Have you ever been ‘ghosted’ by someone? I’m not talking about ectoplasm and rattling chains, but where someone just vanished from your life or stopped contacting you without explanation. This is what happens to the three protagonists in Suzy Krause’s novel, leading them to live in the townhouse converted into apartments by the hapless Larry.

At first, Mackenzie, Sunna and Maude couldn’t seem more different but as we get to know them it becomes clear that they share a sense of loneliness, upheaval and loss. When a mangled note is left in the shared letterbox saying “sorry I missed you” the three residents each wonder if it was intended for them, left by the person now missing from their lives. They agree to meet every afternoon in the cafe mentioned in the letter in case the mystery man or woman should turn up.

The story unfolds through their revelations and memories, some provided more readily than others. Sunna and Maude are a clash of spiky personalities and Mackenzie is often the peacemaker. She has a feisty side at times though if anyone gets too close to opening the closet and revealing the skeletons she has hidden there.

Their lifestyle and generational differences cause friction and misunderstandings at times, and I found myself laughing out loud at some of the squabbles between Sunna and Maude. The bittersweet camaraderie of the trio, combined with Kraus’s warm, conversational style made me feel completely engaged with the narrative. So much so that I feel somewhat ghosted myself now I’ve finished the book!

Sorry I Missed You is available now from Lake Union Publishing and I highly recommend this heart-warming read.