Do you believe in ghosts? Natalie has been asked this question before and is in the ‘definitely not’ camp of thinking. She does however, love anything scary, and she and her bestie Imogen, live for watching horror movies and sharing thoughts about them. Besides school, Natalie doesn’t see much of Imogen, except for two weeks in the summer holidays. Both girl’s families book out cabins next door to one another on the grounds of the Harlow Hotel.

The Harlow is famous for Spiritualists gathering there in the past to study and discuss all facets of the supernatural, and Natalie and Imogen are no different. They make the most of their short holiday time together, as Imogen’ parents are strict with her time, always pushing her to achieve in music, academic studies and gain extra credits to attend a top university.

Natalie believes her friend to be the brainbox and she to be the brave one, and together they have great adventures in the grounds of the Harlow. But this special place and time is also the place where Natalie passes away from an undiagnosed medical condition, rocking Natalie’s world off its axis.

One year later and in the summer before college, Natalie believes with the help of her therapist, loving mum and time passing, that she has recovered from the shock of losing Imogen.

Still a huge fan of horror movies and particularly a popular Ghost Hunting show, Natalie grabs an opportunity to complete a senior project over the summer back at Harlow Hotel. She wants to film her audition to appear on her favourite show with the handsome host.

She’s not long there when she learns a guy from her school is also there for his senior project – researching the woman who died trying to prove ghosts are real. Leander is annoying, way too serious and full of opposite opinions about everything Natalie enjoys. His regular column at school gets more anger than readers, and she vows to avoid him.

But soon, they both realise they can help each other with their projects and other ideas the Harlow management doesn’t know they’re planning. Natalie’s strong disbelief in ghosts begins to waver when she meets a woman Leander says is a fraud. Is she? Isn’t she? Natalie’s mental health begins to waver when event after event seems to prove that she was wrong all along. Is Imogen trying to connect with her from the other side?

I’ll Be Waiting for You begins with besties, Natalie and Imogen, and I thought they were freshman (early high school) at first. They are in fact nearer the end of high school, and this begins to be clearer very quickly. The friendship between them is something special and very real, making the loss of Imogen all the more shocking.

We are back with Natalie a year after losing her friend, knowing that it was a year of terrible grief, and much therapy – to get Natalie in a better place. A place where she believes she is okay.

But this isn’t the only belief that is shaken in Natalie’s world. There’s a guy she dislikes, a disbelief in ghosts and the surety that she’ll be fine returning to the special places she shared with Imogen, and the place she passed away. All of these are tossed around in her mind as she swings from believing in the supernatural, to not believing and back again.

Written brilliantly, it made me swing with her. Is Imogen really with her? Is the psychic a fraud? Is she telling the truth? Is Imogen putting words in people’s mouths from the grave?

Whether you believe in the supernatural or not, I’ll Be Waiting for You is a beautiful novel of love, loss, grief and rebuilding. It’s about finding the belief in yourself that others express, and moving on through grief, with a little romance in there too.

Loved it.

Thanks Allen & Unwin for the ARC of this novel.

Author – Mariko Turk

Age – 12+

Read an extract of this novel here

(2024, Allen & Unwin, Ghosts, Supernatural, Spiritualists, Do you believe?, Besties, Best friend, Loss, Grief, Senior High Project, Fraud, Truth, Self Belief, Trust, Friendship, Mystery, Secret, Filming, Audition, Ghost Hunting, Horror Movies)