In Search of the Missing Eyelash

by Karen McLeod

Lizzie is lonely. Her parents have gone and her brother, Simon/Amanda, is missing. Most of all, though, Lizzie misses Sally, her former lover who has gone off with a man with a fat neck. She starts to stalk Sally, collecting bathroom fluff, dust and pubes from Sally's bed - all the things that prove that somewhere life is taking place without her.

In Search of the Missing Eyelash is a novel about home and love and what can become undone when we try to make it all better. It's also about gender and sex and it flips from heartbreaking to hilarious within the stroke of an eyelash.

Genres: Fiction, Lesbian, LGBT, Queer

224 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2007

About the author

Karen McLeod is a writer, performer and creative writing tutor. Her memoir, Lifting Off, about the twelve years she worked as cabin crew was published in June 2024 by Muswell Press.

Karen's debut novel In Search of the Missing Eyelash was published by Jonathan Cape, won the Betty Trask Award and was shortlisted for the Best First Novel Award. In June 2024 it will be celebrated by being republished by Muswell Press.

​In the time which followed her debut novel, In Search of the Missing Eyelash, Karen began devising, then performing comedy as the character Barbara Brownskirt. Described by The Sunday Times as "Rik Mayall meets performance art" Barbara Brownskirt is supported by Arts Council England. She regularly tours UK festivals, art, cabaret and theatre venues with LGBTQ+ Literary salon POLARI, the performance art co-operative DUCKIE, as well as partnering with organisations such as Homotopia, Liverpool Pride, London & Manchester Pride.

​Employed as Writer-in-Residence at the Bookseller Crow on the Hill she is also the shop’s Literary Events Co-ordinator, plus she knows her way around the till. Over the last ten years, she has developed a series of popular creative writing workshops which she runs at the bookshop and tours nationwide. She has been a visiting lecturer in creative writing at UCAS (University for the Creative Arts) and at Shakespeare's archive trust. She holds an MA in Creative & Life Writing from Goldsmiths University, after being awarded the Isaac Arthur Green Scholarship. She is represented by Laura Susijn at The Susijn Literary Agency.

Reviews

[Caitlin Holloway · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it, I feel like a few of the plot points fell a little flat which led to the conclusion felling a bit underwhelming but I liked the tone of voice and the unpredictability of the protagonist.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

must confess I wasn't too sure about this book at the outset. Lizzie the protagonist has just split up with her girlfriend of nine weeks, Sally, who has left her for a chap with a fat neck. So Lizzie spends the first part of the book stalking her, using a camera and disguise and showing up in a pub she knows she frequents. Lizzie breaks into her house and with info found then sets out to stalk Sally and the man with the fat neck on holiday in Brighton.

I imaged myself in Sally's shoes and how horrendous that would be. But the genius of Karen's writing gives you great empathy for Lizzie's situation. I have never read a book that so eloquently describes the minutiae of life. The way she describes feelings of how it is to be in love, waiting for that elusive text message, wondering how to reply without conveying too much need. Also the descriptions of the characters are wonderful, you get to know all the people who meet each day in the cafe that Lizzie works in - you feel as though you are opening the door and peeping into their world.

It is an incredibly well written book! Made me laugh, made me concerned, something very different to anything I had read before - EVER! Great stuff.

[Little BigGirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read because a friend knows the author. It was a shortish story that didn't seem to go anywhere. It was full of amusing observations and was an interesting glimpse into the mind of the protagonist but ultimately didn't grip due to lack of plot.

[Rho · Rating 4 out of 5]

This made me laugh out loud, while at the same time being desperately sad.

[Brit · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did something I’ve never done before: I chose my next read solely based on the cover art, the content introduction, and previous reviews on Goodreads. While I've often picked books for their intriguing covers and blurbs, this was my first time factoring in Goodreads reviews so heavily. The result was quite an interesting experience!

