"Life is messy, God is love"

... that is a quote often used by Bonnie Grove, the author of the novel I just finished,

Talking to the Dead. It is, in fact, the tagline to her website.

Talking to the Dead is my book club's first book choice for March. I was very excited to start reading this one, there were many excellent reviews for it online and just the synopsis of the book made me want to read it immediately.

The book is difficult, though. It starts off a little slow, but when it picks up, it really picks up. The story made me so angry at times. I'm pretty sure if I was reading it on anything other than my iPad, I would've thrown it across the room several times.

It's the story of Kate. And she's just lost her husband, completely unexpectedly to a heart condition, much like what happened to John Ritter. And, like anyone would be, she is stunned.

Following his funeral, when everyone finally clears out of her house and she's left on her own, she starts hearing Kevin, her dead husband, talking to her. Nothing spectacular, such as describing heaven, or what it's like to die, just everyday, mundane facts. Such as, "You always burn the toast". At first she takes comfort in this, his voice, talking to her, but then she realizes that she has lost a significant part of her memory. She has no idea what happened on the day of his death. She doesn't remember what she was doing before she found out and she also realizes that she doesn't recall much of the events in the weeks and months leading up to his death.

As the story progresses and she sees a shrink or two, some of the memories start coming back and Kevin's voices changes from speaking to her to shouting at her. And not shouting nice things, either.

It's very disturbing and what Kate has to go through to find a place of healing is very difficult to read and to imagine.

I read a review that a reader had written on Barnes and Noble online and the author of the review wrote that Bonnie Grove "never takes the easy way out" in this story. She never sugar coats things and makes them easier and lighthearted for the reader.

I am so glad I read this novel. It was a real eye-opener and I feel like just knowing this story brought me a little bit closer to God.

I definitely recommend it!