Inheriting Edith: A Novel

As a housekeeper and single mother in New York City, Maggie Sheets gets a shock when an old friend, Liza, dies and leaves her with a substantial sum of money and a house in Sag Harbor. Along with the house, Maggie inherited Liza’s aging mother, Edith, who is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Liza had committed suicide, and, while Maggie hadn’t spoken to Liza in years, she was still moved by the loss. Maggie must help Edith move on from Liza’s death, even while Edith forgets faces and names and struggles with secrets of her own. As Edith unveils some of her past, Maggie is motivated to confront some of her own skeletons, too.

It is clear that the author wrote the characters in this story thoughtfully and with great care. Zoe Fishman captures perfectly the dynamic of the sandwich generation — older adults who are still caring for youngsters but who must take on the additional responsibility of an aging parent. The narrative is stressful and weighted with grief, studded with few happy moments. Pick up this book for memorable characters and a heartfelt story.