Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
By Gail Honeyman
Published by HarperCollins (25 January 2018)
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley

Publisher's description

Eleanor Oliphant has learned how to survive – but not how to live

Eleanor Oliphant leads a simple life. She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal deal for lunch every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend.

Eleanor Oliphant is happy. Nothing is missing from her carefully timetabled life. Except, sometimes, everything.

One simple act of kindness is about to shatter the walls Eleanor has built around herself. Now she must learn how to navigate the world that everyone else seems to take for granted – while searching for the courage to face the dark corners she’s avoided all her life.

Change can be good. Change can be bad. But surely any change is better than… fine?

My verdict
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine took me on a emotional journey, through joy, hope, sadness and despair. The writing is gorgeous and highly readable, and the story is sensitive and compassionate. This is the type of book that I will read again, to savour the descriptions and the dialogue.

Eleanor is socially awkward and full of innocence with a simple, and very black-and-white, view of life, people and the world around her. It took me a little while to get inside her head, but then I couldn't let go. I fell in love with her character's quirky nature and sharp observations, and then with the book itself.

Though the book isn't a crime novel or a psychological thriller, there's still an element of mystery within its pages. Eleanor can't remember something about her past, having locked it away in a corner of her mind, somewhere safe where it can't hurt her. So underneath all that naivety, some dark shadowy secrets are desperate to come out, and over time Eleanor realises that maybe she's not completely fine after all.

This is a book about loneliness, love and laughter. About feeling different, overcoming obstacles and finding somewhere you belong. And about how simple acts of kindness can have a powerful impact on people's lives - those who perform them and those who receive them.

Highly recommended.

MY PUBLISHING LIFE with Phoebe Morgan

Welcome to my latest MY PUBLISHING LIFE feature, an interview with a literary agent, publisher, publicist or editor about their publishing career to date. Some serious questions, and some just for fun!

Today I'm delighted to welcome 

PHOEBE MORGAN

Commissioning Editor

at
HarperCollins

What and when was your first job in publishing?

My first job in publishing was as a Publishing Assistant at Octopus Books, specialising in non-fiction. I was working across children’s and adult, and my job involved editorial and administrative duties as well as some special sales tasks. Octopus is a really lovely company and I remember being so excited on the day I got the job, as I’d had quite a few interviews by that stage and kept losing out! Getting into publishing can be hard but once you have a foot in the door it’s such a rewarding, welcoming industry. 

How long have you been working in your current job/role?

I’ve been working at HarperCollins for coming up to a year and a half, and I’ve been a Commissioning Editor for the past few months. Prior to that I was an Editor, and I now work across a range of crime, thriller, saga and women’s fiction, buying books from agents and taking them through the editorial process to publication. 

Which books have you worked on recently/are you working on?

I’m very lucky to have a wonderful list of authors including Sunday Times bestsellers Katerina Diamond, who writes crime, and Kitty Neale who writes saga. I’ve just started working on C.L Taylor’s psychological thrillers too, which get more brilliant with every book. Her latest, The Fear, will be out in 2018. The first book I acquired for HarperCollins was called Obsession by Amanda Robson, which was so much fun to work on, and the second was 99 Red Balloons by Elisabeth Carpenter which has one of the cleverest plot twists I’ve ever read. 

Which qualifications/life skills/experience have helped you get to where you are today?

I actually trained as a journalist which gave me a good grounding in the skills needed for publishing, particularly meeting tight deadlines, writing short, snappy copy and liaising with other people. I’ve also done several proof reading courses, and of course, I’m a huge reader – my Kindle is my prized possession and I think you have to read an awful lot in order to get a feel for what will and won’t sell in the competitive commercial market. I’m part of the events team for the Society of Young Publishers and that has been very helpful too; I’ve met so many wonderful, inspiring people through the SYP who have all helped to get me where I am today. 

How do you relax after a busy working day?

