Edith

by Jo Barney

EDITH by Jo BarneyEdith, sixty-seven, wakes on Christmas morning to find her husband Art lying next to her, dead. Their shotgun wedding, forty-some years before, has not led to a happy-ever-after scenario. Edith is pretty sure she doesn’t like Art, perhaps never has, and she is sure he has felt the same way, but their senses of responsibility have kept them together. Edith has focused on raising her son Brian, who has become successful in all parts of his job, marriage, fatherhood, and he is the joy of her life, just about the only one.Art is cremated and buried, but a mystery uncovered by an autopsy (required because of his sudden, unexpected demise) involves a high alcohol blood content, barbiturates, and Valium. Art, to Edith’s knowledge, did not take sedatives or other psychotropic drugs, drank, yes, but not to excess. The insurance company questions the possibility of suicide and the resulting lower payout. Edith, so angry at her husband for guilt-punishing her and their son in this way, goes through the dead man’s pockets, discovers a secret life involving bars, restaurants, a hotel, and as she follows up on the clues to this life--matchbooks, receipts, a pink Kleenex--she discovers Art’s connection to an l8-year-old girl, dark-skinned, curly wig, and beautiful.She also meets the girl’s social worker and Seth, a good-looking older black man who says she is handsome. Edith, trying to begin life over, is glad she’s had her hair colored and a make-over.In the meantime, Brian’s wife Kathleen reveals that Brian is coming home at night smelling like another woman, sometimes like citrus. He’s taken large sums out of their savings account. Brian, the perfect son, apparently isn’t so perfect. Edith hasn’t liked Kathleen much, but their husbands’ secret transgressions bring the two women closer, and they separately and together attempt to find out what is going on. The men, one dead, the other saying, “It’s going to be all right,” aren’t talking.Their clues lead them to a bar, to a rib joint, to a high-class restaurant, and to the Hilton; Edith agrees to meet Latisha, who calls herself Art’s friend, and who is about to go to college. Kathleen discovers more money missing and that Brian has a code in his datebook that indicates secret meetings. She goes to a lawyer, discusses divorce.Edith decides that Latisha, the black-haired teenager, may be either Art’s lover or his daughter. Either way, she’s had it with Art’s secrets, but somewhere in her sleepless nights she also realizes that if he committed suicide, it could have been her fault, her un-love of him. A phone call from a kind policemen lessens her guilt about his death, but not about what Art might have been up to the nights he left the house late at night, coming home smelling like alcohol and one night, oranges. Seth and the social worker who has worked with Latisha are brother and sister. They know more than anyone what has gone on, what is happening at this point, including who Latisha’s mother is. But not everything. They don’t know who is paying for Latisha’scollege tuition and that both Art and Brian have been involved with Patsy, Latisha’s mother. Brian isn’t the perfect son Edith believed he was, and the mysteries settle into truths, as he confesses to his mother. Edith discovers that Art's pockets have revealed his secrets and have brought her a new life.

282 pages, Paperback

First published November 9, 2014

Reviews

[Lynxie · Rating 3 out of 5]

ETA: The author has informed me that this version of the book no longer exists and a new and improved version (with a new title too - Never Too Late) will be released shortly through Penner Publishing.

Edith is the second of Jo Barney's books I've read. While the first, Uprush, was a more polished read, I still enjoyed Edith too.

I tried to explain this genre type to a male friend the other day, I suggested it was like 'Chick Lit' but for the "grey" generation readers, like the recent 'grey nomad lifestyle'. He instantly knew what I meant and thought it was an amusing new sub-genre.

Despite not being in the target audience demographic, I still enjoyed going through Edith's rather tumultuous daily life. Her sense of humour, at times, was right on point and was very amusing. I followed her through unravelling the mystery left to her by her husband, Art. And I also loved watching the relationships build around her.

I felt at about 70% things got a little slow, I struggled to keep reading because so much of what was happening felt like Edith was just being 'woe-is-me' and not actively participating in the events. This feeling did pass fairly quickly when the climax of the story came about.

I also feel a little more closure could bolster the strength of this book.

All in all, I did enjoy reading this story, it's got mystery and emotional or familial themes running through it and would be suitable for most adult readers. I do feel this would have a stronger message for women, and men, in the target demographic more than the younger readers, but I don't think it's appeal is limited to the 'grey readers'.

It does need quite an extensive edit. The things I noticed:
9% - ...wine in the other hand. '" - remove space after fullstop.
20% - ...a tender a (delete a) teat at him.
22% - ...any apron strings still tie tie (delete second tie) me to...
27% - ...found this receipt, and she is (delete is) needs to know...
28% - ...bother me so much (to) find out about them?
29% - He had tried (to) change things.
30% - ...I'm trying to become.. (Delete second fullstop)
37% - I believe change is (a) good thing...
38% - ...holding (a) book on my chest...
- ...turns his back away fro(m) the light...
40% - (sentences both start in the middle) doesn't answer my question.
must have seen my eyebrows...
- ...given much thought to (one)'s skin color;
41% - ...rings, startles (replace with startling) me, I almost ignore it.
- several instances of Ginnie's name missing from the text, leaving "'s".
- spoonsful should be spoonfuls.
42% - " (insert Art or He) gave me his phone...
- ...once or twice with , (insert relevant name) and then...
46% - ...that's enough (to) make my heart beat...
- ...we have made our ways (delete s) to the dog park...
48% - ...middle-of (delete space)-the-night...
58% - ...the l930's (1930's) bungalow...
62% - "I'm (delete I'm add I've) pulled out a black...
63% - ...talked a while back. ? (Delete ?)
66% - ...what we both should do (to) help...
68% - So I asked (Dad/Art) out for a drink...
69% - ...she'd run as (delete s) check of some sort...
81% - (Is) it still unfinished,
89% - " (delete space) I am okay.
91% - ...many secrets do you and (insert missing word) keep, about my son...

**Note: I was provided an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

[Sage Adderley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this book is so good. I love a solid fiction story revolving around family drama and I am not referring to Jerry Springer drama. I am talking about the secrets that are kept in order to keep the family unit together, but eventually cause life to crumble and rear its ugly head. It's up to the characters to decide if these secrets will make or break them.

I love the main character, Edith. She is an older woman in her sixties who suddenly loses her husband to a massive heart attack and starts to get wise to his other life. As she begins an investigation, things aren't as they appear and soon discovers what has been brewing for 18 years underneath her nose.

I applaud author Jo Barney for brilliantly writing Edith's emotions ... the pent-up feelings for husband, the loss of self and what-ifs? A must read for women-lit readers!