Three Things About Elsie

"We explored pockets of the past. Favourite stories were retold, to make sure they hadn't been forgotten. Scenes were sandpapered down to make them easier to hold. When we walked about the war, we didn't mention the loss and the fear and the misery; we talked about the friendships instead, and the strange solidarity that is always born of making do. There were people missing from our conversations, and others were coloured in and underlined. Those who made life easier were found again, and those who caused problems were disappeared. It's the great advantage of reminiscing. The past can be exactly how you wanted it to be the first time around."

Three Things About Elsie is the second novel by British psychiatrist and author, Joanna Cannon. The last month has seen quite a bit of upheaval in eighty-four-year-old Miss Florence Claybourne's life, and now she's had a fall. As she lies on the living room floor of her flat at Cherry Tree Sheltered Accommodation, waiting to be discovered and taken care of, Flo (to her close friends) thinks back on the events of the last few weeks.

It all started when flat number twelve became vacant, and Gabriel Price moved in. Florence was sure she recognised the new man: it was Ronnie Butler, and that had her puzzled and a bit scared because she knew Ronnie Butler had drowned in 1953. So, what was he doing here, calling himself Gabriel Price? Was she losing her mind? But her best friend since they were little, Elsie agreed they needed to find out what was really going on.

Another resident at Cherry Tree, general Jack is soon enlisted in their investigations and proves a willing and able ally. But unravelling this sixty-year-old mystery is going to need Flo's memory, and that's not what it used to be. "I can't find a memory I trust", she tells Jack. She tries to explain that "…sometimes memories don't want to be remembered, that they crouch behind all the other memories in the corner of your mind, trying to be unfound." Unfortunately, Florence is a rather unreliable narrator. Nonetheless, their determination leads them to one witness after another, each providing a clue to nudge Flo's memory.

One thing about Elsie: whenever Florence is feeling uncertain, Elsie reminds her of seemingly insignificant little encounters that illustrate Flo's kindness. These are revisited in Flo's mind, but are also shown from a different perspective in conversations between other characters, thus forming delightfully satisfying connections in the story. And they illustrate how these tiny encounters can have a profound effect on lives.

Cannon has woven her tale with skill and flair. Her plot is believable, with a well-disguised twist. Her characters are ordinary people with little quirks that make them oh so human and easily recognisable: that elderly lady whose thoughts, however unpalatable, are voiced both aloud, and loud, is someone we all have encountered. They're leading ordinary, everyday lives, which makes them easy to identify with and care about.

Cannon gives her characters many words of wisdom; Flo herself, Elsie, Jack and even Handy Simon make insightful (and often amusing) observations about life. "…I suppose losing your mind can prove quite helpful sometimes, because it does hint there is a possibility, however slim, that you may find it again." "When your days are small, routine is the only scaffolding that holds you together." "…Simon wondered where his life ended and their life began, and how we could all be stitched so tightly together, yet the threads between everybody still go unnoticed." "Sometimes you need to hold on to a small worry, to stop you from reaching out for something bigger." "When you get older, the years become heavier, though, don't you think? Some decades weigh more than others." "…just remember there is so very much more to us than the worst thing we have ever done." "…the hardest part of losing anyone is that you still have to live with the same scenery. It's just that the person you are used to isn't a part of it any more, and all you notice are the gaps where they used to be. It feels as though, if you concentrated hard enough, you could find them again in those empty spaces. Waiting for you."

Joanna Cannon's second novel, a cold case mystery wrapped inside a charming tale full of wonderful characters, is funny, moving and thought-provoking: another brilliant read from this talented author.