I love Bella Mackie’s writing. She has an ability to take away the trappings of wealth from the 1% and show them as they really are. Her side-eye sarcasm is clever without being clever-clever which really isn’t easy.
In What a Way to Go we meet the Wistern family just as Anthony has met a very unfortunate end at his own 60th birthday party. Skewered on a spike in the lake of his gorgeous Cotswold estate, it looks like a terrible accident, but some people aren’t convinced. Particularly as everyone soon realises that he was involved in some very dodgy financial dealings indeed.
The story is told from 3 perspectives, Olivia his (not very) grieving widow, The Sleuth, a local keyboard detective who is convinced that Anthony was murdered, and Anthony himself, stuck in a sort of purgatory until he works out how he died.
Olivia and her gaggle of awful children are hilarious - vain, money obsessed and far more concerned about their own welfare than what has happened to their father. Anthony is a truly awful character and I loved his reaction to the horrible halfway house he is in and the growing realisation that nothing in his life was as he believed. The Sleuth sections are a bit weaker - she is there to move the story on and sometimes it shows.
The story rushes on at pace and the last section is brilliant, a highly entertaining book.

I loved this book! I really enjoyed Mackie’s first novel and this was even better. It kept a great pace, and was wickedly funny with characters I just loved to hate!

Anthony Wistern is a wealthy financial mogul. He has a vast artwork collection, multiple large properties, a beautiful family and a long line of mistresses. His life seems perfect. Until, that is, he ends up skewered on a metal pole during his lavish 60th birthday party. The police rule his death as a freak accident, but others aren’t so sure. Anthony was in serious financial trouble and had upset a lot of people throughout his life. Was his death really an accident? Did he do it to himself? Or was he murdered?

This was a very fun read. I think I actually liked it better than How to Kill Your Family, which was also a great book. The characters in this one are all pretty terrible people, but there’s still some element of likeability to them which made them entertaining to read about. Even Anthony had an amusing, if entirely disagreeable, attitude towards life.

The mystery of how Anthony died is genuinely very intriguing. Although the cause of death is plainly obvious, it isn’t revealed until right at the end whether he was killed, offed himself, or had an accident. Right up until the reveal, every option is plausible.

The supernatural element – the story being told from Anthony’s point of view from beyond the grave, in a kind of afterlife waiting room – was unexpected but worked remarkably well within the story. It was fun to be able to see the meta-style comedy of Olivia deliberately doing something, hoping it would make Anthony turn in his grave, and Anthony actually watching and getting angry in the afterlife. Overall, What a Way to Go is a witty and intriguing mystery/drama.

I really struggled with this one, sadly and this is my first NetGalley DNF (at 80% - I will probably come back and finish just find to find out the ending). I think the black humour whodunnit genre mixed with the vilest of characters, makes for an occasionally wickedly funny, but not terribly enjoyable read. The critique of grotesquely rich was well done, but the satire left an unpleasant taste in my mouth. I simply didn’t enjoy reading it and it became a chore. It was at that point that I decided to officially DNF.

It's Anthony Wistern's 60th birthday and his wife, Olivia, has thrown the most lavish birthday party to celebrate and also to show off how disgustingly rich they are. But the party ends in disaster when Anthony is found dead. Anthony is then stuck in the afterlife holding centre until he can figure out how he died. Only then will he be able to move on.

The story is told from three different POVs, the grieving widow, a true crime podcaster and the dead guy from beyond the grave. I love the authors take on the afterlife, it's both original and strangely believable in it's mundaneness.
The characters are all deeply unlikeable and as a family they are most definitely dysfunctional but Mackie writes them in such a way that you love to hate them.

This was my first time reading this author and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this darkly humourous and twisty thriller. This is definitely an author I will read again.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC

Ever since reading How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie a couple of years ago, I’ve been keeping my eyes out for another book by her. So, I was really excited to give her latest release a read. What a Way to Go is a thrilling novel about money, family and unfortunate demises. It is packed full of dark comedy and witty writing. Bella Mackie’s latest novel is certainly not one to miss.

