I really enjoyed this one. It's a wonderful blend of mystery, obsession, and humour. Beth is really the most perfect character to spend time with - fabulously flawed but completely addictive - and her view on life, and the playground mums she has come to know over the years, really did make me chuckle. She observant, acerbic, and all too often fuelled by a bottle (or two) of the vino, and she doesn't hold back - even if most of her commentary is in her head. I liked her. Worried for her too, but mostly just found her entertaining.

This is her story - sort of - her quest to discover what really happened to her best friend Charlotte who died having been hit by a car. Whilst out on a run. At night. With her young son left alone in the house. Because that's the kind of thing a loving mother does, right? Yeah, Beth didn't think so either, especially not when the mother in question was super-mum, Doctor, PTA planner extraordinaire, and all round good egg, Charlotte. A chance meeting with another mum at the hospital plants a seed of doubt in Beth's mind, which soon takes root, leading her to vow to find out the truth about that fateful night. and what a series of twists and turns her investigation takes. It makes for amusing reading for us, and less than comfortable interrogations for Beth's group of friends.

I love the way in which Joanna Wallace has framed this story. One one hand, we are faced with a very valid question. What would make a devoted mother leave her son to go running in the middle of the night. There are plenty of seeds of doubt planted in our own mind as they author explores aspects of the story that remain hidden to Beth, at least at the start, and left me wondering just what the truth might be. As with any group of friends and school gate acquaintances, there are plenty of half truths shared, and suppositions made, and given that our assessment of the other mums is very heavily clouded by Beth's first person internal monologue, it casts doubt over each of them in turn, even down to a brand new to the school mother who couldn't (maybe) possibly have been around when Charlotte died ... Then again, given what we learn about Beth, it was often hard to trust her judgement and therefore her testimony of what was really going on in the friendship group.

There are many twists, turns and surprises along the course of this book, but more than the occasional moment where I found myself chuckling along. Some of Beth's observations were hilarious, and pretty much the kind of comment I may make myself if faced with similar kinds of personalities, at least in my head, and for me without the aid of alcohol. I did feel for Beth though, and understood her turning the wrong way for support. It's safe to say that she has a very complicated home life, and this is explored with warmth, humour and compassion by the author throughout the course of the book.

Do we ever find out what really happened to Charlotte? Well read the book yourself to find out. I have my own views on what the truth might be but those closing chapters are both emotional and witty and made the perfect ending to a truly entertaining and attention stealing book. Definitely recommended for folks who like a subtly light hearted mystery with an emotional core, a nod to mental health challenges, and a whole host of laughs along the way.

Fantastic read thoroughly enjoyed it from start to end! A great second book!

A must read book!

Thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and the story, EXCELLENT!

Beth’s descent into alcoholism and mental health crisis was so painful and profoundly executed.
I couldn’t tell what I was supposed to define the book as, it had laughter and black humour but then in the next scene, an alcoholic reaching for her next drink.
I actually really liked Beth from the start. It took a while for the story to get going. I just reviewed The Dead Friend Project by Joanna Wallace. #TheDeadFriendProject #NetGalley

I loved Joanna Wallace's previous book for its dark humour so was excited to read this one. The dark humour, fab observations of playground politics and complex dynamics between women in cliques made this an entertaining but also heartfelt read. Beth is struggling with grief from losing her best friend who died in suspicious circumstances, and her divorce. She goes on a mission to find out the truth about the night Charlotte died which isn't easy to do when you're an alcoholic with lapses in memory. As the story unfolded, this unreliable narration was used brilliantly to delve into grief, feeling outside and lies people tell. The author made Beth relatable despite her chaotic flaws, and I was invested emotionally in her mission.

This was a surprise of a book, both funny and sad. The characters are recognisable as people I've met in the playground. I really felt for Beth and had a lot of sympathy for her situation. The story is a bit slow, but it is well written and entertaining, so this didn't spoil my enjoyment.
I'll definitely be reading more by Joanna Wallace.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Main character, Beth, is an alcoholic, single mother of three whose life is falling apart following her separation from her husband and, what she believes to be, the murder of her best friend. As the story progressed, I grew to hate Beth a little, yet this only added to the enjoyment and the chaos of the narrative.

Between her trying to find her friends killer and keep her sanity, Beth leaves chaos - and death - in her wake and, while some plot points were predictable, most of them were written in such a way that they seemed unique.

Ultimately, what let this book down was the ending which felt rushed and incomplete. Otherwise it could have been quite the tale.

I always enjoy stories about toxic friendships, and this book gave me Janice Hallett meets Jane Fallon vibes.

I was pulled in right from the first page. Beth is a witty character who I couldn't help but warm to. Yes, she's flawed and arguably an unreliable narrator (which I LOVED) - mainly because she spends a lot of her time drunk, and who can blame her? Beth has been through a lot. She's lost her friend and been let down by those around her. I couldn't fail to warm to her spirit, unflinching loyalty and determination. I found the other mums intriguing and a reflection of the many personalities you'd find at the school gates. The mystery side was weaved brilliantly, with enough red herrings to keep me wondering and guessing right until the end. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Dead Friend Project was a weird one. I was expecting a light murder mystery book and that is not at all what I got. A year ago Beth’s friend Charlotte was killed in a road accident but when one of the other mums mentions that Charlotte left her then two year old son in the house to go running Beth starts to smell something fishy and so begins the Dead Friend Project as Beth tries to work out what really happened to Charlotte. What actually happens is that Beth falls into a drunken spiral and slowly gets madder and madder. Everyone in this book (with the exception of Ana and Harry) is absolutely hateful. They are all awful people, Beth’s husband leaves her for her friends the day after Charlotte dies after gaslighting her for months when she’s obviously suffering from post natal depression. Nobody helps her in anyway. It’s supposed to be funny and nothing about it is funny. It’s one woman’s slow journey to madness and self sabotage, I kept waiting for a twist. None came. The writing itself isn’t bad which kind of makes it worse as it had the potential to be good. It was just sad.

