not certain she should keep. Then Lucy goes missing.

Now in 2018, Edie is eighty-four and still living in the same small town, when one afternoon she glimpses Lucy Theddle, still looking the same as she did at fifteen. Her family write it off as one of her many mix ups, there's a lot Edie gets confused about these days. But Edie knows she's the key to finding Lucy. Time is running out and Edie must piece together the clues before Lucy is forgotten forever.

©2023 Emily Critchley (P)2023 Recorded Books

Memory and its importance. Women need to stand up for themselves. What a different time it was.

Lucy is not a nice person Poor Edie seems solely to focus on Lucy. Too much emphasis on Lucy and that took away from the story for me. Happy I completed the book because several times I was frustrated with the slow story line.

Unique prospective

This was such a unique book, I may have to buy the book to go along with the audio. I won’t say spoil it for others. But this was truly one of the best stories I’ve ever heard

Loved it

I enjoyed the unfolding of the story from the perspective of the main character as she recalled her past and present experiences and her thoughts throughout

Memory is the Diary

Brilliant betrayal of living with dementia…and with the fruits of our decisions. Thoroughly engaging.

Strange and riveting story

very well crafted mystery about one woman, as a 15 year old in 1951, and an octogenarian almost 70 years later. Impressive!

So very good.

One of the best I’ve listened to in a long time. There is a 15 word minimum.

One Puzzling Afternoon

This book is a perfect boat for older young adults, girls, and what happens to them when old age comes upon it and they may have some family members in their family like this

Poignant

This was beautiful and sad, lovely and ugly. It’s a great piece of storytelling. 4.5 stars

Incredible

Incredible story told in two different generations. Absolutely enjoyed this book immensely. I also can relate to the “memory” thing. I encourage others to read. Enjoyed the narration as well. Excellent.

Excellent Read!

In 1951, Edie Green is 15 and living at home with her eccentric mother, who conducts seances for a living. She is lonely and yearns for something more in life. When popular & pretty Lucy Theddle befriends her, she thinks things are starting to look up for her. But Lucy is hiding a secret that Edie is not so sure she should keep hidden... Then Lucy goes missing.

In 2018, Edie is now 82 and still living in the same town. Only now she's suffering from dementia, so her memory's not so great. One day she thinks she sees Lucy - looking the exact same as she did almost 70 years prior. She tells her family, but they think she's just confused again. Edie knows she's kept Lucy's secret all this time, but what was the secret? She just can't seem to remember! Suddenly Edie is determined to find out what happened to her friend all those years ago. 

This one hits really close to home for me. I am very familiar with the effects of dementia, as several of my close relatives have suffered from this terrible, debilitating disease. It was interesting & terribly sad to see things from Edie's perspective, as she goes in and out of lucidity. The author writes with such compassion and heart, it's hard not to feel sentimental towards most of the characters. I loved the dual timelines, and the mystery surrounding Lucy was laid out perfectly. There were zero dull moments. In fact, there were many late nights because I needed "just one more chapter"! The entire book is just beautifully written, and I highly, HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone wanting an amazing read.