Book or story about assisted suicide

September 25, 2022 7:12 AM

In the last year or so I read a novel or short story about a terminally ill woman who goes on a trip to India with her friends. It ends with an assisted suicide in the US. I cannot remember the author and cannot find it in my library history or purchase history.
posted by InkaLomax to Writing & Language (6 answers total)

I think I read this, too, but am having trouble finding it. Here's what I remember, if it helps. It was from the pov of one of the woman's friends, who was going through some sort of issues of her own and had to remind herself to be there for her friend. She may have been a writer. They stayed at a hotel that may have been the basis for Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and there were horses in the property and the woman's room shared a wall with the stable. After the trip, the woman's friend was in hospice at her apt in New York. Does any of that ring a bell for you?
posted by amarynth at 6:34 PM on September 25, 2022

Oh, and the hotel was owned by a princess! It may have been the Raj Palace Hotel.
posted by amarynth at 6:45 PM on September 25, 2022

Response by poster: Wow that is so close but I don’t think that was it. I believe Kevorkian featured in it. My memory is terrible so maybe I am way off but I do remember there were hoops to jump through for the assisted suicide and the hotel wouldn’t let her stay there because they knew that is what she was in town for.
posted by InkaLomax at 8:31 PM on September 25, 2022

Best answer: Ok, that may be one of the pieces from Festival Days by Jo Ann Beard. But I don't think that includes the India trip.
posted by amarynth at 3:27 AM on September 26, 2022

Response by poster: Yes! That is it. I guess I conflated two stories.
posted by InkaLomax at 12:25 PM on September 26, 2022

So glad I could help, but now I'm wondering about that other story! I looked through my library and goodreads history today, but no luck. It's going to haunt me.
posted by amarynth at 12:31 PM on September 26, 2022