Simply Beside Herself

A charming, gentle novel about reclaiming independence at the final stage of life, for readers of Amanda Hampson and Joanna Nell.

When Elizabeth finds a dead body on a park bench – her own – she knows it’s a sign that she needs to make some big changes in her life.

Staff at her retirement home are too busy to listen when she tries to get their attention, but she is persuaded she must leave its suffocating routine without further delay. In opening the door and walking away, Elizabeth makes an audacious decision – something she had forgotten she could do – in search of a better future and a connection to her past.

Elizabeth’s daughter, Lara, drowning in her own roles and schedules, experiences a stunning trifecta of tipping points following her mother’s escape. Along with her troubled teenage daughter, Evie, Lara is forced into taking responsibility for herself and facing change. Having discovered how easy it is to get lost, all three soon realise how important it is to be found again.

Simply Beside Herself is a warm, charming novel about reclaiming independence at every stage of life.