Wow, what a fantastic book this was- my first from Joanna Wallace and definitely won’t be my last. I absolutely loved Beth, she was so funny and the kind of school mum friend I would have loved to have when my boys were younger.

The book follows Beth as she navigates school run life after her friend Charlotte dies whilst also dealing with her husband leaving her for her best friend.

One day something is mentioned about Charlottes death on the playground which doesn’t add up to Beth. She then goes on a mission to find out what really happened to Charlotte with the help of wine, except she can’t quite work out what she has written under the influence.

This book will have you laughing and crying and also thinking you’ve worked out what’s happening to then be proved wrong! Highly recommend!

This was a great read! I had so much empathy for poor Beth – at times it felt as if I was reading about myself. So many things are covered – depression, alcoholism, affairs … the list goes on. OMG those school mums! Some you’ll quite like but some you’ll hate. There are some really sad and awful parts but there are some that just made me laugh out loud. The plot was interesting and unique and writing style was great. This is a book I can heartily recommend to anyone who likes a good murder mystery. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read it, I hope it’s a great success.

Throughout this story, you follow Beth as her life takes a turn for the worst. With the death of her best friend and her husband leaving her for one of her other friends, Beth's life goes from bad to worse. She plunges into a dark place full of obsession and addiction, taking hold of her.

What a surprise read this book was. It was not what I was expecting at all. A mix of contemporary fiction, humour, and murder mystery.
I loved this story. It's full of sarcasm, wit, and dark humour, which I totally got and enjoyed very much. At times, it felt like I was reading bits of myself in this book, so relatable in parts. I lost count of the times I laughed out loud. All that aside, underneath that, it tackles some real heavy issues surrounding obsession, alcoholism, depression and self-worth. You feel every bit of Beth's turmoil and emotions. They hit hard. I just wanted to reach out and help her.
The playground mum clique was spot on, every playground has them, and they do exist. You're either going to love or hate the ending. I, for one, loved it! It was an OMG! moment for me.

All on all, this is a compelling, emotional roller-coaster of a read. I finished this in two short sittings. It fully immersed me into Beth's little world and didn't let go. I haven't read a book in this style of writing before. It was so well written and refreshing for me.
Add this to your summer reading lists.

Thank you, Netgalley and Viper Books.

3.25*

I had heard amazing things about Joanna Wallace's debut, You'd Look Better As a Ghost, so I knew, after seeing the premise of The Dead Friend Project, that I really wanted to read it. Overall, I'm glad I read it but I didn't love it like I hoped I would.

In this humour led, mystery style contemporary fiction story we meet Beth, a struggling mum of young children. Her husband left her for a close friend, she feels that she doesn't match up to the other mums on the school run, and her best friend - Charlotte, was killed in a road traffic accident with too many loose ends for it to have been accidental in Beth's alcohol addled mind.

What follows is a story of a woman spiralling ever downwards into alcoholism and despair whilst her friends and family watch on, unable (or unwilling) to help as she sets off on a single person mission to solve the mystery of Charlotte's death.

I'll admit, I'm not a mum so I've not encountered the school run types which make up the character tropes we see here and so they come across for most of the novel as unfunny and pretty one dimensional. That is aside of Ana, who I loved and Emily, who gets her redemption at the end! I also struggled Beth's issues with alcohol. I'm sure they were trying to be handled realistically and sensitively, especially towards the end, but they were repetitive and for the most part read like 'Wine Mom' memes that are all over social media, and the attempts to make them humorous felt a little uncomfortable to me. There was also generally a lack of empathy from other characters, not helped by how dramatic Beth is throughout the book which made for uncomfortable reading

The humour though, when it worked, worked well, and I'm sure for parents the exhausting merry go round of children, activities and play dates rings so true and adds to the experience of the story - The reveal for why one of the characters unfortunately died was awful and so funny at the same time that I can absolutely see it happening in many a home.

I was fortunate enough to get the eBook and Audiobook for this and despite my misgivings about elements of the story, found that it absolutely flew by and I basically read it in one sitting. The audiobook is well produced and Imogen Church makes for an incredibly effective narrator. I think that is what saved the reading experience for me. She truly captured the pace and style of the narrative and did so many different voices so well that each one had an identity and personality that came to life and she captured the breathless exuberance of youth brilliantly.

This is a fast paced story that fits the mania of Beth's mission and has almost cosy mystery elements to it. I identified in Beth traits I've seen in many other people who have substance use problems and so the ending, whilst frustrating in many ways also felt realistic.

Definitely a hit and miss book for me but it hasn't put me off trying Joanna Wallace's first book which I think may suit me better as I really enjoyed the humour when it landed and I did like the writing style. I just think the setting wasn't right for me but I think fans of Jane Fallon or those with children or who do the school run will delight in the character tropes, conversations and sense of identity seen in the characters here.

