#BlogTour The Night In Question – Susan Fletcher

Florence Butterfield has lived an extraordinary life full of travel, passion and adventure. But, at eighty-seven, she suspects there are no more surprises to come her way.

Then, one midsummer’s night, something terrible happens – so strange and unexpected that Florrie is suspicious. Was this really an accident, or is she living alongside a would-be murderer? The only clue is a magenta envelope, discarded earlier that day.

And Florrie – cheerfully independent but (as with so many women in her life space) often overlooked – is the only person determined to uncover the truth.

As she turns detective, Florence finds herself looking back on her own life . . . and a long-buried secret, traced in faded scars across her knuckles, becomes ever harder to ignore.

I think The Night In Question is going to be my book of 2024, if not it will be giving any other contenders a proper fight to the top. I utterly adored this book and I will try and articulate why but it is one of those books which is just perfection and gives that feeling when finished. You know the one where you feel like you have lived a life and truly known the characters and almost grieve for their loss from your life. I don’t like to compare books to others really as each story is unique but this has left me with the same sense of satisfaction, loss and joy that I felt with Still Life and Beartown. Prepare yourself!

Florrie is a fascinating lady – she has ended up with an amputation after a rather unfortunate sequence of events, certainly something that for many would be a minor injury, and as a result now needs to live in a supported style of accommodation. Whilst here there are several tragic events in quick succession and whilst they might all be considered unfortunate but can be explained, something feels off to Florrie. Some recent conversations have put doubt in her mind and she wants to unpick what has really gone on.

The story is told in the present as Florrie investigates but mixed alongside are flashbacks into key moments from her past. She has lived a life and has so many fascinating stories. Digging a little deeper there is also a lot of hidden pain and episodes which, decades later, remain too raw for discussion. We meet partners, family, friends and follow her around the world. She is someone who wasn’t afraid to take risks and make decisions about her life that set her aside from many other women of her age. Whilst some choose marriage, children and a domestic life, Florrie chose otherwise.

Whilst Florrie investigates, she has assistance from some of the other residents and there are some absolute gems here too. I loved getting to know little snippets about them, so many characters and a lot more than might initially meet the eye. Absolutely never write off someone as dull based on stage of life!

This story is just everything – I will be recommending loudly and widely. It is so beautifully written and so well plotted – I just loved it and I really really hope you will too.

About Susan Fletcher: Susan Fletcher was born in Birmingham and studied English Literature at the University of York. Whilst taking the MA in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, she began her first novel, Eve Green, which won the Whitbread First Novel Award (2004) and Betty Trask Prize (2005). Since then, Susan has written seven novels – whilst also supplementing her writing through various roles, including as a barperson, a cheesemonger and a warden for an archaeological excavation site near Hadrian’s Wall. Most recently, she has been a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the University of Worcester. She lives in Warwickshire.