Eloise by Judy Finnigan (Book Summary)

Purchase Eloise by Judy Finnigan via Amazon: https://amzn.to/33AkdXN

Cathy has a beautiful family – 3 children and a loving husband named Chris. Their family started having problems when Cathy became obsessed with Eloise’s death.

Eloise is Cathy’s best friend who died of breast cancer. After her death, Cathy started having dreams about her. She also talks to Eloise in her dreams. Eloise is asking for help – she insists that her children are in danger and Cathy needs to do something, but Eloise never tells her exactly what to do. She doesn’t even specify what threat is her children are facing.

Haunted, Cathy started reaching out to Juliana – Eloise’s mother. Cathy also opened up to her husband about the warnings she received from Eloise. They all thought that she was going mad and needed to go back to London and get help.

Cathy really wanted to stop dreaming about Eloise, so she confided to Father Pete, and he suggested that they perform an exorcism to vanquish the evil. He indicated that she sees evil in her dreams disguised as Eloise. Chris got fed up and left Cathy. Cathy went on with the exorcism and was able to talk to Eloise, who assured her that it really was her and not some evil. Cathy fainted afterward.

Cathy doesn’t know what to do yet, but she now believes that she really has to help Eloise after the exorcism. She thinks it has something to do with Ted – Eloise’s husband. Juliana shared with Cathy that Eloise kept a diary detailing what happened to her when she was 13 years old. Only Juliana knows that Eloise got pregnant when she was 13 years old by Jack – a tenant’s son. Eloise falls in love, but Jack has to leave for Australia. After Eloise gave birth, the baby was adopted by Jack’s parents. Their daughter grew up thinking that Jack was her older brother and not her father.

Eloise only told Ted about her daughter’s existence when she updated her will – and Ted got angry. After Eloise’s death, Ted even told Cathy how angry he was that Eloise never left anything. All her money will be given to her children.

Cathy had another dream after the exorcism.  She told her that Jack would help – he is coming to Cornwall to check how Arthur is doing. Arthur is Eloise’s grandson. Eloise’s daughter Isabela also got pregnant at such a young age. When Jack arrived, they had lunch at Cathy’s cottage – but Ted arrived and got angry when he realized Jack was there. Later that night, Ted got drunk and came back with a gun, wanting to shoot Jack. Fortunately, Chris could talk him out of it, and they locked Ted in their shed. In the morning, they found out that Ted was gone. Cathy saw a letter from Ted – just angry words aimed towards Eloise, and it also mentioned how glad he is that she is haunting Cathy so that she’d be sent to the asylum. Chris kept the letter because it may help Juliana to get custody of Eloise’s kids. After all, at the moment, they doubt if Ted is capable of taking care of them.

That day, they had lunch at the beach, and after eating, they left the children to play. Cathy was already in the cottage when her daughter Evie and Eloise’s grandson Arthur stormed inside the house, telling them Ted took the children against their will. They were worried, but there was nothing they could do because they were still Ted’s children.

Chris informed Cathy that his plans hadn’t changed – they are still leaving Cornwall the next day, and they will still be selling their cottage. Cathy tried to protest, but Chris’s decision was firm. He thinks that being in Cornwall is not healthy for Cathy’s mental health.

Aware that she would be leaving soon, Cathy tried to sort things out as quickly as possible. She called Jack, who immediately came over. Jack told her that he thinks there is something off about how Eloise died. He is an oncologist, and he knows that cancer patients don’t die all of a sudden. Chris joined the conversation and interrupted them by telling Jack about how unhealthy Cornwall is for Cathy.

While they were talking, they received a call from Father Pete, expressing that he is worried about the children being with Ted. He spoke to Ted, and he doesn’t seem to be okay. They were driving to the beach, where the tides were very dangerous. Chris dismissed the idea of it being hazardous and thought that Cathy was just being paranoid. Still, Cathy and Jack went to the beach to make sure the children were okay. When they arrived, they saw Ted drinking while the children (Rose & Violet) were crying. Jack swam to rescue them. The coastguard came and saved the children – they also had to rescue Jack. The children were sent to the hospital, and the coastguard and Father Pete stayed to look for Ted. In the morning, Ted’s lifeless body was found. It was Chris who was asked to identify the body. He was also able to read the suicide note that he left at home. In the suicide note,  Ted confessed that he tampered with Eloise’s painkillers, which killed her. They had a row about Arthur. Ted also mentioned that he found out that the children are not his – and he just couldn’t bring them up.

As for Jack, he felt that the children were his when he saw them. He wasn’t sure. He knows that the children’s age coincides with when he made love with Eloise. It was just after his divorce, and he decided to visit Cornwall, but he never really intended to see Eloise, but they still ended up seeing each other. They made love in his hotel room. Ted was away that time. After that night, they never had contact with each other again.

With Ted gone and the children now with Jack (who plans to legally adopt them), Eloise never haunted Cathy again. Everything went back to normal with Cathy. Chris apologized to her and promised to never sell their cottage at Cornwall. 

The End of  Eloise by Judy Finnigan.

 List of Characters:

• • • • • • Eloise – has breast cancer
          • Ted – Eloise’s husband
          • Cathy – Eloise’s best friend
          • Chris – Cathy’s husband
          • Jack – Eloise’s ex
          • Evie – Cathy’s daughter
          • Isabela – Eloise’s daughter
          • Rose & Violet – also Eloise’s daughters
          • Juliana – Eloise’s mother
          • Father Pete – the pastor who helped them

Purchase Eloise by Judy Finnigan via Amazon: https://amzn.to/33AkdXN