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    Anybody Out There?
    Anybody Out There?
    Anybody Out There?
    Audiobook15 hours

    Anybody Out There?

    Written by Marian Keyes

    Narrated by Terry Donnelly

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Marian Keyes has introduced readers to the lives, loves, and foibles of the five Walsh sisters. In this funny, heartbreaking, and triumphant new tale set in the Big Apple, it's Anna's turn in the spotlight.

    Life is perfect for Anna Walsh. She has the ""Best Job in the World"" as a PR exec for a top-selling urban beauty brand, a lovely apartment in New York, and a perfect husband -- the love of her life, Aidan Maddox. Until the morning she wakes up in her mammy's living room in Dublin with her face in stitches, a dislocated knee, and completely smashed-up hands -- and no memory of how she got there. While her mammy plays nursemaid, Anna tries to get better and keeps wondering why Aidan won't return her phone calls or emails.

    Recuperating from her injuries, a mystified Anna returns to Manhattan. Slowly beginning to remember what happened, she sets off on a search to find Aidan -- a hilarious quest involving lilies (she can't stop smelling them), psychics, mediums, and anyone there who can promise her a reunion with her beloved...

    Written in her classic style, marrying the darker parts of life with humor and wit, Anybody Out There? is Marian Keyes' best novel to date, wonderfully charming look at love here and ever after.

    Performed by Terry Donnelly

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateMay 9, 2006
    ISBN9780061174438
    Anybody Out There?
    Author

    Marian Keyes

    Marian Keyes is the author of ten bestselling novels and two essay collections. She lives in Ireland with her husband and their two imaginary dogs.

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    Reviews for Anybody Out There?

    4/5

    706 ratings36 reviews

    What did you think?

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    • 4/5
      This book was really good! I honestly didn't figure out right from the beginning what happened to her and her husband. It was touching but I wasn't really convinced about the old girlfriend business - that was kind of a stretch.
    • 5/5
      I so loved this book and I was sad it ended. I usually listen to psychological thrillers but this was such a wonderful break. The humor and the humanity made this book go by in a flash. More audiobooks please!
    • 4/5
      In the hands of a lesser writer this plot would have been in danger of turning into sap. Fortunately, Marian Keyes has a keen wit, another flawed but loveable protagonist and carries the whole thing off. I'm not the teary type but this book hit the note it was meant to.I would've left the bit about the butterfly out, though. That was stretching my tolerance for sentimentality just a little too far. I thought Keyes did a good job of appealing to readers who don't believe in ghosts and stuff like that, and if she'd left that bit off then I would've been happier with the realism of the novel.Like many other super successful novelists, I'd say of Keyes that she could do with a more ruthless editor. Part two dragged for me, whereas parts one and three were tight and engaging and succinct. I wasn't a huge fan of the spy-sister subplot, but it was still worth it for the wonderful character sketch of the semi-crazy Irish mother. I think I know a local version of that woman!I wasn't especially interested in all the details about make-up - this is chick lit but no need to rub it in!I'm still a Keyes fan. I'd give it five stars if it didn't drag a bit in the middle. Highly recommended for young women muddling through their child-bearing years. I'm sure this book struck a few chords.
    • 3/5
      Just picked this up and have finished the first chapter.

