Dr Miriam Price is a brilliant A&E consultant in Westmouth who went missing the day before the book starts. She is also dead: found on the floor of the apartment she owned surrounded by empty bottles of vodka and pill pots. The police believe she killed herself, however, Miriam knows differently: she knows she was murdered (but was too drunk to remember whodunnit) and, if she is to make it from Limbo to Eternity, she is going to have to convince the coroner to return a verdict of murder instead of DBM (death by misadventure) as he is expected to. Not the easiest thing in the world to do when you're dead. Miriam's only hope lies in Winnie Campbell the neighbour with whom she never got on (to put it mildly!). As Winnie is the only person who can see and hear Miriam, she needs to convince Winnie to help her prove she was murdered and they need to do this in only a few days. The big question is, can two people who hated each other work together to prove how Dr Miriam Price really died?
It's really no secret that I'm a HUGE Maz Evans fan - her children's books are funny and wonderfully readable whilst conveying hugely important messages to readers, and I'll happily shout their praises until I have no voice left. Because of this, the announcement that she was writing a book for adults was incredibly exciting, and then managing to get my hands on an early electronic copy filled me with joy (full disclosure: I *may* have squealed!). It came at the perfect time and was exactly what I needed.
You discover at the end of chapter one that the book is being narrated by Miriam which gives it a more personal feel. It is clear that she is a rather troubled person who, despite being successful professionally, has had a contrasting personal life. She is blunt, abrasive and pulls no punches when she talks, taking no prisoners when she expresses her feelings; we see this especially when she realises Winnie can see and hear her and needs to persuade her to help. They've been at logger-heads for years and seem to take pleasure in making life miserable for each other, and this new development doesn't seem to change the way they deal with each other. The relationship between the pair is brilliant and an utter joy to read.
At its heart, Over My Dead Body is a murder mystery and, with Winnie channelling her inner Diagnosis Murder, there are twists throughout the book that will keep you guessing (they kept me guessing until the very end!). Combine that with Maz's portrayal of the afterlife and you have an exciting twist on a traditional type of novel.
The writing is a joy to read - dark, pacey and full of humour that will make you laugh out loud (much to my son's annoyance!) - it's Maz's simple observations of everyday life and the way she portrays them that makes the humour so genius ('Death, it appears, is like a perpetual IKEA.' 'This is very like every Premier Inn ever.'). But beware: amongst the laughs, there are poignant moments that will stop you in your tracks and I highly recommend having a tissue ready (I think this is a skill that Maz honed in her children's books!).
It's only March, and I already feel I've read one of the best books of the year (& it's not a children's book!). Over My Dead Body is a compelling and unique take on a murder mystery that will have you laughing, will make you cry and will leave you with a warm feeling in your heart. In short, I can't wait for the rest of the world to read this when it publishes on the 3rd August: it's going to make THE BEST summer read and I urge everybody to pre-order it immediately. Over My Dead Body is proof that Maz is just as brilliant at writing novels for adults as she is for children and I sincerely hope she is able to find the time to write more.
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