Bella Mackie is giving us yet another darkly comedic thriller! This time, we that follow the Wistern family, as they grapple with the sudden and mysterious death of their patriarch, Anthony. With a large inheritance at stake, each family member becomes a suspect, and the ensuing chaos is both absurd and darkly funny.

Mackie's signature blend of sharp wit and biting satire is on full display once again. She expertly skewers the privileged and the self-absorbed, painting a portrait of a family that is both dysfunctional and utterly believable. The characters are a delightful mix of despicable and pitiable, each one more flawed than the last.

While What a Way to Go shares some similarities with Mackie's previous novel, How to Kill Your Family, it offers a fresh and unique take on the family drama genre. Both books feature dysfunctional families with questionable morals, but What a Way to Go delves deeper into the absurdity of modern society, particularly the obsession with true crime podcasts and social media.

Overall, I found this a highly entertaining and thought-provoking read. It's a perfect choice for anyone who enjoys a good mystery with a healthy dose of dark humor.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my review copy, all opinions are my own.

I was immensely grateful that despite the gruesome way my husband died, he’d done it with his clothes on.’

Anthony Wistern is wealthy beyond imagination. Fragrant wife, gaggle of photogenic children, French chateau, Cotswold manor, plethora of mistresses, penchant for cutting moral corners, tick tick tick tick tick tick.

Unfortunately for him, he’s also dead. Suddenly poised to inherit his fortune, each member of the family falls under suspicion.

And that’s when the lying starts…

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this one.

Another great read from Bella x

What a Way to Go by Bella Mackie
It is Anthony Wistern’s 60th birthday and his wife has organised the most lavish party to celebrate. The celebrations are to take place in one of their many homes. Anthony is extremely successful and also extremely ruthless. In an unfortunate incident at the height of the party Anthony ends up dead. Was it murder, suicide or simply an accidental death.
His wife Olivia is a cold fish who has no relationship with any of their four over privileged children. The story is told form the perspective of Anthony as he looks down on his family after death, Olivia and someone known as the Sleuth. She lives nearby and was sacked form the local pub by Anthony.
The Sleuth is bored she spends her day caring for her mother and so goes off in search of an answer to the mystery of Anthony’s death. It is darkly funny – each if the characters are ghastly but we are keen to solve the mystery of what happened down at the lake on the night of the party.
There are numerous twists and turns as we make our way to the surprising ending. Well written and keeps you entertained throughout. A quick and fun read. Thanks to the author, the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read the book in return for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, publishers and author for an ARC of What A Way To Go.

I loved this book, unlikable characters that you love to hate, whodunit told from interesting perspectives, and great writing. An all rounder.
Anthony has arrived in the afterlife, at a processing centre. To move on he needs to remember how he died. Following his, his wife and an 'amateur sleuths' perspectives we find out how the family are doing after his death.
I really enjoyed this book, it lost .5 of a star for the length. 4.5 stars. Highly recommend.

I absolutely adored this book! I’m a big fan of Bella Mackie’s writing and if you loved How to Kill Your Family, you’ll love this book too. Such an interesting premise and I really enjoy the way Mackie deals with family dynamics.

I absolutely loved Bella's previous novel so couldnt wait to start this. I’m truly loving these comedy crime novels lately, and this is a perfect example of why - it’s clever, laugh out loud funny, shocking, and a great satire about wealth and privilege. I also loved the twist ending!! What a fantastic story, well executed.

I love this author. She has such a distinctive writing style which is full of personality, the plot was good but her strength is always the characters

I hate the fact I just didn’t love this book the way I did the first one. The characters were all so unlikeable that I wouldn’t have minded killing a few myself. It seems that a book must have at least one redeemable character to hold my interest and enjoyment.

Thank you for granting me early access to What A Way To Go. I enjoyed How To Kill Your Family so I was looking forward to reading it. This took a different direction and I think this was a brave choice but it just wasn't for me. I found it hard to root for anyone and it's a me problem, not an issue with the writing style or anything because that's what kept me reading and engaged.

Anthony Wistern - financial 'guru' and lover of all things expensive - is found dead at his lavish 60th birthday party, organised by wife Olivia. Neither Olivia nor their 4 children seem overly concerned at the circumstances surrounding his untimely demise. But The Sleuth - a local true-crime investigator - suspects foul play. What are the secrets lurking behind the Wisterns' closed doors?

Told from the perspectives of Anthony, Olivia and The Sleuth, this is a darkly comical look at the lengths people will go to in order to maintain their public face. None of the Wisterns are particularly likeable people, but that is half of the fun - waiting to see if they get their comeuppance.

I was really looking forward to reading this book as Bella's first novel is one of the best books I have read recently and I have enthusiastically recommended it to many different people. I felt that this book was lacking and not as good as her first unfortunately. The story whilst interesting lacked depth and substance and I felt had maybe been a little rushed rather than fully developed to Bella's true ability. That said I am looking forward to hearing friends reviews to see if I missed something in this book.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this arc!

I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down! Told from three different perspectives and full of characters you’ll love and some you’ll hate, this addictive book was a quick and enjoyable read with plenty of wit and a little bit of charm.

Anthony Wistern is found dead at his lavish and over-the-top 60th birthday party, attracting the attention of a local true-crime fanatic who dubs herself The Sleuth. She dives deep into the lives of the Wisterns to solve the mystery of how he died.

The Wistern family are awful and obnoxious yet delightful to read about. The author's writing is hilarious, and her witticisms perfectly show how out of touch this rich and elite family are. Lots of laugh out loud moments and quotable writing.

