Series of three interrelated narratives about middle aged women who have lost important men in their lives to violent deaths and are seeking to reconnect with them through spiritualist/psychical channels. Set in the Thatcher era in England. This was an unusual book because the stories are too interrelated to be short stories, yet aren't really strongly connected to one another as a narrative.

The main theme here is that the dead are not perfect but that doesn't stop us from missing and mourning them. In fact, part of what makes the relationships so complexly envisioned is that the more prickly the relationship between living woman and dead man seemed to be, the more guilt and confusion she felt at his passing. I was really fascinated by the stories of Hugo and Stephen, Hugo most of all. The third portion of the narrative was the weakest (I thought) but was used to tie all the threads together nicely.

On the whole a thought provoking and disturbing book. Very well written and absorbing but also easy to read, not a slog. He has a deft touch for human emotions and expresses them in an understated yet constantly believable way. ( )