It can be hard to relax in my job because it does spill over into my home life because I’ve always got submissions to read and several books on the go, but to switch off I love a good drama, something like The Affair or Happy Valley. I’m a writer as well and at times, that can be relaxing – if the book is going well, that is! Otherwise, it’s essentially wine… 

What was the last book you read for pleasure?

I read and thoroughly enjoyed Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney, a more literary novel about relationships, friendship and the confusion of being a young woman. I absolutely loved it from beginning to end and would highly recommend. I also devoured Maggie O’Farrell’s memoir, I Am I Am I Am, which tells the story of her seventeen brushes with death – a really fascinating read with her trademark beautiful writing style. 

Describe your job in 15 words or less...

Getting paid to read and drink lots of tea! 

What have been the highlights of your publishing life so far

Ooh, I think probably getting the job at HarperCollins, as I’d always wanted to make the move into fiction and it was just so exciting to finally do so. And acquiring my first book was a moment I’ll never forget, I went across the road with a colleague afterwards and had a celebratory glass of wine! I’m incredibly proud of all of my authors and their books and it is amazing seeing them fly up the charts and into readers’ hands. I’m also very proud of everything the SYP have achieved – I worked on our London Conference in 2016 and seeing it all come together after months of planning was brilliant. 

If you could try out any other job for one day (with no limits on money, travel etc.), what would you choose?

I’ve always wanted to see what being a lawyer would be like – but I’m essentially too lazy to spend so much time on paperwork! I’d only want to do the exciting parts, like arguing in court in an Ally McBeal-esque outfit…a bit unrealistic, I’m sure, but it always looked so much fun to build a case and convince a jury of the truth. 

If your publishing life was a book, what would the title be?

Hmm, probably something like Fake It Til You Make It – I always felt like such an imposter when I was first starting out in publishing, and it’s only recently that I’ve started to feel more confident and I think that’s a sensation a lot of people deal with too. But it is true – if you keep going at something and pretend you’re confident even when you’re not, eventually, true confidence will come.

Thanks so much for taking part, Phoebe!

Look out for more MY PUBLISHING LIFE features coming soon.

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If any literary agents, publishers, publicists or editors would like to take part, please contact me through my blog or Twitter for the full list of questions.

BEST OF CRIME with Claire Kendal

Welcome to my latest BEST OF CRIME feature, looking at crime writers' top picks, from their favourite author and fictional detective to their best writing tip. 

Today I'm delighted to welcome 

CLAIRE KENDAL 

for her The Second Sister blog tour

to share her BEST OF CRIME ...  

... AUTHORS
Sylvia Plath may be a surprising choice for a thriller writer, but she has a flawless sense of voice. I love how talky and confiding her different narrators are. She is powerful about obsessions of all kinds, always with the perfect marriage of form and content. I was thinking of the oo oo oo rhymes in her famous poem ‘Daddy’ when I wrote the opening lines of my first novel, The Book of You. It really helped.

... FILMS/MOVIES
Rear Window is a film that has always stayed with me. I admire the way Hitchcock blends crime/thriller with a serious study of men and women at different stages of their relationships. There is always something interesting happening if you look where you aren’t meant to – little hidden treats – and I notice something new with each viewing. The scene where Grace Kelly goes into the murderer’s flat – watched helplessly by wheelchair-bound James Stewart from his window across the courtyard – is unbearably tense. (And I love Grace Kelly’s dresses.)

... TV DRAMAS

The BBC adaptation of Wolf Hall brought to life all the complexities of the novels. I couldn’t look away from Mark Rylance’s Cromwell, his quiet watchfulness, his wit, and his sadness too. I was reluctantly charmed – as well as terrified – by Damian Lewis as Henry VIII. But I especially couldn’t take my eyes off Claire Foy as Anne Boleyn. We all know how it ends, but I still wept for her.  

... FICTIONAL KILLERS
Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley has always been one of my favourite characters. When I read, I am both horrified by him and in terror of his getting caught. I think Ripley would be amazing fun to know (as long as he didn’t want you dead). 

