Eliza Peabody is one of those dangerously blameless women who believe they have God in their pocket. She is a modern-day Florence Nightingale, always up at the Hospice or the Wives' club; she is too enthusiastic; she talks too much. Her concern for the welfare of her wealthy south London neighbours even extends to ingenuous, well-meaning notes of unsolicited advice under the door.

It is just such a one-sided correspondence that heralds Eliza's undoing. Did her letter have something to do with Joan's abrupt disappearance from number forty-one? What to make of the long absences of her husband and Joan's, and of the two men's new, inseparable friendship? And why will no one else on Rathbone Road speak of Joan? As Eliza's own life seems to disintegrate, she finds that, despite the pity and embarrassment with which her neighbours greet her, she is at last being drawn into their lives - although not in the way she had once fantasised about. This is a sharp, poignant and wickedly funny tale of love, heartache and disillusionment.

A wonderful bittersweet story about a misguided do-gooder.

About the Author
Jane Gardam is the only writer to have been twice awarded the Whitbread/Costa Prize for Best Novel of the Year, for The Queen of the Tambourine and The Hollow Land. She also holds a Heywood Hill Literary Prize for a lifetime's contribution to the enjoyment of literature. She is the author of five volumes of acclaimed stories: Black Faces, White Faces (David Higham Prize and the Royal Society of Literature's Winifred Holtby Prize); The Pangs of Love (Katherine Mansfield Prize); Going into a Dark House (Silver Pen Award from PEN); Missing the Midnight; and The People on Privilege Hill. Her novels include God on the Rocks, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize; Faith Fox; The Flight of the Maidens; the bestselling Old Filth, which was shortlisted for the Orange Prize in 2005; The Man in the Wooden Hat; and Last Friends. Jane Gardam was born in Yorkshire. She now lives in east Kent.

Reviews
** 'Brilliant' SUNDAY TIMES ** 'Marvellously subtle and moving' THE TIMES ** 'An ingenious, funny, satirical, sad story...Vivid and poignant' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY ** 'Excellently done ... manic delusions were never so persuasive ... very moving when it is not being exceedingly funny' ANITA BROOKNER ** 'Wickedly comic ... masterly and hugely enjoyable' DAILY MAIL


Awards
Winner of Whitbread Prize (Novel) 1991 and Whitbread Book Awards: Novel Category 1991.



Book Information
ISBN 9780349102269
Author Jane Gardam
Format Paperback
Page Count 240
Imprint Abacus
Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
Weight(grams) 172g
Dimensions(mm) 199mm * 131mm * 15mm