I requested this because I loved ‘Elizabeth is missing’ and ‘Three Things about Elsie’ - two books I loved. But then it got buried in my TBR. Apologies to the publishers, author and @netgalley for letting this one linger unread for so long.

This was a really good read. In 2018, an elderly lady called Edie starts talking to her family about her friend Lucy who disappeared in 1951. The book then flits between these two time frames and, although Edie is an unreliable narrator as she’s suffering with dementia, the mystery of what happened to Lucy is slowly revealed. It’s an interesting, slow burn, read and although it deals with some unsavoury subject matters (including a teacher grooming a schoolgirl), it does so with a light and sensitive touch.

I gather this was a debut and I would definitely look out for another one from this author. I recommend this one.

Unfortunately ran out of time to finish book, would be happy to give a full review if given an extension. Score given for what I managed to read of the book.

The characters are realistic and believable, and you can certainly feel yourself sharing in their emotions throughout.
Well paced, brilliant characterisation and an ending I didn't expect, this was a wonderful thriller. A complex, suspenseful plot with tension so thick that it felt palpable.

Wow, I am going to remember this book for a long time. It was beautifully written and the character were so three dimensional i almost forgot they weren’t real. It touched my heart and I’ll never forget it. I can’t wait to read more from the author.

A wonderful heartfelt mystery. Told in a dual timeline which gives you a great insight to the character and help you connect to her.
The story looks at dementia and the issues it raises for family’s. A lovely story although sad in places which I enjoyed

Lovely quirky read!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review.

The books centres around Edie now in later years and experiencing memory loss. However, one day she thinks she sees an old friend, Lucy, who went missing in 1951. The book flips between current day Edie and her relationships with her family and what's happening as a result of her worsening dementia and the story of her friendship with Lucy in the 50s.

Edie is determined to find out what happened to Lucy and uncover the truth about her disappearance.

I found this a compelling and well crafted story, and one where I cared about and had empathy with Edie.

The only part I found a little jarring was the Epilogue, but it did not detract from the overall enjoyment of the book and what eventually comes to light.

⭐️ 4 ⭐️

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

One Puzzling Afternoon is superbly written, and a stellar debut from Emily Critchley.

The characters are well-drawn, and I rooted for Edie, our protagonist, throughout.

The story is told over dual timelines as we learn about 15-year-old Edie in 1951 and 82-year-old Edie in 2018. I particularly enjoyed the chapters set in 1951 and thought Critchley did an excellent job of setting the scene and bringing the era to life.

Edie, in 2018, is confused and suffering from dementia. The author handled Edie’s story with sensitivity and a genuine understanding of the illness and the devastating effects it has not only on the sufferer but on their loved ones too. It’s poignant and heartbreaking, and one I struggled to read in parts after living with a loved one who suffered from a similar illness.

It’s a fantastic book — a well-plotted mystery with an intriguing plot that held my interest from beginning to end.

A slow burning cozy mystery that took me a while to get into but once I had I enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend if you like your thrillers on the slower side

This was a slow read at times but was written well especially the older edie storyline. Would recommend.

Very nicely done, the author gets inside the head of the older lady beautifully, depicting her confusion but never patronizing her. I found the episodes set in the past a little slow but overall a satisfying read

The novel opens in 2018. Edie is in her 80’s and believes she catches a glimpse of her girlhood friend, Lucy. But Lucy disappeared in the 1950’s, over 60 years ago. As Edie’s dementia worsens, teenage memories resurface, and she realises she is one of the very few people left who remembers Lucy - if she doesn’t find out what happened all those years ago, Lucy will be lost forever.

The story moves seemlessly between 1951 and 2018. The issues around Edie’s dementia are sensitively written. An exceptional read.

This was really enjoyable!
A mystery done in a dual timeline, as you try to unravel what happened to Edie's school friend Lucy. The dual timeline was really well done, each chapter gives you another clue.
Some scenes made my heart clench- the seances and the ending!
Really powerful read.