Thank you to NetGalley and Serpent's Tail / Viper / Profile Books | Viper for a digital review copy of "The Dead Friend Project" and Profile Books Audio | Viper for a review copy of the Audiobook, both in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

This was a great read- a mix of a murder mystery, womens fiction and crime! If you're familiar with the school gate mum cliques, this book will resonate with you and you will find yourself laughing, groaning and eye-rolling at all the usual characters. It's set around a group of mum's, one of whom dies, and her best friend who sets about getting to the bottom of what really happened. It is quite emotionally dark at times, with alcoholism and affairs involved, but it is mostly an easy enjoyable read which will keep you guessing.

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.

Overall rating : 4*
Writing skill : 4*
Plot: 4*
Pace: 4*
Characters: 4*
Humor: 4*

There are not many books I devour in a day, but as I had both the ebook and audio versions of this book I flew through it. Having read 'You'd Look Better as a Ghost' last year I knew I was going to like this book. The author creates great (yet maybe infuriating) characters in which she put them in comical situations. I tell you, if I ever come across a mum like Emily im not only moving schools but counties.
A cozy mystery that will have you smiling and questioning all the main characters right until the very end. A super fun time.

Prepare to open the floodgates of your emotions, this one will tap into them all, and you'll enjoy every single moment.

I wasn't really sure what to expect with this as it's the first book I've read by this author. However, I was given the opportunity to read by Netgalley and the blurb did pull me in.

I think the detailed description of the characters does remind you of parents and playground politics which I always found annoying when my son's were younger. This took me back to those days where I was an outsider observer the mess within. I felt sorry for Beth as she couldn't seem to catch a break and I felt she deserved better. Life can be unkind so I guess that's the reality of the situation and this book seems to ensure she's downtrodden throughout.

I did find the mystery around the death/murder? Interesting and I think that's what kept me going so the ending was disappointing. I actually got annoyed as I thought my app was misbehaving and there was still more to come. It'd be interesting to know if there's going to be a follow up. Would love to see Jade/Rowan get a dose of karma and for Beth to actually have something positive happen just to balance the darkness!!

Really, I can be jealous at authors like Joanna Wallace who are able to describe even the most horrific things in daily life with so much insight and humour. Main character Beth may be an alcoholic (although she's still in denial) like in so many other books with a divorced (young) mum, I can relate to her because of the fact that she is not the kind of woman who wants to be perfect. On the contrary - she drinks to much, is not into yoga, hates playdates and even more, hates her former friend Jade, who is now in a happy relationship with Beths' husband.
There is a mystery there but this book made me laugh out loud several times. The party where everybody turns up in time when Beth has still absolutely nothing organized! The comments of her 'friends' about 'what did she organize for the children to do'? Hilarious.
Still, next to the mystery there are more things here that meets the eye, because the book is not only about finding what happened to Charlotte the night she died, but also what happened with Beth? Can she go back to being herself, the loving and carefree person she once was?
Read this book and find out.

Thanks to Serpent's Tail / Viper Books and Netgalley for this review copy.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I found this book entertaining and quite refreshing. A very flawed and unreliable narrator and so open ended which I normally find frustrating but it works here.

I enjoyed this book. It was my first one from this author.
The title alone intrigued me.
However I personally found the characters a little grating and was hoping for them to develop a little more.
I thought the story overall was interesting
I would recommend this book

What a flippin’ fantastic book to follow up from Joanna’s last. The humour in this page turning read was spot on - it is my kinda book and those that disagree are dead to me!

Beth is struggling to cope after her best friend died 18 months ago. Part of the problem is that Charlotte's death just doesn't make sense - so Beth starts looking closer at what happened.

This is a book full of very annoying characters, and nothing to really balance that out. I wasn't massively engaged by the plot and the ending was something of a let down, so this was not a great book for me.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

I have this authors first book on my TBR so when i seen this I thought I’d give it a go first as I liked the blurb and thought would be an interesting story.
I’m actually quite reluctant to give this review as soon as I finished as I’m not sure if my thoughts will change but here we are.
The main character is full of flaws which makes her relatable. While her alcoholism is infuriating, it is realistic.
I was quite irritated by the amount of repetitive language used in the book. At some points I would think have I read this page, go back to previous and realise nope, it’s just being repeated. I get it’s the characters personality but it just got a bit much for me.
I hated the ending. I get it, it’s kinda resolved but also kinda not. I feel like I needed more as just felt unfinished to me.
Overall, it was an ok read for me. Not amazing, not terrible.

I received a copy of this arc from the publisher via netgalley but this has in no influenced my opinion nor review.