      So far, so good.
    • 3/5
      Really interesting book--starts from the present and works its way back. Coincided with my bad fall and multiple injuries which character also had (but from a car accident) which resonated with me; however, her husband died in the accident. She goes through the grieving process in a very real basis. Main character is Irish.
    • 4/5
      This is the second book I have read in this series, and this time the book is about Anna Walsh. Initially it flips back and forth between the current time and meeting (and her subsequent relationship) with Aidan. The vast majority of the book is her trying to deal with losing Aidan. Whilst some heavy subject matter, there is also a lot of humour present within the book. I did enjoy this book, like with the first one I read in this series, Rachel's Holiday, and I will be continuing to read books in this series and will try other books by Marian Keyes.
    • 2/5
      Can you relate to a character whose boss at work tells her how she should have her hair cut, and she responds as though this is appropriate behaviour? Would you pay to have a tarot card reader predict your future? Do you think people's appearance is the most important aspect of their life? Would you feel at home in the women's makeup industry? Then this is the book for you! I started this book thinking that it was going to deal seriously with the subject of death and grieving, but alas, it does not. I'm embarrassed to say that I read to nearly half way before I gave up. In my defence, I had read a particularly gloomy book just previously and was in need of somewhat lighter reading. This is certainly lighter. In fact, if it was any lighter it would be a complete vacuum. As it is, it's just vacuous.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book so much. I have always enjoyed all of the books I have ever read by this author but this one was definitely the best. I was reading along, thinking I knew what was happening. Them WHAM !!! Part 2 and nothing was how I had thought at all. Totally blew me away. WOW!! I wasn't expecting that at all. I laughed, I cried. I loved this book soooooo much.
    • 2/5
      I felt a little betrayed when I finally got the whole plot reveal -- I had assumed the book was going in one direction, and then WHAM...it became a book I totally didn't expect and was a little more serious than I was really looking for in an escape read. I guess it could be my fault for coming in with too many assumptions/expectations, but there is a big open ended question that doesn't get resolved until about halfway through!
    • 5/5
      This was the BEST Marian Keyes book I've read. (I've only read a few of them so far.) It took me a bit to actually get into the book, but once it picked up it kept my interest! There was always something going on, whether in her work like, family life, or personal life. I don't give too many books 5*, and it's not like this book was earth shattering, but it was a book I really enjoyed reading and kept my interest throughout. Like most of Marian Keyes characters, you feel like you get to know them which makes the story that much more enjoyable. I definitely recommend this book for an easy, interesting, light beach read...afterall, that's where I finished reading it!!
    • 5/5
      An emotionally moving story that lives up to the cliche of making you laugh and making you cry at the same time. This is also probably one of those cases where you will get a stronger reaction to this book book, the less you know about it, as it was in my case.So you'll just have to take my word for it...
    • 4/5
      Yesterday I took my three-year-old son to the library. We had just selected a stack of books and had sat down to read them together, when over the loud-speaker a librarian’s voice announced that I was to come to the circulation desk. I assumed I had left some paper with my name on it in one of the books I had just returned, so I calmly put my son’s books down, scooped him up, and made my way to the desk.When I got there, there were two policemen waiting with the librarian, and all three of them had dour looks on their faces. I looked from one to the next, but they all seemed hesitant to tell me whatever news they had for me. It was only a moment of silence, but for an irrational space of time, I was sure that something terrible had happened to someone I love, and somehow these people knew and it was now their job to tell me. I remember thinking, “This is it. This is what it’s like to find out something horrible.”It turned out to be nothing at all. I had parked my car too closely to another car that was owned by a very pregnant lady. She couldn’t get in, so I needed to re-park my car. I was happy to do it, mostly because I felt grateful that I had somehow averted disaster.And the whole experience reminded me of a book I’m reading. The moment of certainty where you’re sure that your world is coming crashing down around you is beautifully expressed throughout the entire story of Anybody Out There? by Marion Keyes. For Keyes fans, this book is a natural progression in her series about the Walsh family daughters. Three previous books have focused on different siblings; this one takes up with Anna, the second-to-youngest “flakey” daughter. (Other books about the Walsh family include Watermelon, Rachel’s Holiday, and Angels). Anna was labeled as flakey in those other books, a branding from her sisters, and it seemed well-deserved at the time. Now, hearing from Anna’s perspective, I’m struck with two truths: 1. Anna is only a little flakey. 2. Marion Keyes is a master at both loving her characters and at writing about them objectively. Few authors are good at both.Each book has improved upon the last, and each offers a whole new view of the loveable and eccentric Walsh family. Anybody Out There? begins in Ireland, where Anna is staying with her parents and her youngest sister Helen, while recovering from a horrible accident. Soon Anna returns to her home in NYC, a city she shares with her sister Rachel. I won’t give anymore details about the story, other than this: It is a brilliant tale of love and loss, because Keyes writes it in a way that forces the reader to experience the same emotions as Anna, as she is having them. It’s at once funny and heart-breaking, and it will leave you with the hope that it’s possible to survive the worst of catastrophes and still have your personality in check.Whether or not you’ve read other books by Marion Keyes, you’ll be able to enjoy Anybody Out There? because it’s instantly relatable. Whether you’ve suffered a tragedy, or you’re like me (lucky enough to only have had a scare from time to time), this book is one to enjoy, learn from, cry over, and laugh at. How many books offer such promise? Read it – you won’t be sorry.
