Forgotten: A Novel

“For fans of The Good Wife, Catherine McKenzie’s Forgotten is a pure, page-turning pleasure.”
—Gwendolen Gross, author of The Orphan Sister

“By turns hilarious and heart-tugging….A thoroughly enjoyable read!”
—Juliette Fay, author of Deep Down True

If your old life vanished completely, should you try to get it back or create a whole new one? That’s the intriguing question at the heart of Catherine McKenzie’s Forgotten.  The smart, funny, and provocative story of a woman who returns home after being stranded for months in Africa by an earthquake only to find that everyone in her life believed she was dead and moved on, Forgotten is captivating and thought-provoking contemporary women’s fiction from the author of Arranged and Spin—a fresh and witty tale that will not be soon forgotten.

Emma Tupper is a dedicated lawyer with a bright future. But when she takes a month-long leave of absence to go on an African vacation, she ends up facing unexpected consequences. After she falls ill and spends six months trapped in a remote village thanks to a devastating earthquake, Emma returns home to discover that her friends, boyfriend, and colleagues thought she was dead—and that her life has moved on without her.

As she struggles to re-create her old life, throwing herself into solving a big case for a client and trying to reclaim her beloved apartment from the handsome photographer who assumed her lease, everyone around her thinks she should take the opportunity to change. But is she willing to sacrifice her job, her relationships, and everything else she worked so hard to build?

In Forgotten, Catherine McKenzie tweaks a classic tale of discovering who we really are when everything that brings meaning to our lives is lost.

“For fans of The Good Wife, Catherine McKenzie’s Forgotten is a pure page-turning pleasure that combines a clever premise, a compelling character, and law-meets-life to keep you entirely entranced. ” - Gwendolen Gross, author of The Orphan Sister

“Forgotten is a clever, satisfying diversion of a book, but where McKenzie really excels is in the pacing....send[ing] the reader headlong through the pages to see if Emma gets to live happily ever after, near-death experience or not.” - Globe and Mail (Toronto) on Forgotten

“An engrossing novel from start to finish, Forgotten explores what happens when starting over isn’t exactly up to you.” - SheKnows.com

“Catherine McKenzie, in her debut novel, ably invites the reader into the story... For readers who enjoy a light, breezy love story, this book clips along well and satisfies. Many will likely find this book enjoyable and a worthy debut effort by Catherine McKenzie.” - New York Journal of Books

“McKenzie endows what could have been a formulaic, tired plot with finely drawn characters, broad humor, and a sweet and satisfying romance between equals. Her descriptions of rehab are as candid as they are sympathetic. She laughs with her characters at the pain, frustration, and, at times, absurdity of the recovery process, which here includes a stint on a trapeze, without laughing at the misery and destructive behavior that bring people to treatment. Her relentless positivity is contagious. She is a writer to watch.” - Booklist on SPIN

“[A] charming debut...With fresh, fast-paced storytelling and a personable, self-deprecating protagonist, McKenzie whirls a perfectly indulgent tale.” - Publishers Weekly on SPIN

“Imagine if Bridget Jones fell into a million little pieces, flew over the cuckoo’s nest, and befriended Lindsay Lohan along the way....” - Leah McLaren, Globe and Mail columnist, author of The Continuity Girl

“If Bridget Jones’s Diary and High Fidelity had a literary baby, the result would be Spin. A funny heroine and plentiful music references make this book a stand out. McKenzie’s tale of girls gone wild and gone to rehab is ripped straight from the latest tabloid headlines and will keep readers intrigued to the very last page.” - RT Book Reviews (top pick)

“From her big city legal career to earthquake-battered Africa and back again, Emma’s whirlwind of location, circumstance and emotion involves many an unexpected twist. By turns hilarious and heart-tugging, we follow her on her most important journey-that of self-discovery. A thoroughly enjoyable read!” - Juliette Fay, author of Deep Down True