Talking to the Dead

Young widow Kate Davis can't move on---because her husband, Kevin, keeps talking to her! Group therapy is her last attempt to find sanity, and there she meets Pastor Jack---who quiets her mind. But when she stumbles upon a secret Kevin was hiding, he begins to shout at her. Will his voice ever stop? 320 pages, softcover from Cook.

“It isn’t often that I get so hooked on the characters and story that I forget time and purpose. Talking to the Dead caught hold of my heart from page one. It takes a gifted and intuitive writer like Bonnie to bring humor into the middle of such a serious story. Call her the Jodi Piccoult of Christian fiction! Beautifully done! I can’t wait to read the next story she writes.” - Francine Rivers, bestselling author of Redeeming Love

Average Rating:

8 of 13 Reviews Showing:(View All Reviews)

Reviewed by Lee Fehr (Canada), January 05, 2010

I purchased the book because it was on a bookclub list. This turned out to be one of the best books I have recently read. The journey Kate took working through grief and betrayal captivated me from the very beginning.

Reviewed by Janna Ryan (North Platte, NE), August 30, 2009

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? As Kate suffers from memory loss of what happened leading up to Kevin's sudden death she struggles to work through her grief, she starts recovering her memories. The question is, does she really want to remember? The problem is that Kevin died, but he hasn't quit talking to her. Is he a ghost, is she crazy? What is going on! This book kept me turning the pages to find out what was really happening to Kate and what happened in the year leading up to Kevin's death. I would categorize this as women's fiction with a little mystery mixed in. I enjoyed "Talking to the Dead" and look forward to more books by Bonnie.

Reviewed by Cindy Loven (Glenwood, AR), August 25, 2009

Kate Davis is sinking! Fast! October had brought the drowning death of her father, and now Spring, has brought another tragedy. Her husband Kevin is suddenly dead. This is not how her life is supposed to be. She truly thinks she may be going crazy. Even the professionals think she is going off the deep end. She is hearing Kevin talk to her. They keep characterizing her as hearing voices, but it is just Kevin's voice. The scary thing is Kate has also lost her memory. Her journey to bring herself back to reality is a painful journey. Seeking professional help, and even Spiritual help, Kate finds that not all people serve God equally, or have a right view of God. Abused by a over zealous pastor, trying to cast out the “demon” within her, Kate is leery of all things connected with God. Enter Pastor Jack, a wonderful man devoted to giving to inner city kids. His time, his love and his devotion to the kids of Glen Hills Community Center. He also has a church of 'sorts' that meets each Sunday at the Center. Most importantly, he is a friend, a friend determined to help her realize that God is not like what she has been presented, and determined to help her through this difficult time in her life. Many surprises, even betrayals by family and friends along Kate's path to healing, make Bonnie Grove's novel a story that will touch your heart. When first considering this book for review, I was truly afraid it would be some sort of weird, supernatural story. You will be touched and moved by this story. Bonnie Grove's first novel, will never strike you as a first novel. The story is amazing and well written. The depth of the story is amazing to me. The book ends with a Afterword Interview with Bonnie Grove, and a list of discussion questions for a book club or group discussion. Most definitely a book to share with friends.

Reviewed by Kelly (Prescott, Arizona), August 07, 2009

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.

Reviewed by Kimberley Payne (Canada), July 14, 2009

Talking to the Dead has the perfect balance of humour, suspense and grace. It’s quirky, surprising, and uplifting. With masterfully woven prose, Bonnie Grove had me cheering for Kate, laughing out loud at the exaggeration of the Reverend J. D. Slater, stomping my feet at the insensitivity of her sister Heather, and wiping tears away at the gentleness of Pastor Jack. I don’t recommend starting to read this book unless you’ve got time to finish it in one sitting! You won’t want to read it any other way…it’s that captivating. Count me in as the number-one-fan of Bonnie Grove. I can’t wait to read the next story!

