Talking to the Dead: A Novel (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Beautifully done!  I can't wait to read the next story she writes."                           

                                                                                                            Francine Rivers, best-selling author of Redeeming Love.

Product Description

Twenty-something Kate Davis can't seem to get this grieving widow thing right. She's supposed to put on a brave face and get on with her life, right? Instead she's camped out on her living room floor, unwashed, unkempt, and unable to sleep-because her husband Kevin keeps talking to her.

Is she losing her mind?

Kate's attempts to find the source of the voice she hears are both humorous and humiliating, as she turns first to an "eclectically spiritual" counselor, then a shrink with a bad toupee, a mean-spirited exorcist, and finally group therapy. There she meets Jack, the warmhearted, unconventional pastor of a ramshackle church, and at last the voice subsides. But when she stumbles upon a secret Kevin was keeping, Kate's fragile hold on the present threatens to implode under the weight of the past . and Kevin begins to shout.

Will the voice ever stop? Kate must confront her grief to find the grace to go on, in this tender, quirky story about second chances.

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Product Details Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: David C. Cook; New edition (June 1, 2009) Language: English ISBN-10: 1434766411 ISBN-13: 978-1434766410 Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1 inches Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #570,326 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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	95% buy the item featured on this page: Talking to the Dead: A Novel 4.7 out of 5 stars (33) $11.24
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Customer Reviews

33 Reviews 5 star:  (25) 4 star:  (6) 3 star:  (2) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.7 out of 5 stars (33 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Good grief, this book was enthralling!, March 17, 2009 By  Michelle Sutton (Arizona) - See all my reviews Talking to the Dead is a page turner in the truest sense of the word. You'll forget to eat while you are reading this story! No joke! I read this book in two sittings. It was absolutely amazing. Talking to the Dead is making my best of 2009 fiction list for sure. The writing was so well done I'd never guess it was a debut novel. I loved how the author didn't hold back on any of the issues that the character Kate was dealing with. Plus, the ending made me smile and emit a satisfied sigh. I've read some other books dealing with pain and grief and none of them come close to being as good as this one. It almost reads like a suspense in that you find out a little bit more and a little bit more as the story moves along. More than once I found myself saying, "No way!" Yet it was totally believable. The way her mind dealt with the trauma, like when she watched that short video clip over and over was SO well done. I felt like I was Kate and I hurt right along with her. At the same time I rejoiced with her when things started turning around. The dialog was also done amazing as well. The honesty of the spiritual journey and the character's inner voice was fabulous. And for people who don't know much about mental health issues, I loved how accurate and true-to-life the story was. Clearly the author did her research in many areas. I can't say enough great things about this debut novel. If you don't buy any other books this year, get this one! 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning, August 7, 2009 By  Kelly Slater "kalea_kane" (Prescott, AZ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    Stunned, stunning, stuntabulous! Okay. The last was absolutely not a word, but Talking to the Dead a novel by Bonnie Grove is simply the kind of book that takes you places you never have been to before. Following Kate as she suffers the grief of her husband Kevin's death at such a young age is mesmerizing. Certainly, Kate's first response of quiet withdrawal makes perfect sense. How do you move on when the love of your life has died? But also how do you move on when there are pieces of your life that are also missing? Lastly, what do you do when you hear the voice of your dead husband clearly speaking to you? The ride is amazing. I seriously did not know what direction Kate's story was going to take. Every detail and chapter led me closer to the conclusion, but I certainly was not sure of what that conclusion was. I LOVED THAT! I cannot tell you how often I have read a book and have completely figured out the ending. This doesn't always take away from a story, but it is sure nice to really be taken along for an adventurous ride. A ride that was sad, happy, frightening, thought provoking, and fully moving. This is a book I thoroughly enjoyed with fresh characters from an author whose work I will now highly anticipate. 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars From Grief to Healing, August 5, 2009 By  Jeanette Hanscome "Writer and book lover" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    Grieving widow Kate Davis can't get her husband's voice out of her head. As she camps out on the living room floor and avoids going upstairs even if it means not showering for weeks, she begins to question her sanity. When Kevin's voice goes from comfortingly familiar to cruel, Kate determines to find out why he keeps showing up. Kate's quest takes her from phsychiatrists, to group therapy, to a frightening attempted exorcism, and almost to the brink. A kind pastor with a passion for inner city youth offers a break from the mental chaos. But can Kate's mind handle the truth behind Kevin's unrelenting then suddenly absent voice? Bonnie Groves does a beautiful job of weaving humor into Kate's journey through grief, difficult truths, and struggling to accept God's love. While the book delves into tough topics, the "I know someone just like that" characters and Kate's often hilareous observations keep the tone from getting too heavy. This could have easily been a depression story. Instead I had a hard time letting go of it for the night. In the end I wished I knew Kate so I could check in on how she was doing.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars She better write another one! I don't know why I didn't write about this book earlier. "Twenty-something Kate Davis can't seem to get this grieving widow thing right. Read more Published 2 days ago by jlkelly 5.0 out of 5 stars You Don't Want to Miss Out on This Book! Very rarely do I come across a book that just leaves me floored the whole way through. Except for one tiny little break, I read this book from cover to cover, and loved every... Read more Published 3 days ago by C. Janes 4.0 out of 5 stars Talking to the Dead & Finding the Living ONE Normally I would RUN from a book of this type of title - I would not give it a second glance or consideration. Read more Published 26 days ago by L. VanderStel 5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating This is a wonderful book. I just read it in one night. I ignored my growling stomach to turn one more page. Read more Published 1 month ago by booklover1983 5.0 out of 5 stars I am sooo breathless and refreshed! Have you ever lost someone you loved so deeply you had no idea what to do with yourself in their absence? Read more Published 1 month ago by misseslavigne 3.0 out of 5 stars depressing The cover made the book sound so interesting! The story started out very sad and quickly turned down-right depressing. Read more Published 2 months ago by J. Redding 4.0 out of 5 stars Are there ghosts? This is such an interesting concept for a book. We follow a new widow as she goes on her journey of grief. Or is it grief? Read more Published 2 months ago by Janna R. Ryan 5.0 out of 5 stars Talking to the Dead Talking to the Dead Bonnie Grove 2009 David C Cook Fiction/Christian Reviewed by Cindy Loven Kate Davis is sinking! Read more Published 2 months ago by Cindy Loven 5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, very much a page turner... I was very impressed by this book. From the very first page to the last it keeps you going. I felt that I knew Kate and watching her go through all this but couldn't talk to her... Read more Published 3 months ago by Anna D. Barry 4.0 out of 5 stars A good read Kate Davis has just went through one of the most horrific experiences that anyone can go through...that is buring her husband. Kevin and Kate were married for five years. Read more Published 3 months ago by Cheryl K Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: David C. Cook; New edition (June 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1434766411
• ISBN-13: 978-1434766410
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #570,326 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good grief, this book was enthralling!, March 17, 2009

