Book info

• Title The Black Dress
• Author Deborah Moggach
• Year 2021
• Genre Contemporary

Pru is on her own. But then, so are plenty of other people. And while the loneliness can be overwhelming, surely she'll find a party somewhere? Pru's husband has walked out, leaving her alone to contemplate her future. She's missing not so much him, but the life they once had - nestling up like spoons in the cutlery drawer as they sleep. Now there's just a dip on one side of the bed and no-one to fill it. In a daze, Pru goes off to a friend's funeral. Usual old hymns, words of praise and a eulogy but...it doesn't sound like the friend she knew. She's gone to the wrong service, though it was more excitement than she's had for ages. So Pru buys a little black dress in a charity shop and thinks, why not go to another? No-one will challenge her - and what harm can it do?

Thoughts

This book was not at all what I thought it was going to be. From the description, I figured it was going to be a gentle rom-com style read about an older lady finding love again later in life after difficult circumstances. But there was a lot more to it than that and it was pretty edgy in places, with twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting at all. The dress actually doesn’t make many appearances, considering it’s the title of the book, and there are plenty of surprises as you read on.

Rating: 3 / 5