One Puzzling Afternoon

I just finished One Puzzling Afternoon by Emily Critchley and here are my thoughts.
For 60 years she kept a secret. A secret that was not hers.
When Lucy befriends 15 year old Edie she cannot believe her luck! Lucy is pretty and popular, all the things Edie is not. Lucy has a secret, something Edie isn't sure she can keep to herself then Lucy disappears.
Edie is now eighty-four and still living in the same small town. No one believes her when she says she saw Lucy, 15 year old Lucy in the street. Edie gets confused a lot but not about this. She knows only she can figure out what happened to Lucy before she is gone forever.
This was one of those books that kind of settle on you in a deep impactful way. It was one of those books that takes all the emotions with gripping intrigue and an aura of mystery that will have you wishing the book would never end.
I am not usually a fan of dual timelines but this worked really well for me and the book flowed like a beautiful lyrical river. The prose was heartfelt and I really enjoyed that the author did a bang up job of researching for this book.
I loved the mystery elements in this book and I could really feel the effects dementia has on a person and their family. It was quite an incredible read and while the pace was slower than I normally enjoy, I found the whole book very entertaining and it will definitely be a book I will be thinking about for a long time to come. If you are looking for something light and uplifting, this is not the book for you. It's quite devastating and if you aren't prepared for it, it will hit you hard.
4.5 stars. Wow just wow! Loved every moment.


Thank you to @bookmarked and @netgalley for both gifted copies.