'Under the Whispering Door’ is a comedic fantasy novel about death, grief, found family, and the importance of living life to the fullest. With a mixture of laugh out loud and heartwarming moments, its an enjoyable read – but also a superficial one that struggles to reach the depths it strives for. This is a good, gentle read after a long day, but not one likely to linger.

Wallace Price has dedicated his entire life to his company – and even then, he’s not the sort of boss you’d buy a Christmas card for. He’s outraged to find only four attendees at his own funeral – one of them his ex-wife who spends most of the ceremony talking about what an asshole he was, and one of them the Reaper ready to escort him to the afterlife. However, rather than taking him straight to the Beyond, the Reaper instead takes Wallace to a very peculiar tea shop. There, a ferryman named Hugo serves tea and cake to all who need it – including lonely souls coming to terms with things they missed in life. With Hugo’s help, Wallace starts to adjust to his death – and makes some startling realisations about his life. However, the tea shop is only a stop on the journey, not a final destination – and as deadline day nears, Wallace starts to realise he isn’t ready to move on.

At the start of the book, Wallace is a horrible person. He only cares about his company’s profit margin – not its employees. He has no real friends, an ex-wife he certainly isn’t on speaking terms with, and so little to do that he spends his entire life at work. However, the longer he spends with Hugo and his ragtag band at the tea shop – Mei, the newly qualified Reaper, Nelson, the ghost who refuses to cross over and leave his grandson, and Apollo, the adorable ghost dog – the more regrets Wallace starts to have. His distaste at their inability to bring him back to life turns to grudging respect, and finally to true friendship – and it turns out Wallace Price has a heart after all. The change is sweet, but it also happens surprisingly quickly, not feeling entirely authentic. Its hard to match the caricaturic villain Wallace is at the start of the book with the reasonably nice guy he’s become by the middle.The message that everyone can change for the better is lovely, but there isn’t quite enough nuance to carry it off.

Mei, Hugo, and Nelson, on the other hand, are all great characters. Mei is a spitfire, full of energy and determination and unwilling to take insolence from anyone – especially not the dead. Hugo is a calm, soothing presence with a lot if wisdom – but he’s also a bit blind to what’s in front of him, and as the story unfolds it’s clear that he’s almost as lonely as Wallace is. Nelson has a wicked sense of humour, but also an uncanny knowledge of human nature and a deep love for his family. Their little family is incredible, and together with Apollo its easy to see why Wallace wouldn’t want to leave.

The romance is choreographed from relatively early on and more subtly written than a lot of the rest of the book. I would argue that this isn’t really the sort of book that needs a romantic subplot, but its a sweet relationship and its always lovely reading about gay couples getting a happy ending.

Stories with an underlying message are difficult to write without coming across as preachy, and while ‘Under the Whispering Door’ just about manages to avoid this, the sacrifice is a book that feels a bit twee. Its a little too syrupy sweet and optimistic. There are darker passages – this is a story about death, and there are several subplots about grief including the death of a child and suicide – but some of their impact is lost because of the overarching sunshine-and-rainbows feel. Its a difficult balance, and some will probably love the optimism, but personally I was looking for a bit more depth and acknowledgement of just what a black pit grief can be.

One area TJ Klune is particularly strong at is humour – I regularly found myself laughing out loud while reading this. Admittedly, some of the jokes are a bit crass, but its hard not to laugh anyway. If you’re a fan of sitcoms, this would definitely be a book for you.

Overall, ‘Under the Whispering Door’ is a solid and fun read, but it doesn't quite have the depth to take it to the next level. Fans of sitcoms, happy stories, found family, and books with messages will likely enjoy it. Recommended as a light read after a difficult week.

4.5*

Thank you to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan and TJ Klune for my eARC copy of this beautiful book in exchange for an honest review....

Just to be clear.... this book isn't like House in the Cerulean Sea.... I see people comparing it and I think because the covers are a similar style people think it is... it is not. It has the writing style we know and love but please read on ....

I will try to do my best to review without spoilers.

This book is about Death and Grief as the foremost topics, with friendships and some slight humour thrown in along the way. Please check trigger warnings before reading.

I initially really hated the main character to the point I wanted to throw my tablet .....but as the story progresses we learn a lot from him and his growth! Throughout this book I laughed, I cried and at times I had to put it down before being able to continue as this book hit a few raw nerves for me.

It is a very thought provoking story and the journey of Grief and acceptance was done really well. Some say there are several stages to grief, some people go through them .... others get stuck. Grief is just as much a journey as life is.