Anthony Wistern is wealthy beyond imagination. He has a large family, a French chateau, a manor, lots of mistresses and so much more. Unfortunately for him, he is also dead. Suddenly poised to inherit his fortune, each member of the family falls under suspicion. But, that is when the lying starts.

This story is told from 3 perspectives. The first is Anthony who is stuck in limbo as he find out the truth about his death and his family. Then, we have Olivia. She is the grieving widow with a troubled relationship with her children. Finally, the Sleuth. A young woman who is fixated on true crime, happens to know the Western family and is determined to uncover the truth behind Anthony’s death.

Each of the perspectives brings something different to the book and keeps you hooked. Anthony is a very flawed character who you instantly despise but can’t help but want to know the truth about his death. The sleuth is such an excellent embodiment of a lot of true crime fanatics who can’t help but get involved in a mystery. Olivia was my favourite of the three main characters. She is vile but you can’t help but be on her side throughout this book. I enjoyed her a lot.

I loved the unique take on a who dunnit story. The mystery of who murdered Anthony hooks you from start to finish. It takes the reader on a thrilling journey full of twists and turns. I was looking for a mystery to get lost in when I started this book and I certainly found it!

Bella Mackie has an easily digestible writing style. Her writing is full of dark comedy and she has an excellent way of bringing characters to life that you can’t help but love to hate. If you were a fan of her first novel, I’m sure you will love this one. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for another novel by her in the future.

Overall, What a Way to Go is a darkly humorous mystery novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. If you like family drama, mysteries and characters you love to hate, then this book is for you. I would highly recommend giving it a read!

I loved the concept of What A Way To Go. It's told from the perspective of three people - mega rich Anthony Wistern, his wife Olivia and the Sleuth. All pretty standard stuff, but Anthony is about to die when we first meet him, and then ends up watching the post-death proceedings from some kind of budget Grim Reaper waiting room. Not so standard now.

As you read through the book, you uncover a lot more about Anthony, Olivia and their grown up children. They're all a pretty unloveable bunch; let's just say they would get on well with the Succession clan. How will they deal with the demise of their father and all that comes with it? Will the Sleuth get to the truth?

An excellent read, you'll want to devour it in one sitting.

The story is told from the points of view of the 3 main characters; Anthony Wistern who is dead and is watching his family from the afterlife, unable to move on until he figures out how he died. His widowed wife, Olivia, who is having to deal with the fallout. The ‘Sleuth’ a true crime fan who can’t believe her luck when a renowned multi-millionaire dies in her hometown. But everyone believes it was an accident, can she prove that it was murder?
Key characters also include Olivia and Anthony’s 4 adult children who are set to inherit his fortune. Despite none of the characters being likeable, it was still an enjoyable read.
With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What A Way To Go is such a great concept and grabbed me straight away. The party and the drama felt very Saltburn. Then there’s the gruesome death. Loved that! Saying this the story is very much character driven, but I found every character unlikable and toxic. There are three points of views, this was interesting and having the added view from outside the family unit was really beneficial. This gave the plot another element otherwise I would have been bored. The psychological mystery did fall into the background for the characterisation and I didn’t feel as gripped by the story as I hoped. I liked the humour and tone of the book and think many people will enjoy it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

This is the first book that I have read by this author and it will certainly not be my last. This is a book full of twists, plenty of humour and characters that are easy to relate to, despite the society status that they are living in. The story starts with the proverbial bang when Anthony is found dead at the end of his 60th birthday party. Anthony was a particularly nasty piece of work with many enemies and people who had reason to kill him. The story is totally on was he murdered, was it suicide or simply an accident and throughout the book all three become a possibility. His children were very badly behaved and totally inconsiderate of other people, his wife tried to act as expected of a socialite. The characters are easy to follow and believe in and I thought that Olivia showed some sense when she was preparing to leave him and the family. I loved the way that this was written with the duality of the in between worlds waiting room and those that had been left behind on earth. The online sleuth added yet another perspective to the story and enabled the reader to fully see the characters that the children portrayed.
I loved the fact that everything was so neatly and comically brought to a closure.

