Judith Katherine’s Simply Beside Herself is a charming, gentle novel about reclaiming independence at the final stage of life.
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.
Judith Katherine writes predominantly on the back of envelopes in cafes. She has travelled more widely than intended, raising her family around the world while maintaining a hopeful curiosity. Her writing is laced with humour and compassion, focusing on the fragility of relationships affected by distance, adventure and neglect. Simply Beside Herself is her first novel.
Simply Beside Herself is published by Affirm Press (Simon & Schuster) and is available from all great book sellers including QBD Books.
Image: Simply Beside Herself – courtesy of Affirm Press