Talking to the Dead

TALKING TO THE DEAD tells the story of Nina, a London photographer who visits her sister Isabel during a record-breaking heat wave in Sussex. Isabel has recently given birth and undergone a hysterectomy, with a small support network including a neighbor, a friend, and her husband Richard. The sisters share a buried trauma from their childhood in Cornwall - the death of their infant brother Colin from sudden infant death syndrome. Their past resurfaces as Nina observes Isabel's increasingly concerning behavior with her new baby during the oppressive summer heat. Nina becomes entangled in her sister's domestic life while grappling with memories of their shared history. The story moves between present events in Sussex and flashbacks to the sisters' childhood tragedy in Cornwall. The novel examines how past trauma shapes present relationships, exploring the complex bonds between siblings and the ways family secrets can emerge across generations. Through its atmospheric summer setting and psychological depth, it raises questions about memory, guilt, and the nature of truth.

Readers describe this ghost story as subtle and psychological rather than overtly supernatural. Many note the sensory detail in Dunmore's prose, particularly around food, nature and physical sensations. The relationships between sisters Nina and Isabel feature prominently in reviews. Readers appreciated: - The atmospheric winter setting in Cornwall - Complex family dynamics and grief themes - Literary writing style - Slow-building tension Common criticisms: - Too slow-paced for some - Unclear resolution - Limited plot development - Characters can feel distant Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.5/5 (2,100+ ratings) Amazon: 3.8/5 (150+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.7/5 (90+ ratings) One frequent Goodreads comment notes: "Beautiful writing but moves at a glacial pace." Multiple Amazon reviewers mention being unsure if events were real or imagined. Several LibraryThing reviews praise the "dreamlike quality" while wanting more concrete story elements.

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🌟 Helen Dunmore won the Orange Prize for Fiction (now Women's Prize) in 1996 for her novel "A Spell of Winter" 🌟 The record-breaking UK heatwave referenced in the book occurred in 1976, when temperatures reached 35.9°C (96.6°F) and the country faced its worst drought in 250 years 🌟 Before becoming a novelist, Dunmore was an established poet who published several acclaimed collections and won the Alice Hunt Bartlett Award 🌟 Sussex, where much of the book is set, has a rich literary history and was home to Virginia Woolf, who similarly explored themes of memory and family in her works 🌟 Tragically, Helen Dunmore passed away in 2017, but her final poetry collection "Inside the Wave" won the Costa Book of the Year posthumously