Emma Healey's Elizabeth is Missing masterfully combines psychological thriller and poignant exploration of dementia. Praised for its unique perspective and gripping narrative, the protagonist's voice is both compelling and heartbreaking. However, some critics note a slow pace and predictability in certain plot points. Overall, it is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant read.

Readers who savor gripping psychological mysteries with a deeply personal, emotional core will find Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey riveting. Fans of The Girl on the Train and Still Alice will appreciate the novel's exploration of memory and identity through the perspective of an elderly woman with dementia.

Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey, published in 2014, follows Maud Horsham, an elderly woman with dementia who obsessively searches for her missing friend Elizabeth while grappling with the unresolved disappearance of her sister Sukey from the 1940s. Supported by her daughter Helen and caregiver Carla, Maud struggles with her fragmented memory, trying to piece together clues from both her past and present in a desperate attempt to uncover the truth.

Mysterious / Melancholic / Unnerving / Contemplative

- *Elizabeth is Missing* is Emma Healey's debut novel and won the Costa First Novel Award in 2014, establishing her as a prominent new voice in fiction.
- The book's protagonist, Maud, is an elderly woman with dementia, which adds complexity to the narrative structure, as it explores themes of memory and aging.
- The novel has been adapted into a BBC television film starring Glenda Jackson, who came out of retirement to play the lead role in 2019.

**Maud Horsham**  
An elderly woman with dementia who is determined to solve the mysteries of her missing sister Sukey and best friend Elizabeth, despite her struggle with memory loss.

**Helen**  
Maud’s daughter in her 50s, who works as a gardener and takes on the challenging role of being her mother’s primary caregiver as Maud’s condition progresses.

**Sukey**  
Maud’s older sister, known for her love of fashion and tender heart, whose mysterious disappearance years ago is central to the narrative.

**Frank Gerrard**  
Sukey’s husband, a well-dressed man with a tendency towards drinking and petty crime, who seeks Maud’s help after Sukey’s disappearance.

**Douglas**  
A milkman and lodger taken in by Maud’s family after the war, who is known for his use of American slang and is suggested to have a romantic interest in Sukey.

**Elizabeth**  
Maud’s best friend, an avid collector of potentially valuable items and mother to a son who treats her poorly, whose absence prompts Maud to investigate past events.

Emma Healey

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Overview

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Elizabeth is Missing Summary and Study Guide

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue

Elizabeth is Missing Prologue Summary & Analysis

Chapters 1-3 

Elizabeth is Missing Chapters 1-3  Summary & Analysis

Chapters 4-6 

Elizabeth is Missing Chapters 4-6  Summary & Analysis

Chapters 7-9 

Elizabeth is Missing Chapters 7-9  Summary & Analysis

Chapters 10-12

Elizabeth is Missing Chapters 10-12 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 13-15

Elizabeth is Missing Chapters 13-15 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 16-18

Elizabeth is Missing Chapters 16-18 Summary & Analysis

Epilogue

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Character Analysis

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Themes

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Symbols & Motifs

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Important Quotes

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Elizabeth is Missing

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