By	Michelle Sutton (Arizona) - See all my reviews

Talking to the Dead is a page turner in the truest sense of the word. You'll forget to eat while you are reading this story! No joke! I read this book in two sittings. It was absolutely amazing. Talking to the Dead is making my best of 2009 fiction list for sure. The writing was so well done I'd never guess it was a debut novel. I loved how the author didn't hold back on any of the issues that the character Kate was dealing with. Plus, the ending made me smile and emit a satisfied sigh. I've read some other books dealing with pain and grief and none of them come close to being as good as this one. It almost reads like a suspense in that you find out a little bit more and a little bit more as the story moves along. More than once I found myself saying, "No way!" Yet it was totally believable. The way her mind dealt with the trauma, like when she watched that short video clip over and over was SO well done. I felt like I was Kate and I hurt right along with her. At the same time I rejoiced with her when things started turning around. The dialog was also done amazing as well. The honesty of the spiritual journey and the character's inner voice was fabulous. And for people who don't know much about mental health issues, I loved how accurate and true-to-life the story was. Clearly the author did her research in many areas. I can't say enough great things about this debut novel. If you don't buy any other books this year, get this one!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning, August 7, 2009

By	Kelly Slater "kalea_kane" (Prescott, AZ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Stunned, stunning, stuntabulous! Okay. The last was absolutely not a word, but Talking to the Dead a novel by Bonnie Grove is simply the kind of book that takes you places you never have been to before. Following Kate as she suffers the grief of her husband Kevin's death at such a young age is mesmerizing. Certainly, Kate's first response of quiet withdrawal makes perfect sense. How do you move on when the love of your life has died? But also how do you move on when there are pieces of your life that are also missing? Lastly, what do you do when you hear the voice of your dead husband clearly speaking to you?

The ride is amazing. I seriously did not know what direction Kate's story was going to take. Every detail and chapter led me closer to the conclusion, but I certainly was not sure of what that conclusion was. I LOVED THAT! I cannot tell you how often I have read a book and have completely figured out the ending. This doesn't always take away from a story, but it is sure nice to really be taken along for an adventurous ride. A ride that was sad, happy, frightening, thought provoking, and fully moving.

This is a book I thoroughly enjoyed with fresh characters from an author whose work I will now highly anticipate.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From Grief to Healing, August 5, 2009

By	Jeanette Hanscome "Writer and book lover" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Grieving widow Kate Davis can't get her husband's voice out of her head. As she camps out on the living room floor and avoids going upstairs even if it means not showering for weeks, she begins to question her sanity. When Kevin's voice goes from comfortingly familiar to cruel, Kate determines to find out why he keeps showing up.

Kate's quest takes her from phsychiatrists, to group therapy, to a frightening attempted exorcism, and almost to the brink. A kind pastor with a passion for inner city youth offers a break from the mental chaos. But can Kate's mind handle the truth behind Kevin's unrelenting then suddenly absent voice?

Bonnie Groves does a beautiful job of weaving humor into Kate's journey through grief, difficult truths, and struggling to accept God's love. While the book delves into tough topics, the "I know someone just like that" characters and Kate's often hilareous observations keep the tone from getting too heavy. This could have easily been a depression story. Instead I had a hard time letting go of it for the night. In the end I wished I knew Kate so I could check in on how she was doing.