I loved this book. After reading and loving How To Kill Your Family, I knew I just had to read this and it did not disappoint. I thought it was funny in places, very dry and I loved the multiple povs. The best way I can describe this book is that its an absolute romp and would make the perfect holiday read (or cosy weekend read depending on when you pick it up). I will definitely be recommending this to my friends/followers and its safe to say that Bella Mackie is an auto-buy author for me!

The story is told from 3 different perspectives Anthony and Olivia Wistern and the Sleuth. A bit of a slow burn but picks up and give you a good few laughs along the way.

What A Way To Go
Bella Mackie

‘Life is a funny succession of swings and roundabouts.’

This falls flat to me. This story is told from three different perspectives, Anthony, Olivia and the Sleuth. The concept is great fun, after life’s waiting room where you solve your own death to proceed but the story and characters just didn’t gel for me.

‘Had my own progeny conspired to off me for their inheritance? I can’t lie, it’s something I’ve had uncomfortable thoughts about before. When you’ve got a lot to lose, your trust in people diminishes, family members aren’t exempt from that.’

The book is full of dark humour, some intrigue and characters who seem capable of despicable acts but are mostly just rich, smug and arrogant characters. There was definite times you warmed to the characters but for the most part, I wasn’t at all invested.

“Now you’re dead, I’m going to be your new favourite person.”

This comes from the author of How To Kill Your Family and I’m sure plenty of fans of that will be jumping for this book on 2nd October 2024.

“You can sit here and destroy his character all you want but you will not speak a word of this outside of these walls. Our reputation is all we have in life. At this moment, ours is in tatters, but memories are short, and one day, this horrible month, this mensis horribilis, will be a brief blip - if we handle ourselves with dignity.”

Massive thank you to @harpercollinsaustralia @harpercollinsuk @netgalley and @harperfiction for this ARC.

‘You might waterboard a woman for her secrets to no avail, but tell her to cheer up and you’ll meet a banshee.’

“Just look at her. The woman doesn’t really have an identity without him. He sort of designed it that way, right?”


(Posted September 10th 2024).

What A Way To Go was the devious love child of Saltburn and Succession for me with scandal, schemes and salacious details. It utilises true crime fascination with such a skewering twist.

Bella Mackie has such a gripping writing style - she creates these complex, compelling characters that you sort of love to hate and their voices just hook you straight in. The Wistern family holds immense wealth and status, the type that feels otherworldly. It is a cold and calculated space where love feels sparse and every move is part of the game where power is the prize. So when the death of Anthony, the patriarch, throws a giant wrench into the mix, everything spins out of control.

Mackie allows us to relish in this as we get an insider’s account of everything going on, mixed in with a true crime inspired investigation into what really happened. Without giving anything away, there is also an additional investigative narrative that I absolutely adored and Mackie is inspired for including it. For me, it added an extra layer of forced reflection, which the family deeply lacks. There is just little or no self-awareness. It encapsulates that bubble mentality of the uber privileged, able to move through life unaware of the ripple effects of their actions.
Mackie places the reader as complicit in the interrogation of the family and the shredding of their privacy as gossip spreads and true crime fanatics latch on. This allows for some interesting thoughts about the ethics of true crime, but also flips the script on the expected power dynamics. There is a relishment of their downfall that you delight in, even as you feel some empathy for them.

What A Way To Go was a creative and extremely captivating look at the lives of the privileged and just what may lead to their downfall. It is a darkly comic, delectable read.

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback. Thank you NetGalley & The Borough Press!

Anthony Wistern is a filthy rich financier with a picture perfect family & a lavish lifestyle. Little do they all know, their world is about to come crumbling down when Anthony dies. His perfect life isn’t quite as it seems… would his family really kill him to inherit his millions?

