Ghost Fish

A Novel

By: Stuart Pennebaker

Narrated by: Hallie Ricardo

A tender coming-of-age novel about a young woman haunted by her sister’s death, who starts to believe that her beloved sibling has returned to her—in the form of a ghost fish. Perfect for fans of Sweetbitter and Our Wives Under the Sea.

Alison is mired in loneliness and grief. Freshly twenty-three and mourning the loss of her younger sister, who has drowned at sea, she’s moved out of her hometown and into a cramped apartment on New York’s Lower East Side. Now she’s living the cliché, barely making rent as a restaurant hostess and avoiding her roommates, while watching the bright, busy passersby from her bubble of grief. She doesn’t need originality; she just needs to be alive.

Then, late one night, she rounds the corner and sees a shape in the air—a ghost. And how strange, it looks like a fish. What is it? Alison knows, without hesitation: it is her beloved sister, finally returned to her side. Safe in a pickle jar filled with water, the ghost fish goes wherever Alison does: in an alcove at the restaurant; in a tote bag on the subway; in her room at night as her roommates chatter outside. She knows she has to keep her safe from the world, the way she didn’t before. She knows that, together, they will never be lonely again. But as Alison’s new life in New York begins to grow, and as she navigates the murky waters of dating, friendship, and desire, she must ask: what if her sister is keeping her away from a life outwardly lived?

With tenderness and heart, stretching from New York, New York to Key West, Florida, Ghost Fish is a meditation on grief, loneliness, and the strange, kaleidoscopic ways we help ourselves—and those we love— through it.

Critic reviews

“A refreshingly playful take on magic realism, Ghost Fish turns the idea of a grief novel on its head. With wry humor and real feeling, this wise new writer shows the lengths we'll go to in order to cling to those we love. A pitch perfect portrayal of the chaos and heartbreak of sisterhood.”—Marie-Helene Bertino, author of Beautyland

Amazing

Made my heart swell ten times. And the narration was similarly moving. Would heartily recommend to anyone.

Grieving over a lost one

This book was really good! Our book club chose this book and I listened to the audiobook. Well read and had my attention. This book is really good if you are having a hard time getting over a love one or someone you may have lost.