I fell in love with the characters along the way and I also at times felt like I was back in the Green Creek Series with the certain repetitions which I loved ...(if you know, you know) :)

All in all this is another brilliant book by TJ Klune that I fell in love with.
Thank you :)

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
I give this book 4.75 stars


When a reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own sparsely-attended funeral.,he is outraged.
Then when Hugo, owner of a most peculiar tea shop, promises to help him cross over, Wallace reluctantly accepts the truth.
But as Wallace drinks tea with Hugo and talks to his customers, he wonders if he was missing something.
So when he’s given one week to pass through the door to the other side, Wallace sets about living a lifetime in just seven days.

Firstly l love the cover!
Such an inspirational story of love,life,death and the in between,I loved this book! The author creates a place with such beautiful storytelling and a host of characters with depth that make you fall in love with them all.
Wallace’s journey swept me along for an emotional ride. Easy to read but one that will be difficult to forget.An amazing book from beginning to end!
With thanks to Netgalley,TJ Klune and Pan Macmillan for my chance to read and review this book

Thank you so much to the publishers for providing me with an eArc in exchange for my honest review.

“Death isn’t always something to be feared. It’s not the be-all and end-all.”

No one deals with death the same way, especially the dead themselves.

Welcome to Charon’s Crossing.
The tea is hot, the scones are fresh, and the dead are just passing through.

At first, I was unsure about this book. It took me a little while to get into, but in that time, as I met all of the characters, and grew attached to them, the wait was worth it. Mei and Apollo are possibly two of my favourite characters, but every single character in the book has a story to tell, a life to live and, people to return home to.

I cannot thank the publisher’s enough for providing me with an eArc in exchange for my honest review. When I was first invited to read the arc, I was stunned but so incredibly excited! TJ Klune is a brilliant writer and I cannot wait for more people to read this beautiful queer book.

I read T.J. Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea last year, and it was one of my favourites of 2020. I knew when Under the Whispering Door was announced that I knew I was going to love it, too. And I wasn't disappointed in the slightest.

Wallace Price is mean and cruel, doesn't really care for others; he's a bit of an arsehole whose life is very work orientated and in truth, a bit dull. I would best describe him as a modern Ebenezer Scrooge. And then he dies and that's when his life truly begins. Sometimes, in life, you need a hot ferryman who is obsessed with tea, a sweet-hearted Reaper who threatens to attack anyone, a grandfatherly ghost who isn't afraid to use his cane to get you to listen and an excitable ghost dog who loves chasing squirrels in the garden.

Death and grief (both for another person and for yourself) were beautifully explored, alongside regret, love, family, loneliness and friendship. Klune tackles some tough topics and it was just done incredibly well - the acknowledgement at the end really made you understand the author's intentions and why they had to write this story. Oftentimes, I did find myself feeling sad while reading this book; it brought to me new perspectives that made me reflect on life and my viewpoint on the meaning of life. I do love it when books make me think and feel things.

The humour in this book was chef's kiss. It was witty and dark that lightened the parts of the story that were a little sadder to read about. For the last 20%, I was just a big mess, crying my eyes out because it was just so sad and so lovely at the same time. Make sure you have a box of tissues with you when you read this book!

It had the same pleasant & soothing tone and writing style as The House in the Cerulean Sea which I adored, and it made this book so addictive and engaging. I found Hugo's love for tea so endearing, and the way he finds comfort in it, the way he uses tea to connect with ghosts was so unique and beautiful.

I just loved everything about this book and that's why it's 5 stars for me without a doubt.

TW: death, mentions of death of a loved one, grief, mentions of suicide, trauma, animal death and child abandonment

I've read a few of TJ Klune's other books, so was super excited to get early access to Under the Whispering Door. I thought the opening chapter was wonderful, it had me laughing out loud and set the book up nicely. Unfortunately I didn't quite enjoy the rest as much, and even took a break halfway through and read something else for a while.

The side characters absolutely stole the show for me. Nelson being my absolute favourite, I want a whole story of his life and his death, I'd read it in a heartbeat! Apollo too, the most loyal dog ever? Mei, definitely up there with them. I couldn't summon the same excitement about Hugo, who just seemed a bit bland, and our lead, Wallace. I felt as though Wallace changed his spots far too quickly, it was like after a day he decided to be a better person, which didn't make much sense to me.

The ending had me crying in one respect and sighing exasperatedly in the other. That perfectly sums up the read for me. I enjoyed it, but it definitely wasn't a new favourite.