Reviewed by Dorcas Francis (Wilburton, OK), June 26, 2009

Well written and fast paced. I read this in one sitting. Even though the plot of the novel covers a serious subject, there were plenty of laugh out loud moments. I would give it a five, but I was left with a couple of 'whys' that were left unanswered, such as why did Kate's father not like her husband? How could her sister so easily form a relationship with Kate's adversary? Other than that, the book was wonderful.

Reviewed by alandkathi@ca.rr.com (Homeland, CA), June 25, 2009

Not since Cry the Beloved Country have I labeled a book hauntingly beautiful, but Talking to the Dead deserves that description. Not only is the story poignant, moving, and even funny (appropriately and surprisingly so) at times, but it is exquisitely written. Bonnie Grove knows her topic—and knows how to write. I’m not easily impressed, but this book captivated me from the very beginning, and it did not let me down, even to the last bittersweet word. If this book doesn’t become a bestseller, there’s something seriously wrong with the reading public. Congratulations, Bonnie!

Reviewed by Christy Lockstein (Oconto Falls, WIsconsin), June 24, 2009

Talking to the Dead by Bonnie Grove is full of surprises for its readers. Kate Davis' life has shattered in the unexpected death of her husband Kevin. She can't eat or sleep or even go up the stairs to their bedroom. Her friends and family are worried about her, but they'd worry even more if they knew that Kevin was talking to Kate. She finds great comfort in the words of the man she loved with her whole being, and it seems to be helping her ability to grieve, at least at first. When I first read the description of this book, I was hooked. It sounded like a light-hearted and fun look at dealing with devastating grief. I expected a quick, fun read. Then Kevin stopped talking and started shouting, and Kate started recovering lost memories, and the book took a completely unexpected turn. Kate's quest to discover the source of his voice and then the truth behind his death lead her and the reader into dark places. The novel's sudden U-turn brings a great deal of depth and emotion to Kate and the story. I was completely blown away by Kate's journey and shocked that Grove never took the easy way out. There are no easy answers here, the bad guys don't get their just desserts, and Kate suffers unimaginably. Through it all, Grove somehow manages to keep a touch of humor so the story never gets too heavy or depressing. This is a stunning and in the end, amazingly beautiful novel of redemption and forgiveness.

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Author: Bonnie Grove
Located in: Canada
Submitted: February 11, 2009

    Tell us a little about yourself.  My background is counseling, psychology and theology. Before turning to full time writing I developed programs for families at risk. I'm Canadian, happily married to my soul mate, Pastor Steve and Mom to two young kids

    What was your motivation behind this project?  There are two things that fascinate me: the human experience, and God's grace. I'm endlessly interested in stories of God's interaction with disordered humanity. All of my writing, non-fiction, short story and novels are - on some level the expression of my interest in His grace. It's summed up in my tag line: "Life is messy. God is love"

    What do you hope folks will gain from this project?  That the God of heaven and earth, Creator of all, vast Master of Universes unknown loves you. Deeply. Personally. And He's right there with you now - in the immediate.

    How were you personally impacted by working on this project?  Talking to the Dead changed everything for me. It changed my mind about who God really is. He is much bigger than I understood. While writing, I was allowed glimpses of grace and was stunned to see how much of my stilted theology was just wrong. Working on this book inspired me to love more deeply, take more good risks, and to reach out more often - both to help, and to ask for help.

    Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists?  Francine Rivers brought me back to Christian fiction and I'll never be able to thank her enough. Her characters have inspire not just my writing, but my life. And by returning, I've found barrels of joy in reading stories of life and hope in Christ by talented writers. I also love the plain speaking poets of today like Garrison Kellior and Stuart McLean. However, my list of new favorites grows daily as there are so many amazing voices to enjoy.

    Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know:  I'm a write who is always a little bit in love with readers. I think about readers all the time. I fuss over them in my mind, wanting the best for them. It is very meaningful for me to hear from you.

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