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The Obituary Writer

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

From bestselling author Ann Hood comes a sophisticated and suspenseful novel about the poignant lives of two women living in different eras.

On the day John F. Kennedy is inaugurated, Claire, a young wife and mother obsessed with the glamour of Jackie, struggles over the decision of whether to stay in a loveless but secure marriage or to follow the man she loves and whose baby she may be carrying. Decades earlier in 1919, Vivien Lowe, an obituary writer, is searching for her lover who disappeared in the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. By telling the stories of the dead, Vivien not only helps others cope with their grief but also begins to understand the devastation of her own terrible loss. The surprising connection between these two women will change Claire's life in unexpected and extraordinary ways.

Part literary mystery and part love story, The Obituary Writer examines expectations of marriage and love, the roles of wives and mothers, and the emotions of grief, regret, and hope.

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    • AudioFile Magazine
      Two women from different times and opposite ends of the country are brought together in Hood's remarkable novel. Vivian--the obituary writer--is in San Francisco during and after the 1906 earthquake. Claire lives in Virginia during the Kennedy campaign and inauguration. Narrator Tavia Gilbert captures each character to perfection: Vivian sounds strong and independent yet vulnerable; Claire, the 1960s wife and mother, sounds confused as she tries to decide whether to leave her verbally abusive husband; Birdie has a quivering voice that suggests her advanced age; and Lottie sounds like the grieving mother she is. Gilbert's portrayal of Sebastian is especially strong; his gorgeous voice and heavy Italian accent fit his masculine yet compassionate character. Even the most minor character attains distinction through Gilbert's thoughtful narration. S.G.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine

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  • English

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