Darkly funny with a very clever narrative like I’ve never seen before, this is far from your usual whodunnit.

Bella Mackie is the queen of writing unlikeable characters that you just can’t get enough of!

I really enjoyed the multiple POVs and the story kept me engrossed from start to end. I also really liked how it touched on the true crime obsessed society that we live in & the sense of entitlement that it brings.

If you like reading about awful rich people, dysfunctional families, revenge & female rage, this is the book for you. The way that Bella Mackie writes female rage is just so accurate & relatable (even if you don’t have rich people problems like the Wisterns).

DNF @15%

This is not the most original concept but coupled with the worst POV choices, it makes for a boring read.

"They might've taken my death as a win, but they were in for a nasty surprise when the will was read out. Even though I'd lost my life, I'd still come out on top. It takes a special kind of man to do that."

Anthony Wistern is wealthy beyond measure. His way to the top was not on the straight and narrow though. At his 60th birthday party, he dies in a gruesome way. The police think it was an accident but from his position at a kind of halfway house for the dead, he thinks he was murdered. He cannot pass on to the afterlife until he remembers what happened.

There are plenty of suspects – his four money-obsessed children, his wife who may have gotten tired of his affairs, or even his business partner. Now, a true crime armchair detective is on the case. She doesn't believe Anthony's death is anything but murder, and she starts uncovering clues.

This is a quirky whodunit that had me gripped from the start. It's loads of fun trying to discover who the killer is. The dialogue was sharp and witty, and I had plenty of smiles. I didn't manage to work out who was responsible for Anthony's death, which is always a bonus when it comes to mysteries.

This is a clever mystery that will keep you guessing. The characters will surprise you. We have the viewpoints of Anthony, his wife Olivia and the true crime-obsessed sleuth.

Highly enjoyable.

It the party of the year. Anthony Wistern is turning 60th and no expense has been spared at the bash at their Cotswolds home. When he is found dead in the lake, impaled, grief isn't the first thing on his wife's mind. She can't understand how he has managed to upstage her again. She was planning on leaving him early the next morning after putting up with his philandering and lies throughout their marriage. His four children are interested in what the multi millionaire has left them> From his viewpoint in the waiting room, he can see what is going on and can't do anything about it All Anthony needs to do to move on is to tell the powers that be how he died. The trouble is he can't remember. He spends his time viewing the family. Meanwhile, the true crime podcasters are convinced that he was murdered. One of them is being given tips by an insider, you just know that it's all going to go pear shaped. When the will is read and the family find out that they won't get what they were expecting, suspicions rise within the family as well.
A fun read. This family are just horrible.

The concept of this book really intrigued me + sounded like something I’d enjoy but unfortunately I found it underwhelming. It’s slow paced & I couldn’t connect with the plot so I found it difficult to maintain an interest.
There are some witty moments + dark humour which is what kept me reading.
Although this wasn’t for me, I can see others loving it.

★★½ ROUNDED UP ⬆️⭐️
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I want to thank NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the opportunity to review this book.

I was a big fan of how to kill your family. It was fun and fresh and I think I read it in a couple of days. Because of that I think I had some really high hopes for this one that just weren’t quite met…

It started off really promising! I loved the concept, the character voices felt fresh and unique. It was so funny (I was literally reading bits out loud to my friend as I was reading it on a beach trip because I couldn’t get enough!)

But all that sort of… tapered off. It ended up taking me ages to finish this book bc I’d read a good chunk but felt like I’d got nowhere.

I do think if I’d had more time to sit down and read this book in larger sections I would have enjoyed it more, but in the end it just felt like a bit of a slog to get back to.

Saying that, it was still funny throughout and there were parts I did find really interesting and fun to read. The plot was strong and it’s a good read if you love a good murder mystery.

Review posted on @reytgoodbook on insta on 10/9/2024