Anne Griffin is coming back with her second novel “Listening Still” and I am in awe .. and in tears: a young woman, who is about to take over a funeral services business from her father, a woman whose marriage is dissolving with the man who works as an embalmer at that same business.

Is that it? Not by a long shot: Jeanie can hear the dead, for a little while, after they are brought in to be prepared for public viewing. And she listens, and talks back. She communicates with the dead. They tell her what they want to have shared, or not, with the still living … and she “massages” the truth at times, to shield the folks left living from heartache and pain …

Jeanie’s job is not an easy gig, to say the least. Neither are the decisions about what to do with her life, when death is constantly, without pause, on full display.

A wonderful book, full of unvarnished observations about the human condition and all the big questions: what is the meaning of home, where should I let life take me, what is true love really?

Not a big secret that I loved Anne’s first book “When all is said” and it is quite astonishing that the follow up is equally compelling. We will talk about life and death and the anxiety to follow a bestseller ….Will Anne be a bird avatar again?

Meantime: visit the Book Club archipelago and watch past shows via the playlist below:

If you'd like to suggest an author, please email slbookclub@draxtor.com.