    • 4/5
      This was the second Marian Keyes book I read, and I loved it. I just click with Marian's sense of humour, not sure how it would be classified, but it suits me. I don't want to talk much about the book itself for fear of giving away too much of the wonderful story line, but I loved it and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys some light chick lit that also has a surprising depth and empathy at the other side.
    • 5/5
      Couldn't put this book down and didn't see 'it' coming. I think it was more my state of mind at the time, but it felt as though I'd been punched in the stomach. Cried and cried. But can't be described as a maudlin book. Excellent, one of her best.
    • 5/5
      Husband dies in a car accident while she tries to get on with life. Her family is so funny! She can't accept her husband is gone. Leaves him messages on his cell phone, emails...she is sure he is trying to reach her in some way. There is a twist at the end. One of the best books I've every read! Love the her sisters, and Mum!
    • 4/5
      An Irish girl living the High Life in New York suddenly faces a personal tragedy, to which she slowly tries getting to terms with. Sad and funny at the same time, Anna's story addresses deeper subjects than usual with Marian Keyes novels.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book, I couldn't put it down and I felt the need to recommended to everyone ( I gave a copy to my sister). I'm not sure what I liked best, the fact that the Walshes were reminiscent of my family specially the mom or that I felt like Ana was having an intimate conversation with me and sharing her journey as she reconstructed her life. I loved it!!!!
    • 4/5
      Anybody Out There? by Marian Keyes begins with an amnesia plot in which Anna Walsh - one of the Walsh sisters whose adventures are chronicled in other books by Keyes - awakens in her family's home in Ireland with scattered pieces of her life in place. Rather than a cliche novel focused on Anna regaining her memory, a sentimental story unfolds as Anna must move back to New York and put her life back together piece by piece.This is the third book I've read by Keyes and so far it is my favorite. The writing was emotional without being overly sappy and the secondary characters peppered the plot with humor and kept a lighthearted tone to a serious story. Technically, this is the fourth entry in Keyes's series about the Walsh sisters, but it is also an excellent stand-alone novel.
    • 4/5
      I've read all of Marian Keye's previous novels, and it's a little ritual to buy anything new that comes out by her...this time I bought this newest book at the airport, & had a lovely, relaxing time reading it on the long plane-trip. First things first though: I feel it's kind of hard to review this book since the subject matter is initially hidden (quite well too, I must say) & revealed to the reader when you're well into the book, i.e. have read more than 1/3 of it. Therefore I'll be a bit cryptic about what the story actually involves, & will simply say it follows the life and days of Anna Walsh, one of the youngest sisters in the Irish Walsh family that Keyes has followed in previous books (Watermelon / Rachel's holiday). You don't need to have read the previous books to follow this one- but it might make the experience more enjoyable if you have. This is a fun, easy read, even though at times it's also sad and insightful. It's also a very funny book, as all of Keyes' previous books. Here, as in other of her books, she comes up with hilarious ideas such as 'jolly girls', 'labrodoodles', birthing-class descriptions etc. However true-to-life and insightful the book becomes at times, its main strenght is the laughs you'll get out of it. So it remains firmly and proudly in the easy-to-read 'chic-lit' genre- which is not a bad thing, since it doesn't pretend otherwise. I've given it 4 stars because I think Keyes remains one of the best writers in this genre. So, enjoy- and read this preferably on the beach or on a long plane ride...
    • 3/5
      Well. I was really in the mood for a lighthearted chick lit book when I started this one, which was a huge mistake. Marian Keyes is talked about in any sort of chick lit conversation, and I had not read one of her books, so it was time... I picked this one at the library because the little synopsis I read inside the cover said she was in Public Relations, which I think is a fun career to read about. Little did I know I would be nearly in tears the entire book because of the way the events played out.After the "worst" part of the book, I expected it to at least pick up a bit for a somewhat happy ending. It WAS happy... at least happier than the beginning, but still not enough to lift my spirits. If I had been in a different mood when I began the book, it's likely I would have enjoyed it (it was well written), but it just did not fit my mood at all. Some of my PaperBackSwap friends have told me I should read Sushi for Beginners next, so that will be the next Keyes I try.
    • 4/5
