The Night in Question
The uplifting new book club read from the prize-winning author
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4.5 • 32 Ratings
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- £4.99
Publisher Description
Discover the uplifting story with a uniquely loveable protagonist, perfect for fans of The List of Suspicious Things, Elizabeth is Missing, and Dear Mrs Bird.
'Full of unforgettable characters . . . a beguiling mystery’ Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things
'A wonderfully warm and involving page-turner.' Clare Chambers, author of Small Pleasures
'Life-affirming [and] full of surprises' Emma Stonex, author of The Lamplighters
Florence Butterfield has a secret.
She's kept it for 70 years. She's travelled the world, fallen in love, and grown and changed in ways she never could have imagined. But she's never told a soul.
Until one midsummer's night, something happens. Something so terrible and unexpected that it changes everything for Florrie. And perhaps, at last, her long-buried secret will finally see the light of day . . .
Praise for The Night in Question and Susan Fletcher:
'[Fletcher's] prose is extraordinarily lyrical . . . and her themes are profound.' Sunday Times
'A gifted storyteller' Independent
'Fletcher unpeels with delicacy and insight the complex layers of the human heart.' Guardian
Readers LOVE The Night in Question:
'I absolutely loved this book... The writing is compelling and a joy to read.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'A heartwarming story that [...] moved me to tears more than once.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'I loved this gorgeous novel, which is both a gripping, twisting whodunnit and a moving, intricate, beautifully written portrait of a life.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Easily the best book I've read this year.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'A glorious combination of razor-sharp plotting, vivid characterisation and beautiful prose.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
It’s tempting to label this book a murder-mystery, but to do that would be to do the character of Florrie Butterfield a disservice. At 87 years of age and having recently moved into an assisted care facility, Florrie is as curious as ever and won’t rest until she finds out what caused the sudden death of a fellow resident in the opening pages of the book. But The Night in Question is so much more than another addition to the cosy crime genre. It’s a life-affirming read led by a truly wonderful protagonist who has led a packed life but still has so much more to experience. Heartwarming and heart-shattering all at once, you’ll be absorbed from the get-go as Florrie works to unravel the mystery, but also completely enchanted by Florrie herself as she learns that for some, life only begins in your mid-eighties.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Fletcher (House of Glass) expertly intertwines two mysteries in this eloquent and astute tale set in a British assisted living facility. The first mystery concerns Renata Green, manager of Babbington Hall, a retirement residence in the Oxfordshire countryside. Renata's fall from her office window is witnessed by 87-year-old Florrie Butterfield, who roams the facility's grounds in her wheelchair and is "as deaf as a saucepan without her hearing aids." Residents suspect Renata jumped in a suicide attempt that has left her comatose, but Florrie, who chatted with Renata earlier in the day and found her to be uncharacteristically cheery and outgoing, believes she was murdered. Following that hunch, the octogenarian sets about investigating with the help of fellow resident and former schoolteacher Stanhope Jones. As they gather clues, Fletcher lights the fuse on the second mystery: who is Florrie, anyway? What's behind the terrible secret she has trouble even thinking about in private? And what might she learn about forgiveness from her sleuthing with Stanhope? Fletcher points those questions in poignant directions, providing her unforgettable protagonist with resonant lessons about mending the past, all while maintaining satisfying tension in the central whodunit. This gloriously uplifting mystery will stay with readers long after they've turned the final page.
Customer Reviews
Loved this!
I read 48 books this year and finished this on new years eve and it was one of my favourites - top 3 for the year.
An absolutely lovely, beautifully written story. I will miss Florrie !
Repetitive slog
6% in and the writing is so repetitive it has become unbearable to read. All the people reviewing this book for having amazing beautiful writing has been drawled in by the pretty selection of words that they have become blind to the glaring fact that this author knows like three sentence styles and beats them more than a dead horse. And don’t get me wrong I see the atmosphere I see the vibes and the character is clearly constructed with care, but the writing…. I have yet to see a purple-ler purple prose.