This is a poignant tale of mystery and dementia, written sensitively and beautifully. It follows the muddled recollections of an elderly and often confused Edie who has moments of lucid recollection of when her closest friend, Lucy went missing some nearly 70 years earlier. In fact the clever dual timeline allows the reader to slowly unravel the truth about what happened in 1951 whilst seeing the jigsaw pieced together through the mind of an octogenarian with gradually worsening dementia in 2018. We share the frustrations of Edie's muddled mind and see how frightened she becomes as her illness takes hold but also the heartbreak of a childhood with few friends and broken family. In the present day, Edie is close with her grandaughter who helps her to 'remember' the secret she has kept about what happened to Lucy and to 'eventually 'find' her. Their relationship is precious. The mystery twists and turns through the clever use of Edie's recollections and it is only right at the end of the book that the truth is revealed and it was a surprise to me after several other theories were gradually dispelled! A great read and even better that it is from a new author...bring on the next one :0)

Thoroughly entertaining, you can't beat a good mystery puzzle. Lots of fun and very on trend with the current swathe of mystery novels.

Really well written story & although it was a little slow to begin with it was quite a surprising read.
Covering two time lines of 1951 & 2018 it follows the story of Edie who is battling the first stages of dementia.
It is filled with mystery & intrigue as Eddie struggles to separate her wandering thoughts of past & present.
In 1951 her friend Lucy vanished & was never found.
Edie has flashbacks & is determined to find out what happened to Lucy before she completely loses her mind to dementia.
Beautifully & sensitively written this emotional story comes with some clever twists I did not see coming.
An interesting read & I would certainly like to read more from this author.

Edie is looking for her friend Lucy, she knows something has happened to her, but she can't quite remember what.
Told between two timelines, 1951 and 2018 the story of Edie and Lucy is unravelled.
In the same vein as Elizabeth is Missing this book covers dementia, as well as other difficult topics. There were some really sad moments, but despite this the book had me hooked, it was so good.
Edie is a fabulous older character and the mystery surrounding Lucy left me guessing throughout. The way Edie interacts with family in the more recent timeline felt true to life and I felt the frustrations of each of the characters.
Well written and one that will stay with me.
Please note there may be some triggers in this book.

Edie is a lovely elderly lady who's starting to have memory lapses and her family are getting worried that she can't live independently for much longer. In amongst her memory loss she has flashes of the past and in particular the disappearance of her friend Lucy when they were teenagers, Edie starts to become fixated on finding Lucy and solving the mystery of what happened to her.

We go back to Edie's youth in the 1950s and the dynamics of her family, and Lucy's family plays out. Edie's mum is a psychic, hamming it up to make money she's always thought, but when she reads Lucy's future it becomes evident she may have a real gift... but what part will Edie discover she played in her friend's disappearance?

This is a lovely cosy read, similar to Eleanor Oliphant or Harold Fry, Edie is a brilliant central character and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with her!

Poignant, emotionally charged, sensitive and well written. A story that made me cry buckets and kept turning pages.
Excellent storytelling, well plotted, great characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

One Puzzling Afternoon is a new book, published on 25th May.

This story follows Edie, an elderly lady in the early stages of dementia. One day she’s sure she sees her friend Lucy, exactly as she was in 1951 when she went missing. The police never found out what happened to her. With the help of her granddaughter, Edie slowly pieces together her fragmented memories of what happened, but will anyone believe her?

Edie is such a lovely character, she’s a sweet lady and you really feel for her as she struggles to cope with her condition. I could just picture her and I warmed to her character.
“I’ve still got all my marbles, even if they’re sometimes in the wrong order.”
The other characters are well done too, and Edie’s family are kind and supportive. I really didn’t like Mr Wheaton or Reg, they were such slimy, horrible people.

The story is dual timeline and alternates between 2018 and 1951. This way we slowly find out more about Edie’s childhood and what really happened to Lucy.

There’s a mix of emotional scenes and also some humour in the story. It’s sad to see Edie’s decline and how it upsets her and her family. Lucy was going through a difficult time and Edie’s step father was a piece of work. This is balanced with some lighter, more humorous parts.

I thought Edie’s dementia was dealt with sensitively and her perspective made it more poignant.

This isn’t a fast paced book and at times I thought it was a bit slow but this could be because I often read more pacy novels. The story was moving and overall I enjoyed it.

Thanks to Bonnier Books and NetGalley for my copy to review.