The premise of this novel is intriguing. Sarah meets Eddie when visiting back in England, and they instantly connect. After seven days they are convinced they are the love of each other’s lives, and they arrange to meet again after Eddie’s long-book vacation to Spain. This is not a fling, this is the most intimate, real relationship for both of them, and Sarah does not doubt that Eddie will be in touch when he says he would.
But Eddie never calls. He disappears from social media. He seems to have disappeared altogether. Sarah worries that something has happened to him, but her friends tell her to forget about him. He has changed his mind; he has ‘ghosted’ her by not phoning and not engaging in social media. But then she catches glimpses of him online, and realises he is alive, he is out in the world somewhere, and she is determined to get to the bottom of things.
But when she does find a reason for his silence, it is devastating. The reason for not calling? It’s her. And it relates to a tragedy that occurred when she was a teenager.
Ghosted is a beautiful love story, with a secret at its core. I must admit with reading this novel, I loved the opening premise, but I got a little frustrated by the middle of the book and wondered where the storyline was going. But the well-considered ending well and truly made up for my frustration, and in hindsight the middle section that I was frustrated with couldn't have been any different. This is a fabulous book – a great love story and mystery novel that is a real joy. It's also a story about family, guilt, grief and mental health.
Ghosted is about to be published in over thirty languages - I'm sure it will be very successful!
Reviewer: Karen McMillan
Macmillan, RRP $34.99