... FICTIONAL DETECTIVES
Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch reminds me of my father, with his knowledge of Los Angeles  restaurants and certainty about what he wants to eat in each of them. Harry and my father frequent the same places. Bosch’s love of the city, and his sense of the old Los Angeles as an ever-present ghost beneath the new, is like my father’s too. 

... MURDER WEAPONS
Hannibal Lecter persuades Miggs to swallow his own tongue in The Silence of the Lambs. The weapon here is Lecter’s intimate psychological understanding of his victim.

    

... DEATH SCENES
The heroine of Samuel Richardson’s Clarissa chooses to spend her last days with her own coffin in the room. She gives elaborate instructions about what should happen to her body (no man shall touch her) and writes a letter designed to trick and keep away the libertine who is responsible for her suffering – though the reader remains anxious that he will still manage to gatecrash her death scene. This man plots (unsuccessfully) to steal her corpse so he can embalm it and keep her heart in view.

  

... BLOGS/WEBSITES
The Wellcome Collection’s Exhibition pages have a huge amount of fascinating and useful material about medicine. It’s the next-best thing to being in their galleries, and  one of my favourite internet resources. But it is dangerously easy to spend hours there.

... WRITING TIPS
Don’t be afraid of getting your writing on the page in rough form that can be improved later. My favourite part of the writing process is playing in the world I have made, once it is all there. I wonder if it is akin to a sculpture gradually taking shape as the surrounding stone is chipped away.

... WRITING SNACKS
Homemade smoothies. I whiz frozen fruit (mango, strawberries and blueberries) with almond milk, dates and vanilla protein powder. It always boosts me. There. My secret recipe.

About CLAIRE KENDAL

Claire Kendal was born in America and educated in England, where she has spent all of her adult life. Her first novel, THE BOOK OF YOU, was a Richard and Judy title and has been translated into over twenty languages. Claire teaches English Literature and Creative Writing, and lives in the South West with her family. 

Find Claire Kendal on her FB page and on Twitter - @ClaireKendal

About THE SECOND SISTER

Publisher's description 

It is ten years since Ella's sister Miranda disappeared without trace, leaving her young baby behind. Chilling new evidence links Miranda to the horrifying Jason Thorne, now in prison for murdering several women. Is it possible that Miranda knew him?

At thirty, Miranda’s age when she vanished, Ella looks uncannily like the sister she idolized. What holds Ella together is her love for her sister’s child and her work as a self-defence expert helping victims.

Haunted by the possibility that Thorne took Miranda, and driven by her nephew’s longing to know about his mother, Ella will do whatever it takes to uncover the truth – no matter how dangerous... 

The Second Sister was published by HarperCollins on 4 May 2017.

Look out for more BEST OF CRIME features coming soon.

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BEST OF CRIME with Kate Medina

Welcome to my latest BEST OF CRIME feature, looking at crime writers' top picks, from their favourite author and fictional detective to their best writing tip. 

Today I'm delighted to welcome 

KATE MEDINA

to share her BEST OF CRIME ... 

... AUTHORS

I grew up reading Agatha Christie as I’m sure did many other crime writers and I am still awed by her plotting skills, her ability to build suspense and her ingenuity.  I have rarely been able to guess the ending of an Agatha Christie novel.  Of the more recent crime novelists, my favourite has to be Jo Nesbo as his novels are such page-turners and, for me, a great crime novel is one that you just can’t put down.  His plots are fabulous, his characters fantastically well drawn and he has an enviable ability to generate fear.  I remember reading The Snowman, while alone in the house and literally being too frightened to move from the sofa until my husband got back from his night out at about 1 a.m.! 

... FILMS/MOVIES

The film that has disturbed my psyche for the longest has to be Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho.  One night my sister, who was supposed to be babysitting me, put it on when her boyfriend came around and I watched it, terrified, from behind a sofa cushion.  I must have been about twelve and she was fifteen.  I wouldn’t shower with the curtain closed for literally twenty-years after seeing that film.  It is the ultimate psychological chiller.   

