Book Summary:
Alice is a nurse at St. Catherine’s hospital where she works with coma patients.
Frank is one of her coma patients. He has locked-in syndrome. What no one knows is that he can see and hear everything going on around him.
A young woman named Cassie Jenson was brought into the hospital. She is in a coma after a hit-and-run. Alice thinks she looks familiar. She soon finds herself digging into Cassie’s life, who she is, what brought her to the hospital. Why would someone want to hurt this woman?
Meanwhile Frank hears someone talking around Cassie, who’s bed is near his, and he realizes that she and her unborn baby are in danger. Frank knows what’s going on, but he can’t tell anyone.
I didn’t want to put this one down. I read it in two evenings. The ending was totally unexpected.
This is Emily Elgar’s first novel, and I certainly want to see what she comes up with next.
About The Author:
I’m an 80’s child and grew up mostly in the West Country, but I’ve had spells in New York, London, and Southern Africa. I now live in East Sussex with my husband and our cat, A-Dog.
I started taking writing seriously when I was accepted onto the Faber Academy six month novel writing course in 2012. At the time, I was a support worker for male, female and transgender sex workers in London. I took the course because I love writing, not because I was necessarily seeking a change in career. It felt too audacious to transform myself into a novelist! After some knocks, I wrote – in a frenzy at 4am one morning – what is now the preface to If You Knew Her. From the off, it felt different to everything I’d written before. The words galloped out of me.
I met my agent, the brilliant Nelle Andrew, soon after the course finished. Nelle sent an early draft of If You Knew Her to publishers and in October 2014 I signed a contract with the fantastic Lucy Malagoni at Little, Brown.
What followed was an intense, but enjoyable, two years of completely reworking the book. The result is If You Knew Her. I really hope you enjoy it.
I knew it!!!! Actually, I didn’t. The thought crossed my mind though! Oh my goodness. If You Knew Her by Emily Elgar was so so good! It was mysterious, EMOTIONAL, and clever! We get three different POVs all told mostly in a hospital setting, which I loved!
Sounds very interesting and suspenseful. I think I might like it.
I have a book suggestion for you, Brenda. The Woman In the Window. Nice surprise at the end.
This sounds really good. Thanks for the review Brenda.
I just started this book last night. It is very well written and quite a page turner. Smiles
Sounds like a winner. Will be sure to place this on my hold list at the library. Thank you for the review.
I love a book that keeps you guessing and lets the mystery deepen. Thank you for recommending books, several of which I have read.