Thank you to @panmacmillan and @netgalley for this advanced reader copy of TJ Klune’s upcoming release of Under The Whispering Door.

Whilst a very different subject matter to popular The House in the Cerulean Sea, this latest novel is still full to the brim of great story telling, brilliant scene setting and wonderful characters.

Written in Klune’s signature style, this book is summarised as a “contemporary fantasy about a ghost who refuses to cross over and the ferryman he falls in love with” … I was intrigued with this premise from the very beginning however nervous given that death was the primary subject matter.

I really shouldn’t have been anxious as Klune tackles this topic so incredibly well and on reading the acknowledgments at the end of the novel, it’s clear to see how emotionally vested the author was in the story telling following the recent loss of a loved one.

Filled with plenty of wit and dark humour that lightened the mood of this read significantly, it also sensitively reflected on the harsher reality of the underlying storyline for our protagonist Wallace.

It’s fair to say that Wallace was not a particularly likeable character at the outset, pretty obstinate and stubborn however, by the end of the story he had my full support. His time at the Charon’s Crossing Tea and Treats alongside Hugo, Nelson, Mei and Apollo made for a very thought provoking read.

This is a story of loss and grief, but it’s also a story of life and love. Very articulately written, this novel receives 4 🌟 from me.

Be sure to check it out when it releases on 21st September!

TW- death of parents, mild off screen suicide.

#QOTD- what kind of tea/coffee do you like?

Thank you to @netgalley and @blackcrowpr for letting me read the ARC.

Reps- gay POC MC, Chinese side character, bisexual MC.

TROPES- gay romance, ghosts, found family

It's been a long while since a book made me laugh and cry so hard. Y'all probably already know the plot but if not then swipe. I love the cover, I loved all the characters. Til the 50% mark, I was laughing hysterically. It's after then that all hell broke lose and I was sobbing in all alternate chapters. The end made everything worth it.

If I could, I would choose to live in this world. Amazing people, different varieties of tea and food, who would say no to that? I'll happily live in this world. Now onto the characters-

Hugo, our ferryman, is a compassionate man. He lost his family in an accident, after which he was made aware that he could become a ferryman. I loved Hugo, he's kind, compassionate and so very gentle with everyone.

Nelson is one of our resident ghosts who also happens to be Hugo's grandpa! I adored this man and his bond with Hugo. He could have crossed on to the other side but he stayed to help Hugo. He's eccentric, cheerful and very mischievous!

Now Wallace Price, lol. I started this book with disliking him. Went on to feel pity and at times sad for him. By the end of the book, I was happy with him and for him. He's been a workaholic asshole his entire live. Only after death, does he realizes how much he had lost by taking everything for granted.

Mei is my favorite character in this, closely followed by Hugo. I loved that there was a kick-ass Chinese character but making her home condition a "cultural thing" was a low blow. People already think low of all Asians (especially Chinese, what with the pandemic), there's absolutely no need to add fuel in the already blazing fire even in subtle ways. Do I think the author was deliberately trying to be xenophobic? No I don't but it is what it is.

A special mention to Lea, Nancy, Cameron and Zach! I cried the hardest for them. My heart still hurts just thinking about them. Won't add anything more to avoid spoiler.

The narration and writing style is so soothing. I can get what the hype has been about this author. I'll definitely read more by him. The story was a whole journey that makes you reflect your own actions too! It's a thought provoking, heartbreaking but satisfying book.

trigger warning
<spoiler> mention of suicide, grief, trauma, child abandonment, homelessness, depression, animal death, being orphaned </spoiler>

You could call him Ebenezer Scrooge: Wallace Price is a cliché lawyer, successfull, rich, emotionally distant. He is where he is because he cares about business and nothing else. His wife divorced him, he has no friends, and he is happy how it is.
Until he dies and goes to his own funeral and the church is empty. Oops.

The psychopomp leading him to the ferryman brings him to a tea shop, of all places, and from there on we go.

Similiar to House in the Cerulean Sea, this one deals with misfits of various levels. Everyone, even the side characters, have their own back story and things might hurt, but will comfort you a lot at the end.
The fantasy twist fits neat in there, and apart from one detail - ghosts - the world <i>could</i> be the one we live in.

You get invested in the characters. This is not plotdriven, and let me tell you that most often I struggle with characterdriven narratives, but this was not that. Having a ghost dog surely helped, but that's not it.
This took me out of my headspace and I had fun, even when dealing with brain fog.
This one might be one of those arcs I later go on and purchase for myself to be able to re-read later on. Full recommendations.

