Exploring Memory, Mystery, and the Power of a Promise
Emma Healey’s Elizabeth is Missing is a compelling and haunting novel that weaves together two mysteries through the eyes of Maud, an elderly woman living with dementia. It is as much a detective story as it is a poignant portrayal of memory loss, reminding readers of the complexities of ageing, the persistence of love, and the deep emotional threads that tie us to the past.
Maud is convinced that her best friend, Elizabeth, is missing. She finds notes in her pockets and messages around her home reminding her of this urgent concern—yet no one else seems to take her seriously. Her daughter Helen, her carers, and even the police dismiss her claims as confusion caused by her deteriorating memory.
However, Maud’s conviction is rooted in something deeper. As she obsessively searches for Elizabeth, she is also drawn into memories of another disappearance—her sister Sukey, who vanished without a trace shortly after the Second World War. These memories rise and fall unpredictably, with Maud slipping between the present and the past, her thoughts fragmented but emotionally resonant.
What unfolds is a dual narrative told through Maud’s unreliable but deeply human perspective. As her mind falters, her heart remains steadfast, determined to uncover the truth—even if she can’t always remember what she’s looking for.
Healey’s writing is both tender and unsettling. By choosing to tell the story from Maud’s perspective, the reader is immersed in the disorientation, repetition, and frustration of dementia. It’s an unsettling yet enlightening experience, offering a rare and authentic voice that refuses to flatten or romanticise the condition.
Maud’s determination is touching, her moments of lucidity heartbreaking, and her confusion is depicted with empathy and nuance. What makes Elizabeth is Missing especially powerful is that the central mystery is not just about solving a crime, but about bearing witness to a life slowly becoming unrecognisable—even to the one living it.
The book also explores themes of independence, the relationship between mothers and daughters, the loss of self, and the social invisibility that can come with ageing. For those of us who work with or care for people living with dementia, Maud’s story is painfully familiar yet refreshingly honest.
3 Comments
Lynne Amos · April 14, 2025 at 9:42 pm
I wasn’t so keen on the style of writing in this book. I found it difficult to understand how Maud, obviously in the later stages of dementia could give such a lucid account of the present day events.
The disappearance of her sister when she was still a child had clearly disturbed her throughout her life. Something about Sukey’s disappearance was lodged in Maud’s mind and the confusion of dementia seemed to almost bring it to the foreground but then get lost in Maud’s search for her good friend Elizabeth.
At times I was frustrated with Maud’s daughter Helen and Elizabeth’s son Peter for not telling Maud where Elizabeth was ( in a care home), but of course they have told her several times, we just aren’t told about it.
There was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing with timelines, back to when Sukey went missing but I believe that was all relevant to the eventual revelation of the whereabouts of Sukey’s body which hopefully brought some closure for Maud.
Overall a sad reminder of the awful disease that dementia is and I would recommend that anyone caring for someone with dementia read books like this to try and get some perspective of how that person’s mind is working
Joyce Beadnall · April 16, 2025 at 7:03 pm
Overall, I found this book an easy read , because Emma Healey gave so much detail about feelings, fears and frustrations. I couldn’t help but sympathise with Maud’s frustrations , feelings of loss and sadness. Her determination not to be fobbed off was admirable! She was very perceptive and sensitive to her daughter’s mood and irritability, especially when she was completing tasks ‘looking after’ her mother .
I felt sad for them both at times; Helen juggling a full time self employed job, gardening, parenting and caring for Mum. Maud wishing she could find Elizabeth , remember things and feel independent . I think Maud missed the smiles and quality time with her daughter , rather than having snatches of conversation interrupted as Helen was dashing around , completing tasks.
A significant event for me was when her granddaughter was with her: smiling , kind and caring . It had a positive effect on Maud too, I think: her granddaughter responding warmly , as she used to.
I found the time changes within chapters very confusing, however. But during our discussion it was suggested that such dotting about in time might be just what having dementia might be like . Very confusing for Maud then !
It’s a very enlightening book and definitely gave me more insight : into the difficulties felt by people living with dementia – and their careers . A very unenviable position to be in .
Kathryn Hoey · April 18, 2025 at 11:31 am
Elizabeth is Missing is engaging, but also confusing. There is no timeline and at times it is hard to follow if events are taking place in the past or the present. The fact that Maud’s confused mind keeps mixing reality with memories, making it quite hard to keep tract of what is really going on. Did the author do this deliberately to help the reader experience what it must be like to have dementia?
Even though it was very confusing at times, I found myself almost compelled to keep reading because I wanted to know what really happened – what had happened to Elizabeth and what had happened many decades ago. At times I found it painful to keep reading especially when Maud realises she must have done something wrong or had asked the exact same question over and over again.
On top of the mysteries that have to be solved, the difficulties Maud has to face because of her condition, really gives a good impression of what it must be like for those who struggle with failing memories.
All in all I think Elizabeth is Missing is touching, at times sad, at times amusing and also has the potential to educate others.
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