About the Book
Here are two things I know about my mother:
1. She had dark hair, like mine.
2. She wasn’t very happy at the end.
Anna has always believed that her mother, Debbie, died 30 years ago on the night she disappeared.
But when her father gets a strange note, she realises that she’s never been told the full story of what happened that night on the cliff.
Confused and upset, Anna turns to her husband Jack – but when she finds a love letter from another woman in his wallet, she realises there’s no-one left to help her, least of all her family.
And then a body is found…
My Review
With thanks to the publisher for the copy received.
11 Missed Calls is a dual narrative novel concerning two women in the same family. Debbie who is the mother of Anna, went missing on holiday in Tenerife thirty years ago when Anna was a baby. They each have their story to tell. Debbie has struggled with depression and low esteem since the birth of Anna, her second child. Anna struggles to accept that her mother left her as baby and refuses to accept the rest of her family’s belief that she is dead. When communication is received to suggest Anna is correct, there are mixed emotions from all concerned.
It is slow burning novel. The narrative switches with each chapter so it did take me a while to get to know the characters. It took me longer to understand Debbie, to accept that she wasn’t selfish but struggling with post natal depression, low self-esteem and loneliness. Looking after babies was considered to be the mother’s job and the sense of frustration when her husband complained about having to change nappies etc was evident. She couldn’t see what her family and friends could, that she was a beautiful young women with a devoted family.
Anna, I liked immediately. She was like Debbie in some ways but was more open. She wanted answers, but recognised that they would cause anguish for others. It had been an obsession, but I can’t imagine what it must be like. Not to know and understand what happened. She was very much like her grandfather, Debbie’s father with her need to never give up hope.
It’s difficult to select a genre for this novel. It is a powerful story of relationships and bonding. Not only between parent and daughter but also in marriage and friendship. I think there are many families like this, where the need to cope with everyday commitments leaves feelings unspoken about. It is a novel that shows how important communication is.
I live in the area where the book is set, and I enjoyed reading about the places I know. There were a few times I was laughing to myself, these parts would probably only appreciate if you knew them too.
A great follow-up to 99 Red Balloons and I’m looking forward to book three.
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