The arc was provided by the publisher.

I find this so hard to review because I simply adored it. A grumpy man dies and becomes a ghost type figure where he has to learn to move on and falls in love. It was adorable and I was hooked. I honestly can’t describe how much I loved this book. The writing was behold and I enjoyed seeing how the main character began to change after he died. I also loved seeing his relationship develop with the other characters. The grandfather and the dog were two characters I loved. I’ll be honest I loved them all. I enjoyed the themes of death and grief and moving on. There are some adorable moments and I was smiling all the way through reading this. I will be buying a physical copy and I have been recommending it to everyone.
Overall it is a read that I adored and I find it hard to articulate how much I liked the book and why I liked it.

Even before I read the acknowledgments at the end of the book, I realised from the writing that this was a deeply personal account from the author. The characters in the story are adorable- not just Hugo but Mei, NElson and Apollo. In fact, the character I liked least was Wallace! The book revolves around the premise that once we die, we move on and between the two is a time to evaluate. This is an endearing and thoughtful book with a big Heart. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

Wallace Price discovers he is dead at his own funeral. To say he is annoyed would be something of an understatement. He has places to go and people to see. The reaper who comes to collect him from the funeral - Mei - isn't really appreciated by Wallace and he insists on seeing her boss. Given that was what would have happened anyway Mei takes him to a tea shop outside a small village in a very rural setting. Hugo runs it however he is also a ferryman who helps people to cross over. He offers Wallace a cup of tea. Wallace cannot recall ever having drunk tea before and is less than impressed. He is an important partner at a law firm and expects to be taken seriously. Dead is simply not an option.

It's fair to say that we do find out early on that Wallace was not really loved by anyone. That said there isn't really anyone he loved either. He comes over as a very unlikeable character. Mei seems competent at her job as a reaper. She is alive but can see and touch the dead and is there to help if she can. Hugo was something of a mystery to me to start with. So he runs a tea shop (and knows a lot about very different teas) and is a ferryman - hum...

I was very easily hooked by this well written tale. If a fantasy book about death, reapers and ferrymen with a distinct gay slant are not your thing then this is probably not for you. My taste in books is very broad and my main requirement is that they hold my attention and engage me. This did. The characters - including a dog ghost - all developed well. The pace and writing were very good. The idea - rather odd though it was - worked well for me. There is far more to this than my outline suggest however I would far rather that those interested found out more for themselves.

T J Klune was not an author I'd come across before. However I will definitely be reading more of his books as and when I get the chance. If off the wall and gay work for you this and maybe the author's other books are well worth a look. 4.5/5 I think.

Sometimes you read a book and it gets so deeply rooted in your heart that days, weeks or months later you find yourself thinking about the first time you read it. Within that you will find yourself wishing that you could go back to that first time because whilst it will eternally become a comfort read nothing will beat that initial read. Under The Whispering Door is beautiful in every conceivable definition of the word, it’s raw and emotive whilst feeling like you’re being wrapped in a hug. Klune has this innate way of challenging the way we view not only the world we live in, the world we leave behind but also the way we love ourselves. After spending an hour earlier listening to TJ speak openly about his reasonings behind writing the book and why there will absolutely never be a sequel it made me love it all the more. I will continue to be in awe of the experiences authors share with us daily as if we’re trusted with a part of them. If that hasn’t sold it to you then the religious sass and swearing should do it.

First of, I ADORED House in the Cerulean Sea but was very aware that this would be a somewhat different read. And yet I got another delicious hug in a book, albeit a rather different one.

This story revolves around workaholic and all-round schmuck Wallace Price who dies unexpectedly. When his reaper takes him to a tea shop to meet his ferryman to the beyond, Hugo, Wallace does not show himself from his best side. Because he is not at all ok with being dead, no sir, no!

In comical, heart-warming, gut-wrenching, and deliciously witty chapters, we look on as Wallace makes peace with his new-state of non-existence, helped by a team of fabulously diverse, charming, and straight-up hilarious figures—and a dog!

In essence, this is a beautiful story about death, dying, redemption, love, and family. I expected it to be much sadder than it was—this book probably had one of the funniest scenes in it that I’ve read in recent years and had me laughing out loud in the middle of a busy beach (all I say is ouija board).

For me it didn’t quite reach the heights of its predecessor, but it still comes in at a solid 4 ⭐️s!

Such a wonderful wholesome book, I really enjoyed this and loved the development of the characters throughout as the story progressed. If you want to read something that will make you smile and give you a bit of perspective about life, love and 2nd chances then this is the perfect book to pick up.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review. Who knew a book about grief and death could be such a cathartic read?

