- Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: Piatkus Books; New edition edition (29 April 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0749934549
- ISBN-13: 978-0749934545
- Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.2 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 936,636 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Other People's Lives
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Beth Marston was always certain that she was going to be Someone. She was never going to be Ordinary or Boring like other people. But these days Beth's feeling more like a nobody; she's about to turn thirty, she's on her own with a four year old, and she's cleaning other people's houses for a living. Beth knows she wants more from life, but she's so wrapped up in the lives of the people whose houses she cleans, there's just no time. With the perfect Perkins family who seem too good to be true, Dottie, her sprightly senior citizen, who's 82 going on 25, and 'Slimy' Oliver, who has a penchant for wearing very little about the house, she's kept busy enough. But then there is the mysterious Alex Chapman, who Beth has never met. She can't believe he really lives in his spotless, tidy apartment which only takes her a few minutes to pretend to clean. So how else can she spend the four hours she's being paid for in his flat? She does have her own ambitions to fulfil and little time or opportunityand there's a computer just sitting there, never being used. Maybe its time Beth dusted off some of those old dreams?
About the Author
Sheila Norton has written avidly since childhood and has won prizes for her short stories that have been published, mainly in women's magazines. She is married with three grown-up daughters who provide plenty of inspiration for her books!
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was browsing Amazon one day and came upon Sheila Norton's new book Other People's Lives and I must say I was intrigued. I've never read anything from Sheila Norton before and the book description sounded fun and interesting, so I gave it a go.
This is the story of Beth Marston a struggling, single mom who is just trying to make ends meet. After a bad break-up Beth finds herself cleaning houses for a living but it's not just the messy houses of her clients she is having to clean up soon Beth is helping to get everyone else's lives in order and in the process facing her own fears and insecurities as well.
Helping Beth find her way are a variety of women, all from different walks of life who play an integral roll in Beth's day to day life. There is Fay the best friend, bored housewife and mother looking for some 'excitement' in her life, there is Dottie, an older woman who is moving through the latter phases of her life and fighting it tooth and nail, and Louise, mom and career woman who seems to have it all in terms of material possessions and the ideal lifestyle. They all seem so happy and secure, or are they? Beth soon discovers that not everything is, as it seems, as she witnesses the lives of those around her crumbling away.
There are a lot of storylines to cover in this book but Norton never loses the focus on the main character Beth, and her journey. The book moves along at a nice pace, with truly, laugh out loud moments, (I loved the disagreeable 'T') intermixed with sad realities.
Everything is wrapped up nicely at the end but not as you might expect. The endings are happy but not necessarily 'happily ever after' happy. Which is after all how it is in real life isn't it?
I enjoyed reading Other People's Lives very much and look forward to reading more from Sheila Norton soon! This book was simply terrific.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
My mum brought me this book and its the first book by Sheila Norton I had reaad.....it wont be the last. The first page keeps you glued to it, I read it in a week, a must read, funny witty sad and funny all over again! You wont be disappointed!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I loved this book - I picked it up from the library and was immediately hooked as the life of the main character was one I was about to embark on. I was keen to see how the story worked out for Beth and loved the ups and down, the feelings and emotions, the mystery and the ending. I could really picture it all happening so clearly. I enjoyed this book immensly.
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