I loved the author’s debut “You’d look better as a ghost” so I was eager to read this one. The story centres on Beth, a struggling mom of three, who is struggling to cope following the death of her best friend Charlotte - doctor and supermom -who died in a car accident eighteen months ago. Beth, however, can’t shake the feeling that something about Charlotte’s death doesn’t add up. Determined to uncover the truth, Beth dives into an investigation that spans two timelines: the present day and the days immediately following Charlotte's death.

There a good sprinkling of dark humour which had me laughing one minute and reflecting on the murder mystery the next.

“The Dead Friend Project” is perfect for readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with a touch of humour. A five-star read, leaving me eagerly waiting the next offering from Joanna Wallace.

Loved the first book, You’d look better as a ghost, and this book is not the difficult second novel at all, but it is again brilliantly written, with humour, deep creativity, and a deep understanding of the values of friendship, loyalty and a burning desire to search out the truth.
Beth and Charlotte are best friends. Charlotte is a Doctor and Beth is a mess, she has two boys, a newborn daughter, her husband Rowan isn’t at home very often, and she has an unhealthy relationship with booze.
Eighteen months ago Charlotte died, she was hit by a car whilst out on a training run. Beth knows that can’t be true, she would never have left Leo, her two year old son alone in the house.
The story tells the story from two time lines, present day, and the immediate days following the death of Charlotte.
Beth promised herself to find the truth about the death and she doesn’t mind whom she insults, accuses and alienates in this quite emotional read. We would all like a friend like this, by our side through life and death. Unfortunately, the alcohol fuelled Beth can do irreparable damage with her persistent search for the truth and her attempts to reconnect with her friends who may be suspects.
I enjoyed this so much, one minute laughing, the next remembering it’s about a murder, but Beth will strike a chord with many hard pressed Mums who have frequent interactions with small children , that can rob you of the will to live! Loyal friends appear in many guises.
A five star read. There must be more books please!
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Serpents tail/ Viper / Profile for my advance copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review.
I will leave copies to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication.

What an emotional roller-coaster of a read! Cleverly written, full of dark humour, hilarious in places and sarcastic wit! It's a well written plot with well described characters! All the sub-plots are brought together with a bow to a satisfying ending. I highly recommend this book.

4.5-5

I had a copy of Joanna's previous book - You'd Look Better as A Ghost - but for reasons unknown to me, I never got round to reading it. But I wasn't going to make that mistake twice and absolutely jumped on this book!

Joanna has such a seamless way of writing. It feels as if the very first draft would be the final draft, that she knew what she wanted when setting out and that's what we've got.

It really whizzes away! I thought I'd sit and read a little bit whilst I had the chance and suddenly I was a third of the way through.

It is really fun. Yes it has the things you expect from a thriller or murder mystery: we have an unexplained death, many suspects, difficult romantic relationships, problematic friendship groups, secrets, conversations left unsaid etc. but it is also just real good fun.

The characters are wonderful. I won't go through them all as there's too many, but Beth is our main character. She's not always a reliable narrator. She's flawed, stressed, anxious, worried, tired, and determined to find out the truth about Charlotte's death. But she's surrounded by people who just accept it as an accident, they don't pry, they shut down conversations, and look all the more guilty for it. Joanna has depicted the school mum clique perfectly.

There was a little bit of repetition with themes and conversations throughout which I was on the fence about. It could have been annoying but then again it really hammered it home how confused Beth was and how confusing the whole situation is. Overall I think Joanna has managed it well.

It's mostly set in the present but every now and again there's a flashback to around the time of Charlotte's death. It doesn't interfere with the smoothness of the reading of the present bits, but gives us a little bit extra to help push along the present actions.

Considering the amount of books in this genre I was, I feel I should be able to work out the endings by now. But I spent the whole thing going round and round in my head, like Beth was doing, trying to figure out how it would end but I failed miserably.

It's 336 pages long which isn't short but nor is it long. If I hadn't known, and I'd read it, I would have said it was half the length, the ease in which I sped through it, and yet it doesn't feel short-changed or if you're missing something.

The ending...hmm the ending? I liked it and I didn't like it. How do I put this without out-and-out spoilers? It's not quite ambiguous leave it up to the reader type of ending, but nor is it 100% wrapped up neatly with a bow. It allows the reader to come to their own conclusion but using what Beth has found out.

I am a little sad now I've finished it. And having finished it, I'm going to find that copy of You'd Look Better as a Ghost and read it!

I loved this!!! My mind was completely a mess trying to figure out with Beth what the hell was going on
I read this in 2 days as I couldn’t put it down I went to bed thinking about it and woke up and had to just pick the book up!!

My only problem was Beth’s husband living happy after what he did to her with her friend i just couldn’t get over it

But overall an amazing book super engaging easy to read completely messy with your mind. I had so many theories all wrong

For the most part it's an enjoyable read, I appreciated the dark humour and sarcasm sprinkled throughout the book and the plot held a lot of promise. But I felt the ending was rather rushed and very unsatisfying.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook.