Missing Christina

by Meredith Whitford

As death approaches, family secrets will be revealed… ‘Not long now,’ the Doctor says grimly. Jaques’s mother is clinging to life. He and his brother Toby wait for the inevitable. As they deal with all the business of death, Jaques reflects on his relationship with the mother he loved. She was fun, amusing, witty – she knew how to be happy. She was a good companion, and she was his friend. But as the family come to terms with their grief, they discover secrets from the past that threaten to change everything. Can the family manage to salvage Christina’s memory and the family ties that hold them together? And is everyone in the family being honest? From the acclaimed novelist Meredith Whitford, Missing Christina is a heartfelt, gripping tale of familial strife and parental love. Praise for Meredith Whitford "If ever there were a book made for a relaxing long weekend, this would be an excellent choice." - Carl Delprat, Author of The Red Book, Compulsive Reader "A fascinating book, well written, with humour and unforgettable characters." - Tess Woods, Winner of Book of the Year for Love at First Flight and Top Ten nominated for Best New Author in the Reader's Choice Awards 2015, AusRom Today "Finely drawn characters in an intriguing family who take the reader into their secretive world." - Brian Kavanagh, author of the Belinda Lawrence Mysteries Meredith Whitford, a child of adoption herself, gives a heart-breaking insight into the psychological harm the issue of adoption can inflict. Meredith has published two successful historical novels, Treason and Shakespeare’s Will, and in 2014 a biography, Churchill’s Jessica Mitford. She is an editor and manuscript assessor, director of Between Us Manuscript Assessment Service. She lives in South Australia and has a BA in English, History, and Classics from the University of Adelaide, and a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing from Flinders University.

Genres: Amazon

268 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 20, 2017

About the author

Meredith Whitford lives in South Australia. She has a BA from the University of Adelaide and a Master's degree in Creative Writing from Flinders University. Her four published books are TREASON, fiction about Richard III; SHAKESPEARE'S WILL (also fiction,about WS's marriage) and MISSING CHRISTINA, a novel which draws on her experiences as an adopted child and includes a South Australian mystery, and the biography CHURCHIILL'S REBELS: JESSICA MITFORD & ESMOND ROMILLY. She won readers awards for TREASON and the biography. She has just finished another historical novel and is working on a family biography. She is a freelance editor, and as director of Between Us Manuscript Assessment Service has worked on several prize-winning books. Her interests are reading, history, and sleeping.
http://meredithwh.wixsite.com/home
www.betweenusmanuscripts.com .
She can be contacted at meredithwh@yahoo.com

Reviews

[Mare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating story

This is one of the best books I've read this year. Well formed characters, interesting settings, and Avery well written tale make this book the perfect way to spend a weekend. Loved the humor and delightful twists.

[Stephen Crabbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This narrative gripped me from the start because of its strong voice, that of a contemporary young man who does not seem out of place to strangers in the modern Anglophonic world. The reader is never aware of the author’s presence as she maintains this deep point of view to the end. The result is that we are constantly right there in the shoes of the protagonist-narrator, perceiving and feeling all that he does. It makes for a powerful experience indeed.

The story takes us from England to Australia and back; differences between the geographical and cultural environments are conveyed deftly. Fascination deepens quickly with the mystery of family history and deception, intertwining with verifiable facts of murder investigations as well as possibilities still to be explored. Characters emerge vividly, and much interest comes from the way relationships among them change as they discover more about each other. (It’s probably because of my own personal weakness, but I was sometimes briefly confused about who was who in the large cast of minor characters.)

The central theme of this novel, it’s probably fair to say, is the varied forms love takes and the different ways it is acted out. But there’s also hatred, murder, and some cruelty that I can only describe as evil. And yet, at the same time, there is humour coming largely from the personality of the narrator and his witty, educated but colloquial language.

Very soon after starting to read this novel, you’ll know you’re in the hands of a highly intelligent and skilled story-teller. If you let her carry you through, you’ll be very, very satisfied.

[Jennifer Macaire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read such a good book in ages. I even found myself slowing down to enjoy the prose. The story is both simple and complex - at his mother's death, Jacques finds that his family is falling apart. And then a woman contacts him for information concerning the mysterious kidnapping and presumed murder of one of his mother's pen-friends in Australia. At first Jacques is dismissive, but when he starts digging, he discovers secrets and more secrets, true love - and murder. I can't recommend this book enough - it moves slowly, almost dreamily, buoyed by Jacques' narrative. I found myself wishing the book would never end. The author gives us time to get to know the characters, and draws us deeper and deeper into their lives as the narrator uncovers the lies and mystery surrounding his family. Haunting and beautifully written. Very highly recommended.

[cheryl giles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating topic

The notes about the different time period were captivating. I'm old enough to be familiar with the time period of the setting, to realize how vastly different the world is now, that all the major issues of the book, unwed motherhood, adoption, homosexuality, are all viewed and treated differently by and large. In these things the world is definitely a better place now than it once was.
I almost gave up. I thought the story would be too sad. I'm so glad I persevered. The resolution of the mysteries were wonderfully entwined with the personal growth of the characters. What was surprisingly was to find out how much love was the engine for the actual historical events when at first glance the opposite seemed true.
Overall, I hated for the story to end even though it was time. It was rather like saying goodbye to friends.

[Mrs J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling Read

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found the central character really believable, and her life story really real, despite the fact that readers never actually meet her. I hope she has written more

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to give this book a 4* and the only reason I didn't is because the same story was told my so many people in the book, I started skipping some, but it was a good book.

[Cjmcd5662 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

Interesting storyline right up to the very end. It was not what I expected the end would be. Great mystery.