The Obituary Writer: A Novel

A novel following two women across different time periods. In 1961, on the day of John F. Kennedy's inauguration, Claire is a young wife and mother drawn to the glamour of Jackie O. She faces a difficult choice between remaining in her unhappy marriage or pursuing a relationship with a man she loves, who may be the father of her unborn child. Decades earlier, in 1919, Vivien Lowe works as an obituary writer while searching for her lover, who vanished in the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. Through writing obituaries, Vivien helps others process grief while grappling with her own profound loss. The novel explores an unexpected connection between Claire and Vivien that transforms one of their lives in surprising ways. Blending literary mystery and love story, the book examines marriage and love, the expectations placed on wives and mothers, and the experiences of grief, regret, and hope.