The main character, Lizzie, is a woman hopelessly in love who cannot move on from her previous lover, Sally. Their relationship wasn’t long, but the breakup was brutal, especially since Sally chose a man as her new partner, which seems to irritate Lizzie even more. Now, Sally lives with this new man, and Lizzie... well, Lizzie decides to start stalking her. She follows Sally to the same places and events, and if possible, even goes on trips to the same destinations. In the worst case, Lizzie breaks into Sally’s house to inspect all her possessions and analyze their bed. What stains are there? Who sleeps on which side? What are the smells? What else can be found between the sheets? And that’s not all; the story becomes increasingly bizarre as Lizzie continues to surprise the readers with her antics.

If you're wondering which reviews influenced my decision to read this book, it was precisely the ones highlighting the craziness. Having now read the book, I can confirm those opinions: it is indeed slightly shocking and uncomfortable. Lizzie is a character I’d never want to meet in real life, but her story is utterly compelling. Her worldview is completely unique, often forgetting reality and drifting into dreamland. The dysfunctional family, including a missing effeminate brother and an absentee mother, only exacerbates Lizzie’s situation. The highlight of the story is Lizzie’s unexpected and absurd visit to the hospital, which, while bizarre, fits perfectly into the narrative.

The author masterfully plays with readers' emotions and thoughts, raising numerous questions. The book is rich in descriptions and internal monologues, with sparse dialogue. It's best read in a calm atmosphere where you can fully immerse yourself in Lizzie’s world and ponder the questions it raises.

This is a unique story about relationships, self-discovery, first love, and a wild, crazy world. I highly recommend it to those who enjoy peeking into the lives of others!

Thank you so much, NetGallery and Muswell Press, for this wonderful reading experience and for the ARC copy!

Review in Estonian (Aug 22, 2024): https://brixieblog.wordpress.com/2024...

[Suzanne Egerton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lizzie’s unreliable narration of her story has many funny moments, due to the self-delusion with which she protects herself. It’s just as well, as without this skewed perspective, her situation would be bleak indeed. But this delusion, paper-thin at times, has a bravery about it, and an occasional heart-catching honesty which makes her someone the reader wants to guide and protect. An older reader in particular will wince at some of her decisions - this is a relatable character who will remind most of us of past embarrassments.
The story is about loss, and Lizzie has to deal with a heavy amount of it in her life, along with its loading of implicit rejection. But despite her inadequacy of looks, money and sophistication, she manages to maintain a perky optimism fuelled by her imagination, and her exploits are studded with her fresh and quirky observations.
The minor characters are deftly drawn, and the story romps along at a good pace, remaining entertaining throughout.
The ending feels very right, and more on that I will not say.
This was my second reading. I promised the author a review at a shared event two or three years ago, but then life took over, as can happen. I always try to follow through, though, and the eventual re-read was a real pleasure. Recommended.

[Kristina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: DNF - writing: excellent, story: um....

Thank you to NetGalley and Muswell Press for this free advance review copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows a young woman called Lizzie as she deals with her missing sibling and a recent break up. Unfortunately I only made it to 25% before having to call it quits.

What I liked: The author is an incredibly talented writer, the inner voice of Lizzie was brilliantly depicted. The everyday aspects of Lizzie’s life were believable and entertaining. I liked the time hopping from past to present as we learned more about Lizzie.

What didn’t work for me: Lizzie is a cringy stalker, she could join a club with Elio from "Call Me by Your Name" and Oliver from "Saltburn". I just can’t handle anything along the ick factor that type of behaviour provokes for me.

Final thoughts: Beautiful writing but this story wasn’t for me.

Who would like it: The many, many people who were able to finish Call me by Your Name and watch Saltburn without retching.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very excited to read this at first, the storyline of the sibling who was missing was very intriguing and I was looking forward to this being explored. Lizzie’s behaviour was deranged and intense and then she just seemed to drop it? Most chapters didn’t end with anything interesting. A lot of plot lines that weren’t explored well and then a lot of pages of too much irrelevant detail. Disappointing and unsatisfying, lots of unanswered questions that I don’t even really care to be answered. Like where was Amanda, and where did the Mum go? Why end on a wedding with characters we don’t care about at all, seems like a lost opportunity. Flat and boring ending

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars ! I actually really enjoyed this book I thought it was very unique! I love that we are following along through an unreliable narrator, I love the side characters in this book and I think it speaks on some very real topics. It has a writing style that I adore.
I also didn’t know that this book is from 2007 until I finished it so that was fun to find out

[Anne Goodwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a nutshell, it’s a humorous LGBT coming-of-age story about a lonely young woman who stalks her former lover. It addresses the concept of home and gender as performance, themes of vulnerability, narcissism, attachment and the boundary between inside and outside.
Actually read it a while ago and didn't have time to review but it gets an airing on my blog here
http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/annecdo...

[Phoebe Starbuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure what I just read tbh but I think I enjoyed it a lot ??

[ukbook reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book from the start! It has the funniest lines I have ever read in a book! Not only was it laugh out loud funny, it was also emotional at times & I had such feeling for the main character, Lizzie, who has so much going on in her life, mainly with her family. The minor characters were really enjoyable too. A great, quirky read! (I had the ebook for this from @netgalley) #insearchofthemissingeyelash #karenmcleod

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different…

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really pretty brilliant. It helped that I liked Lizzie, and recognised so many of her thought patterns.

[Susana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is deceptively simple. Some people may regard it as a kind of Bridget Jones' diary, but to me that is the outside layer of the book. In Search Of The Missing Eyelash is mostly about the dissociation between what we really are and what we do and show the world because the world around expects us to, and also about our expectations regarding love. The main protagonist, Lizzie, is trying to make sense of herself and the world around her; to define what is real - what is her real self - Would she know who I was since I don’t recognize myself anymore?, but mostly she is acting as if playing a movie script. In a way what is real and what is artificial/unreal becomes blurred (her eyelash versus his brother's, reality versus photography, the two bodies scene). And those roles (which include gender roles) that Lizzie and the characters around her play, are the roles society expects you (and pressures you) to play so that you will be fulfilled, although mostly you aren't. The characters around Lizzie also serve to illustrate this: Simon who is really Amanda, Petula who goes through life following the trend of the moment, her father lipstick photo.

[Sally Whitehead · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so looking forward to this book. It's blurb claimed it to be quirky and bittersweet. Well, that's two of my favourite things in a book right there. Sadly, "In Search of the Missing Eyelash" was neither. It was readable, in places I'd go so far as to say mildly entertaining, but on the whole it was just a bit naff and not very well written.

Lizzie, the judgemental, shallow, self absorbed narrator is unconvincing and her emotional immaturity grating. Quite frankly she was a bit creepy, and not in a clever way.

Think a sort of Greasy Spoon Bridget Jones and you're about there.

[Menna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second half is much stronger than the first and once you’re past the first 100 pages or so the protagonist seems to mature as you read. I was initially quite worried about the attitude from the main character towards the trans community and towards her sister but it seems to be a process/journey for her as she reaches realisation that her sister is exactly who she was born to be. Overall a decent read despite the first half being a bit YA.

[Sofia Antonia Milone · Rating 4 out of 5]

NRH, Drama with Lesbian Romance/Obsession
Narrative POV/voice: First Person Subjective
Narrative time: Present tense

I started reading this, and I thought it was so gritty, literally dirty feeling, that I might be too disgusted by it. But I persevered and I was glad I did. This is such a basic story about how desperate people can become for the sake of a bit of kindness.

The characters were very well rounded and drawn, and the scenes beautifully set, grit and all.

[Bachyboy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lizzy is lonely. She misses her former lover, Sally and sets about stalking her. Her inability to move on from a relationship is at the centre of this book. I kept muddling the events and characters in this book with the last one I read! She is a character you fell like shaking a bit.

[Cerys Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a truly unique book, giving such a wonderful view of the agony when you refuse to let go of the past. I felt like I knew every characters; their flaws and their bad choices. Karen McLeod writes from a space of truth and elegance that enriches her story and real world.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just brilliant!!

[Sarah Faichney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story with many layers, beautifully told.

[Matt Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the few books I've read where all of the review blurbs on the cover are perfectly accurate.
twas excellent.