A very gripping book that i won’t hesitate to recommend to others. Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

This was a gripping read, I thought the characters were intriguing and I'm going to keep an eye out for more from this author.

A gripping novel with well-defined characters. Beth's life has spiraled out of control. Her best friend was killed in a car accident. Her husband has been having an affair with another of her so-called friends and she still has a lot of extra weight after having her third baby. She has nothing in common with the other yummy mummies at the children's school. She drowns her sorrows every night with wine and it sets her thinking. "Surely Charlotte wouldn't have left her young child at home to go for a run?" Was it in fact an accident or deliberate?

Mum of 3 Charlotte was tragically run over a year ago while out on a run, but to her best friend Beth, the story just doesn't add up. Why would she leave her toddler alone to go for an evening run? Why are the school mums so dismissive when it comes to talking about Charlotte?
Beth decided to take it upon her self to figure out exactly what happened to her best friend a year before, but not before she opens that next bottle of wine.
I really enjoyed the plot of an amateur sleuth finding out what happened to her best friend, and the overall cosy mystery feel, but I did feel it got quite repetitive towards the end.
There was a great balance of humour, which added some light-heartedness to the clear distress Beth was experiencing. There were a LOT of names in this, which was difficult to keep track of at times.
Overall this was a fun, enjoyable read so thank you to NetGalley and ViperBooks for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Beth can’t get over the death of her best friend, Charlotte, a year ago. Since then, her life has collapsed - her husband has left her for one of her friends and she is increasingly finding solace in (several ) bottles of wine. Her remaining friends regard her a liability, and don’t appreciate her obsession with trying to find out how Charlotte really died.
The Dead Friend Project is great fun, the playground mothers are every kind of self centred yet child obsessed woman you have come across in a school setting. Beth is in free fall but you know that somehow she has the power to save herself and solve the mystery.
This isn’t as dark as Joanna Wallace’s last book, which was a shame, but it’s still a highly entertaining read which I gobbled up in a couple of days.

I loved Beth's character I really felt connected to her throughout the book and wanted to know the truth behind Charlotte's death.

Firstly love the fact a main character despite being dead is called Charlotte as my name does not get enough rep in my reading!

Secondly this book was fantastic, I loved the stories, the characters I was on a 4 hour flight and I consumed 75% of this book from that alone.

With the right amount of humour with the gossiping mums and the drama of a best friend being possibly murdered it was the perfect "Motherland" murder mystery I was looking for!

Thank you to Viper for this early access read

The Dead Friend Project delves into the intricacies of friendship, loss, and grief. This novel is far from indifferent.

Beth has faced numerous hardships - being abandoned by her husband for someone else, being a single mother to three children, and being responsible for both her household and her dog. Since the tragic accident that took her friend Charlotte's life, Beth has felt inadequate among her peers and constantly finds herself in disagreements with herself and others. Life seems to be on a downward spiral. Without Charlotte's positive support, Beth is struggling with her emotions, consumed by grief and anger.

However, everything changes when Beth discovers that Charlotte unintentionally left her toddler home alone during that fatal incident. Beth questions the supposed accident as the responsible and caring Charlotte she knew would never commit such negligence. With newfound determination and a glass of wine in hand, Beth embarks on a mission to uncover the truth behind her best friend's death. And what better place to start than with the circle of talkative school moms, who surely can't be as perfect as they portray themselves to be? But who among them is hiding something? Beth is determined to find out.

The narrative is subtly melancholic and poignant, providing a heartfelt exploration of the profound impact that loss has on one's life.

The atmosphere of the book is both solemn and hopeful, as Beth grapples with her grief and seeks purpose in her journey. The author masterfully captures the essence of loneliness and the struggle to accept the absence of a loved one.

The characters in the novel are well-developed, with Beth as the central figure. Her journey is not only physical but also emotional and psychological, as she navigates through the depths of loss and rediscovers herself. Supporting characters like Emily, Beth's nemesis, add layers of complexity and depth to the story.

While reading the book, the undercurrent of gossip and chatter can be felt, creating an unsettling ambiance. All these elements contribute to a genuine and authentic atmosphere.

Joanna Wallace's writing style is subtle and introspective, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in the narrative. The author adeptly balances the weightiness of the subject matter with moments of humor and lightness, resulting in a captivating and transparent read.

The overarching theme of the book delves into the human condition and how we cope with loss and grief, even if it means causing harm to ourselves and others in the process.

Thanks to NetGalley and Viper Books for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book started off so promising, with a crime and a friend playing amateur detective to solve it. However, getting further into the book I found that the characters were going round in circles, and Beth, the narrator, was insufferable.

However, I did get through the book and was satisfied to find out what had happened, so I have settled on 3*

One of the best books i have read for a long while! A dark and at times tear jerker which also had me laughing out loud. Work that one out? I really thought i had it all worked out until the very end. This would make a great film, i loved every minute of it and i can see me reading it again at some point.
Am off to find some more from this author.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

this book started off great, it was just the right amount of “cosy” that i like in a cosy crime. very quickly after, however, i felt like this book just began to go round and round in circles, in the sense that it was the same characters, doing the same things, behaving the same way each time, which got quite tiresome after a few chapters of this. the ending 10% felt quite disjointed, but even though i saw one twist coming, i did not see any of the subsequent ones!!

than you to netgalley and serpent’s tail / viper / profile books for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

A weird cozy mystery that I bizarrely couldn’t put down… I just had to keep reading! What more is there to ask!