I love love loved House in the Cerulean Sea and was absolutely buzzing when I got approved for Under the Whispering Door! I finished this book a couple of days ago and I'm still digesting it. I literally tear up every time I think about it. God, Klune is so good at tugging at my heartstrings 😭😭 apologies if this review is a ✨mess✨



Wallace Price was an A* arsehole when he was alive, who only cared for himself. But now he's dead and is struggling to come to terms with that. Still an arsehole though. When Mei, a reaper, takes Wallace to Charon Crossing, a wee tea shop that helps the dead to move on and cross over, Wallace definitely gets more than he bargained for. Will he be able to move on, or will he stay as a mean arsehole ghost forever?

This book... this book made me laugh, smile, it made me sob and honestly? It felt so cathartic. Therr were definitely times I had to stop reading because I couldn't see the words infront of me because of all my tears. The characters were so well written and the character development was superb.

A massive 5 Stars to Under the Whispering Door, I can't wait to have the physical copy in my hands. I'll be thinking of Charons Crossing next time I have some peppermint tea.


NOTE: Under the Whispering Door has very different vibes from House in the Cerulean Sea but also same vibes in the way its like a kids book for adults in that it deals with heavy themes and Klune writes in that same whimsical way used in HITCS.

I loved this book so much. ‘Under the Whispering Door’ is truly an exceptional read. I really enjoyed the story and the setting, but the characters were the true heart of this story. Wallace is not a likeable character at the beginning, and after the first chapter, I thought he won’t resonate with me at all. How wrong I was! His death becomes a start of a new journey, and I absolutely loved his interactions with others and how he changes during this narrative. Mei, Hugo and Nelson are truly a wonderful cast of characters, each different, and raw and honest. And let’s not forget about Apollo, a ghost dog, who definitely stole my heart!

While ‘Under the Whispering Door’ touches on heavy topics such as death, grief and even briefly suicide, it’s also such a warm and in a way hopeful read. It’s soft and warms you in the heart. It’s definitely a book I will be coming back too. I absolutely loved TJ Klune’s writing style, and I will be reading more by the author in the future. 100% recommend.

I was so so excited for this one after absolutely loving the authors previous work but I just couldn’t get into this one, I read to 40% and while it was ok, it wasn’t one that I was desperate to pick up or that I was particularly invested in finding out what happened. It moved too slow.

First things first I need to express how much I loved this book, from start to finish this book was a masterpiece!
I absolutely adored the characters in this book, even though Wallace was honestly the worst in the beginning but he has great character development throughout the story. I loved Hugo too and the longing these two felt for each other throughout the book felt so real, I was rooting for them the entire time.
This book had great side characters too: Mei, Nelson and Apollo (Nelson was the best, what a guy!) that really added to the story. This book did feel very much more character based than plot based but I prefer character based books so that worked really well for me.
Overall, this book made me feel so many emotions, it gave me butterflies, it made me laugh and it made me cry and I highly recommend it!

Wallace Price thinks tears are pointless. He’s moody and awful and cheerfulness has no need to be present in his law firm.

But then Wallace dies.

It would be a big disservice to not state right now that, The House in the Cerulean Sea this is not. If you’re expecting wholesome, family vibes with lots of laughter and warm hugs, then you’re in the wrong place.

Under the Whispering Door is funny, oh so funny that I laughed out loud at least once per chapter. But it’s also so very emotional, hard, draining. A beautiful and heartbreaking read that will absolutely make you cry.

“He was a tea plant, rooted in place, not yet mature enough to be harvested.”

There are few characters in this book, but they all serve a purpose and place. This oddly felt at times like a quintessentially British book, absolutely dripping in sarcasm and humour.

What does it mean to be alive? And how do we come to terms with death? Whether that be of our own or those we most cherish. I think it’s up to personal opinion on whether this book adds anything new or profound to this discussion but I would have to say it doesn’t, not really.

“I won’t let you float away. You’re not a balloon.”

The romance was nice and it was expected but it didn’t seem natural. Plausible sure, but it seems to happen within an instant and you can’t help but to think well where did that come from?

I finished reading this book feeling emotionally devastated. Whilst the ending didn’t go the way I imagined (or hoped), it was impactful. Through grief and laughter and love, there is the innate T.J. Klune heartfelt message behind every line.

My thanks to Black Crow PR, NetGalley and of course the author for my chance to read and review this soulful book.