Mumsnet book club: January book of the month, Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey. Join the discussion and put your questions to author Emma Healey on Wednesday 28 January, 9-10pm.

[TillyBookClub]

Our January choice is a debut novel that comes with a whole heap of accolades: ELIZABETH IS MISSING is currently shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award 2014, and was shortlisted for the National Book Awards Popular Fiction Book of the Year 2014 and for the National Book Awards New Writer of the Year 2014. It also comes with high praise from previous Mumsnet web chatters Emma Donoghue and Jonathan Coe, among other fans. The book is narrated by Maud, who suffers from dementia, but knows that something has happened to her friend Elizabeth. Clues and mysteries are interwoven with her childhood memories, as Maud's confused mind jumps between past and present. It is a gripping suspense story, as well as a compassionate portrait of a 'missing' woman's struggle to find the truth.

You can find out more at our www.mumsnet.com/books/bookclub/2015/elizabeth-is-missing-emma-healey, or at Emmas's own website.

If you weren't lucky enough to bag one of the free books we have given away, you can always get a copy here.

We are delighted that Emma will be joining us on Wednesday 28 January, 9-10pm to discuss Elizabeth Is Missing, her tips on writing plus much more. Please feel free to discuss the book here throughout the month (avoiding spoilers if possible) and then come and meet Emma on the night, and ask her a question or simply tell her what you thought of the book.

Look forward to seeing you here on the 28th.

@TillyBookClub

It has been such a vivid and thoughtful discussion, thank you to everyone for taking part and for all your questions.

And Emma, you have been remarkable in your generous and articulate answers, and in giving us so much information about your writing process and ideas. It has been such a privilege to hear about the creative machinery (if that makes sense!) within your brilliant book.

Congratulations again on all your success, and please come again and tell us about your new book when it is published, we can't wait to read it.

Many, many thanks once more for joining us and best of luck with it all.

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to discuss the novel with you all - it's been a real honour. And many thanks to every one who left such lovely comments about the book. I'm really grateful.

only just finished the book as it arrived so late - really interesting answers from Emma - looking forward to her next book already

I didn't join the Q&A because I was still reading it. I finished it yesterday so am just joining to say: what a terrific book. I think Emma has pulled off an amazing feat in representing the point of view of someone with dementia - I wasn't convinced it was possible. Thought the book was both sad and moving, while at the same time brilliantly structured to reveal a bit at a time, keeping you guessing until the end.

Thank you very much for the free copy. I found this book really interesting and moving. it helps us to understand the struggle of someone with dementia and the situation of their family.
The style of the book reminds me to Emma Donoghue's Room.

I loved this book. It's not a book I would have chosen had I not had the free copy but found it really interesting. It gets continuously more confused, as it would given the perspective. Insightful and thought provoking alongside being a good read. Thanks for giving me the chance to try a new author

Just finished and loved it! Will be recommending it to my book club.

Really struck me that, when Maud's daughter thinks she is talking rubbish, we can actually see the sense of what Maud is saying, given we know her current train of thought.

I thought it was original and moving - I inhaled it in one sitting!

Just finished the book today. Took me three days which is amazingly quick with a toddler around! I really enjoyed it, but I could find myself drawn into the character of Helen and getting annoyed when Maid started repeating things. A really hard subject matter to portray and I thought it was very well written, you definitely felt Maud's memory declining as the book went on. I wouldn't have chosen it but I'm very glad to have read it. Thanks mumsnet :)

I've just finished! Really enjoyed it although have started to feel like my brain is almost as muddled as Maud's...

I loved this book, read it within 2 days which is unusual for me as I take time to get into a story, unfortunately did not start in time for the discussion. Very emotive, and informative. I do not have any experience of dementia but feel for families who are living with a relative who does and how sad for the person suffering to not really be the person they once were. Great insight.

What a great book!
Once I managed to start reading it, I found it very hard to put down. Definitely a book I'll be sharing.

A bit late to the party with this one .

It took me about a week to read the first chapter (due to lack of time rather than anything else), but once I'd read beyond that point, I was hooked and could not put it down.

It had echoes of a Barbara Vine novel about it so for me that made it a really appealing page-turning read.

Although it was very sad to experience Maud's muddle and confusion (revealed in a first person narrative), it was a very insightful study of dementia and worked well as a plot device to keep one guessing until the penultimate chapter.

Fantastic read on two levels - as a suspenseful thriller and also as a very realistic account of the hold that dementia takes.