Review of THE NIGHT IN QUESTION by Susan Fletcher

 4 Stars

This book emphasizes that it is never too late to embark on a journey of self-discovery.

The setting is Babbington Hall, a British assisted living facility. Renata Green, the manager, falls from her window, a fall that most deem a suicide attempt. However, Florrie Butterfield, an 87-year-old resident who witnessed the fall and had recently interacted with Renata, believes she was pushed. Though wheelchair-bound, Florrie sets out to investigate, aided by Stanhope Jones, a fellow resident.

As they play amateur sleuths, Florrie reflects on her life which has certainly been unconventional. There’s a dark secret in her past she has difficulty even thinking about, much less speaking of to anyone. The nature of the secret is not revealed until the end, but it obviously influenced the choices she made throughout her life, especially with regard to relationships.

It is impossible not to like Florrie. She is intelligent, curious, and empathetic. She is unfailingly kind to others. Though a dark secret has shadowed her life from the age of seventeen, she tries to remain positive and cheerful. She finds beauty and wonder in the simplest of things. Florrie is able to uncover what happened to Renata because she sees similarities between them. She surmises correctly that they are both hiding from traumatic events in their pasts: Florrie married Victor, and Renata chose a job and quiet life in the Oxfordshire countryside.

Florrie is a dynamic character. For seventy years she has carried a secret. Despite her best friend urging her to speak of it, she has not been able to bring herself to do so. Only as an octogenarian does she learn to forgive herself and to embrace the chance to be loved and happy. In many ways, this is a late-in-life coming-of-age story. 

The mystery is slow-paced, as befits the two elderly detectives. It can be described as a type of locked-room mystery since the suspect must be someone with access to the retired residence. My only objection to the solution is that it relies on hidden identities. There are three characters whose names have been changed!

Though a cozy, charming, and heart-warming story, there is some substance to it. It emphasizes the importance of friendship, gratitude, and maintaining a sense of wonder. It also shows that love can exist in many forms and that one should accept that love and live life to its fullest.

I listened to the audiobook version and it would be remiss of me not to mention the narrator, Jenny Funnell. She has the perfect voice for this book; even her Polish accent for Magda is perfect. I’m sure I’m not the only one who thought the narrator was Judy Dench.

I really enjoyed listening to this book on my morning walks. It is funny, sad, wise, tender, and uplifting with endearing and memorable characters.