Grave Expectations
The hilarious and gripping BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Atlantic Books
Published:5th Oct '23
Should be back in stock very soon
This debut crime series delivers a humorous and engaging mystery as Claire, a medium, investigates a murder with her ghostly friend Sophie.
In Grave Expectations, readers are introduced to Claire Hendricks, a freelance medium who finds herself entangled in a murder mystery during a weekend getaway at a friend's country estate. Accompanied by her best friend Sophie, who happens to be a ghost, Claire is tasked with providing entertainment at a family gathering. However, the atmosphere quickly shifts when they discover that a recent death has occurred in the house, prompting Claire and Sophie to investigate the circumstances surrounding it.
As they delve deeper into the Wellington-Forge family's secrets, Claire teams up with some of the more tolerable family members, including a disgruntled ex-cop named Basher and a rebellious teenager named Alex. Together, they navigate a web of lies and hidden motives, all while trying to uncover not only the identity of the murderer but also the reasons behind the crime. The blend of humor and mystery keeps the narrative engaging, making it a refreshing addition to the genre.
Grave Expectations is not just a story about solving a murder; it explores themes of friendship, loyalty, and the complexities of human relationships, all wrapped in a witty and entertaining package. With its unique premise and relatable characters, this debut crime series promises to resonate with fans of both humor and mystery, ensuring that readers will be turning the pages eagerly until the very end.
You've never read a country house whodunit quite like Grave Expectations. Nor is there a generation gap quite as wide as the one between Claire and Sophie. Fast, funny and furious, this book has bags of humour, bags of heart and a proper murder mystery at its core. Alice Bell writes with real verve and crafts a preposterous premise into a sharp, well written and lively story that's at once out of this world and yet reassuringly real. As reader, you're along for the ride, and it's a runaway ghost train of a ride at that! Bell is one to watch. -- Janice Hallett
A delicious mashup of grisly murder, country house and semi-helpful ghosts - imagine a really cockeyed game of Cluedo heavily seasoned with whimsy ... it's a lot of fun -- Stuart MacBride
Read this fabulous book - you will not regret it -- Ben Aaronovitch
A modern mashup of Ghosts, Blithe Spirit and Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)... the lightly acerbic style is a delight ... plenty of spooky fun. More, please. * Guardian *
Knives Out vibes with added ghosts. Fresh, funny and hugely enjoyable. -- Catherine Ryan Howard
A very funny, entertaining, twisted take on the country house murder mystery. Wonderful.' -- S J Bennett
Funny, fast, sharp, original, and addictive ... a unique breath of fresh air. Brilliant! -- Andrea Mara
A fun and surprising character-driven whodunnit * Heat *
A fun, gripping murder mystery with a supernatural spin * Woman's Own *
An addictive, hilarious, rollicking debut - fresh, original and utterly brilliant, Alice Bell is a real talent to watch. I cannot WAIT for the next book! -- Sam Blake
Clever, unpredictable and a genuinely humorous modern day country house murder mystery which left me guessing. Perfect for anyone who fancies themselves as a detective. -- Nadine Matheson
A great read, with great characters, lots of humour, some misty-eyed moments and lots of swearing. Utterly delightful - like the BBC show Ghosts mixed with Cluedo -- Simon Toyne
A really unique concept paired with whip-smart writing and lots of heart -- Heather Darwent, author of The Things We Do to Our Friends
A clever and playful contemporary cosy mystery by Cobh-based debut author, the talented Alice Bell. Think Ghosts meets Knives Out. -- Catherine Kirwan
A highly original, clever, contemporary and funny take on the crime genre * Irish Examiner *
Wickedly good * Belfast Telegraph *
A murder mystery with lots of heart and heaps of comedy ... full of fun and intrigue, this book's a winner * Meath Chronicle *
This book positively lit up my weekends with its cosy, affectionate, funny, awkward brand of ghostly crime-solving. Perfect for fans of BBC's Ghosts, Alice Bell has a keen eye for characterisation and the ridiculous, creating a story that will both send chills down your spine and wrap you up in a hug. -- Ally WIlkes, author of All the White Spaces
Witty, addictive, and breathes some much needed (undead) life into the cosy crime murder mystery genre -- Adam Simcox
Delightful, charming, breezy ... A spirited cold-case mystery * Set the Tape *
Sharp and hilarious -- Cailean Steed
A funny, distinctive, constantly clever genre-bending supernatural crime novel' * Bookseller *
ISBN: 9781838958428
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 22mm
Weight: 274g
400 pages
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