      Oh what a book to read... I got this book on a vacation in 2006, in the middle of nowhere'land, that somebody had left behind and up until two months ago, it was collecting dust on the top shelf. I was just about to pack all my books and move again when this Anybody out there? cried out to be read. 4 days later and endless nights to read as much as I could, I could not put it away. What a great story and marian Keyes has a way to write the way it is, no softening of the edges here. A story that has grabed my heart and my soul.
    • 5/5
      I've already noted in another review for Marian Keyes how much I like her work. Yes, it's Chick Lit and while a little part of me wants to downplay how much I like her books (the literary snob part of me) another part wants to encourage other people to pick them up. Anybody Out There is a good book to illustrate why I continue to pick up Keyes. (Although she has had some misses; see Other Side of the Story). I didn't know the plot details of Anybody Out There before I started reading it and I'm glad I didn't because I likely wouldn't have read it. The subject matter is depressing, and when I realized what was going on I started bawling my eyes out, right there in the bath tub which, incidentally, is my favorite place to read. Having gotten over my initial shock I kept going and was glad I did. I recovered from the randomness of life right along with Anna and while my eyes continued to get moist through most of the book (and right through to the end, actually) in the end I was glad I kept on the journey.
    • 1/5
      I feel like I should have liked this book, but I just didn't. The subject was a downer--a woman wakes up with a bunch of injuries and no memory of what happened. And the jacket described the cute things and quirky people that were supposed to help her search for her husband. But it just missed with me. I was driving back from some errands yesterday with the book on the seat of the car with 180 pages unread and just decided to stop, pay my fine and let the library have it back.
    • 5/5
      Loved this book. Not your typical love story but very poignant and touching. It was very real and at times made laugh and cry.
    • 5/5
      It’s Anna’s Turn in the Spotlight!!Marian Keyes is a powerhouse – to me, she's a combination of Maeve Binchy mixed with a little Sophie Kinsella but clearly a phenomenal talent in her own right. I think I enjoyed this Walsh sister book better than the others (while, like everyone else, patiently waiting for Helen’s book) it was funny, sad, long, but in a good way – there was no skimming or counting pages with this read – enjoyable, I’m glad I saved it because there are not many books as good as the ones that Keyes pens and I’m so glad she recognized her talent and is doing what she’s supposed to be doing in this life – Well Done – Bravo, yet again to Marian Keyes!In this tale, Anna is in her early thirties, married and a victim of a tragic car accident. The story opens with her convalescing at her parents’ home in Ireland. There have been many reviews of this book and I don’t want to spoil it, so I won’t go into too many details – if you read the product description and other reviews, then you already know what the book is basically about. There is an interesting twist mid-way into the book that will keep you reading. This was a really good read – highly recommended!
    • 4/5
      I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this book. This is the first Marion Keyes that I have read and I can't wait to go out and find all the others and submerse myself in them. Her voice speaks to all women...she seems to know all the random thoughts that filter through our restless brains and also all the ones we deem too embarrassing to air in public. Although this makes for a riotous read it also speaks poignantly about the very real events in her heroine's life.Thank you....I have found a new author!
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book, and then went back to read the other books about the other sisters in the family.
    • 3/5
      It had to happen eventually and it would seem that it finally has. I have read and enjoyed a Marian Keyes book. Well, at least it proves that I can approach an author with my prejudices and preconceived notions well hidden. The good thing about this Keyes novel is that there does seem to be a bit of a plot and it’s not a bad one. At the start of this book, Anna Walsh (yes, it would seem that each one of the Walsh sisters will get their own novel) is being cared for by her family in Ireland. Something bad has happened to Anna in New York, and eventually we find out that she has lost her husband in a car accident in which she, too, was badly injured. How Anna first confronts the loss of her husband and eventually accepts it, seems realistically drawn. Of course, Marian Keyes still writes rubbish and there’s a fair bit of it here. One of the sisters is playing at being a private eye and this sub-plot may win the prize for the worst bit of Keyes’ writing ever. Overall though, this is a mediocre chicklit for a dull weekend. But easily better than the others.
    • 4/5
      This book was really good! I honestly didn't figure out right from the beginning what happened to her and her husband. It was touching but I wasn't really convinced about the old girlfriend business - that was kind of a stretch.
    • 3/5
      Anna is home with her family in Dublin recooperating from an accident, the nature of which is not initially revealed. She is desperate to return to her New York apartment and her husband, Aiden, but he seems strangely silent.An entertaining and at times very affecting story. I confess it did bring tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. However there is just something about Marion Keyes books which can leave me a little cold. Maybe it's the fact that the characters so often seem to lead impossibly glamourous lives with dream jobs and amazing wardrobes. Maybe it's just pure envy, who knows!I did find the side story with Helen staking out a gangster's wife just too silly and too much of a juxstaposition with the tragedy of the central story.