... TV DRAMAS

My favourite TV crime dramas of recent years have been the Scandi dramas, The Bridge and The Killing.  The plots are fabulous, but the thing that really hooked me with both series were the characters, which had incredible depth and were so well drawn.

I will happily while away a couple of hours watching Silent Witness as it always has good plots.  I also love stand alone psychological crime dramas such as the recent, The Replacement, which was gripping, except for the ending which was bizarre and rather unsatisfying.  A good crime novel or series must have a good ending, otherwise it feels like an anti-climax. 

... FICTIONAL KILLERS

My top fictional killer has four legs.  I used to read a lot of Arthur Conan Doyle’s, Sherlock Holmes when I was growing up and The Hound of the Baskervilles was the killer I found by far the most frightening and memorable.   

... FICTIONAL DETECTIVES

Women are often portrayed as victims in crime literature and so I love Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander, because she is such a kick-arse woman.  When I came to create my series character, Jessie Flynn, I also wanted to create a character who celebrates the huge number of strong, funny, clever, independent women that I know. 

... MURDER WEAPONS

I have always been fascinated by the ‘whys’ of human behaviour – what motivates people to behave as they do – and the psychological motivations for murder interest me far more than the mechanics of the actual murder.  Having said that, I think that being buried alive must be a truly horrid way to die.  Offhand, I can’t think of a novelist who has used this method, but I’m sure that a few have. 

    

... DEATH SCENES

Being a psychologist, my preferred death scene would be for someone to be so tormented that they commit suicide.  

  

... BLOGS/WEBSITES

I try to avoid the Internet as much as possible when I’m writing as surfing seems to Hoover up time like no other activity!  I have three young children, so I tend to use every spare minute that they’re at school to write.  When I have time off, I like to spend it outside, walking the dogs, gardening, cycling or just enjoying nature.   

... WRITING TIPS

Time spent plotting is never wasted.  I am an avid plotter and will spend a good two or three months plotting my novels and fleshing out the characters in great detail before I write a word, and so my top tip for anyone who is interested in writing a crime novel is to spend quality time plotting.  An intricately carved, twisty-turny story that keeps me guessing until the end is, for me, a critical feature of a great crime novel. 

... WRITING SNACKS
I have writing drinks rather than writing snacks: full-fat milk lattes in the morning and Sauvignon Blanc in the evening, neither of which do positive things for my waist line.

About KATE MEDINA

Kate Medina has always been fascinated by the ‘whys’ of human behaviour, an interest that drove her to study Psychology at university and later to start a crime series featuring clinical psychologist, Dr Jessie Flynn. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University and her debut novel White Crocodile received widespread critical acclaim, as did Fire Damage, the first book in the Jessie Flynn series.

Before turning to writing full time, Kate spent five years in the Territorial Army and has lectured at the London Business School and the London School of Economics. She lives in London with her husband and three children. 

Find Kate Medina on her website, FB page and on Twitter - @KateTMedina

About SCARED TO DEATH

Publisher's description

A baby is abandoned in the middle of the night at Royal Surrey County Hospital. DI Bobby ‘Marilyn’ Simmons suspects the father is planning to take his own life following the violent suicide of his eldest son Danny a year earlier. The race is on to find him.

Captain Ben Callan is investigating a suspicious death. Just sixteen years old, Stephen Foster has been stabbed in the neck with a screwdriver. Someone tried to save his life – but who? And why haven’t they come forward?

When psychologist Dr Jessie Flynn is called in to consult on both cases, she sees connections between the deaths of Danny and Stephen. And when she starts counselling a third traumatized young man, Jessie fears he faces the same fate...

Scared to Death is being published by HarperCollins on 4 May 2017.

Look out for more BEST OF CRIME features coming soon.

Click here to read more BEST OF CRIME features.

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