Ted McCall is a legend among Bondi lifesavers. When he is killed in a surfing accident, his death exposes long-held family secrets and sets in motion a series of revelations and betrayals. Only one thing is certain: Ted’s death is a defining moment for his loved ones. But will it make his family stronger, or break them apart?
Ted’s adoring wife of forty years, Connie Blunt, witnesses the tragedy. Focused on her own grief, which plays out in unexpected ways, she is incapable of offering comfort to her son, Sebastian, who worshipped Ted.
Seb is an evangelical Christian. General practitioner Connie is a devout atheist, a free spirit with an edgy taste in music. Clever, sharp-tongued, often generous, cherished by both of Seb’s children and a thorn in her son’s side.
Yet Seb has never doubted his mother’s love for his dad. Or not until three days after Ted’s funeral, when he discovers her in bed with another man.
Ted’s death turns an already tense mother-son relationship toxic. Seb demands answers, but Connie is not ready to reveal that she and Ted were keeping a secret from their son. For Connie, though, harder to confront will be the secret Ted kept from her.
Threaded with wry humour, Life After Ted is a compelling examination of family conflict. The iconic backdrop of Bondi Beach is a presence as vivid, changeable and fascinating as any of the flawed and complex characters navigating their way through grief, towards hope.
Taking on death in this way, its universality and the personalness of it, takes both courage and a delicate hand. Striking a perfect balance between the two is a testimony to R. D. Feneley’s sensitivity and skill as a writer.
Life After Ted is a brilliant, poignant and very funny exploration of the rollout effects of grief. The novel opens with terse emails between this grieving mother-son duo, after Seb discovers his mother in bed with another man just days after his father’s death. This incident opens a Pandora’s box of grief warfare as long resentments are released. Piece by piece, we come to understand not only Seb and Connie, but also Ted, the star of the show who looms larger than life over them all in his absence.
There are so many moving moments throughout the novel, and Feneley’s understanding of the madness that can accompany grief is exceptional. He nails the little things you miss, as well as the major unanswered questions you’re left asking when someone you love leaves suddenly. We witness this in the voicemails Connie leaves her late husband, which not only give insight into her feelings, but also works as an excellent plot tool.
The novel is also a love letter to lifesaving and the Bondi of old. Life After Ted is tender and exhilarating and has reinvigorated my thirst for GNTs with homegrown limes.
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