It unique in the way the mystery unfolds with it being told from 3 POVs, 2 in the land of the living and 1 in the afterlife. I have to say that the scenes in the afterlife were some of my favourite. It reminded me of when I watched The Good Place and I think (if you believe in that kind of thing) that it is a perfect representation of what it would look like - a bureaucratic nightmare with lots of rules and not as much freedom as you'd expect.

For those that love Dynasty and Succession, this is the book for you!

Thanks to Harper Collins & Netgalley for ARC.

Anthony Wistern had no input to planning his lavish 60th birthday celebrations at their Cotswold country home but he seems to be enjoying the attention - up to the point at which his body is found in circumstances that are more mortifying than tragic for Uber-hostess, his wife Olivia. As the investigation begins it appears none of the family will mourn him exactly, and all may have had reason to want him out of the picture.

So far, so humdrum, but Mackie's take on the premise and the three very different points of view she chooses for the story are cracking twists in themselves, and the plot is windier than a stately home estate road. This was tonnes of dark, irreverent fun.

If dark humour, twisty plot lines and a ton of 'No way! Really?!" moments are your thing, then you'll enjoy this romp through the afterlife!

Told from multiple perspectives, including the murder victim from beyond the grave, it's essentially a whodunnit murder mystery. Anthony Wistern, a wealthy businessman meets an untimely end at his own birthday party and must discover what happened in the last moments of his life in order to move on from the big old waiting room in the sky to his designated afterlife.

It has to be said that there isn't a single likeable character in the entire book - including our murder victim. Pompous, entitled and arrogant to the core, there's not a whole lot of sympathy to be had for either Anthony or the family he's left behind. It's something that would usually put me off a book but to be honest it just added to the sheer sense of bonkers mayhem in the book - that need to turn the page and find out what unforeseen plot-twist I'd be hit with next.

A great, entertaining read that will keep any reader gripped from start to finish!

This was twisty, fun and not at all what I expected to read.
I enjoyed the 3 different POVs and it was such a different take on reading through a murder mystery. I was engaged and guessing who it could be all the way through until the end.
I feel like I could maybe have enjoyed a bit more background on 'The Sleuth' but otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed.
Definitely a fair few characters to get to grips with though with lots going on, so really need to pay attention as you read.
Overall a fun read and I hope to read more from this author!
Favourite Quote - Ego gets in the way of most men seeing what's in front of them.
Favourite Character - Olivia

Best word to describe What a Way to Go by Bell Mackie - ABSOLUTE SCREAM. Yes, I realise these are two words actually, but the rules are to be broken. At least according to certain Andrew Wistern, a man who is wealthy, bored and so absolutely dead. But how did he die and how will his POOR family cope when his dirty secrets start coming to light? Not very well, as it seems, especially as not only they have to endure a fall out of grace, loss of the fortune and their position in the society, but they will also have to put up with the unwanted attention brought on them by a local true crime enthusiast who is convinced that Anthony was murdered.

I did not exaggerate that the book was a scream - I was thoroughly entertained by the plot, the ridiculous characters and the idea that after you die you go to the processing centre where you have to stay until you figure out how you died. Bella Mackie did it again - she created a cast of characters so utterly repulsive, and corrupt they are actually ridiculously entertaining. Three characters are given the voice - Anthony, trying to piece together his last moments leading to his death, determined to win for the last time, his wife Olivia, whom he vastly underestimates, and the Sleuth, a young woman desperate to make a break in a competitive world of true crime enthusiasts with a story that lands almost at her feet.

Read this book if you like subversive characters, entertaining plot and surprises, and men who are dead and unable to do what they want. You will not regret it.

What A Way To Go by Bella Mackie is a witty, darkly humorous, and deeply introspective novel that explores themes of grief, mental health, and personal reinvention. Mackie's sharp and engaging prose brings the protagonist's emotional struggles to life as she navigates the complexities of dealing with loss while trying to piece together a meaningful existence. The novel blends humor with vulnerability, offering a refreshing and honest portrayal of how messy, unpredictable, and even absurd life can be during times of emotional upheaval. With its relatable characters and thoughtful exploration of the human condition, What A Way To Go is both an entertaining and poignant read, resonating with anyone who has ever faced the challenge of rebuilding after hardship.

Hugely enjoyable murder mystery narrated from beyond the grave!

4.5 stars

Loved Mackie's first (a good Kind Hearts and Coronets story) and was keen to try her next. I don't read many stories of murder, so they need to have a good 'hook' for me, and this definitely did.

Rich man dies at his own opulent 60th birthday party, impaled (as per the cover) in what could have been an accident but which the media and certain family members start calling as murder.

But who would ever want to kill off a privileged, predatory, pompous shady businessma...?

Narrated briliantly by three voices - it's the dead man, Anthony Wistern who takes on a lot of the work, not only watching his family squabble over their inheritances but also showing readers around the rather drab afterlife he's found himself in (no Beetlejuice-like gothic or cherubic angels and harps here) - it's grey, dull and formal.

Another voice is Anthony's wife Olivia, clearly cold and calculating from the first as she reacts to her dearly beloved's demise... but that doesn't necessarily mean she's caused it. We watch both marital parties observe proceedings and build a picture of their family and married life and just how wealth and status really do play out.

The third narrator, known to readers as The Sleuth, lives near the Wistern's grand home where he died, and while caring for a disabled parent, spends most of their time as an amateur detective on forums trying to solve crimes alongside other obsessives. Their role in the Wistern's lives becomes clearer as the story progresses, and their role in the investigation also increases and furthers proceedings nicely.

With lots of twists and turns, it's a rollicking good murder mystery, with lots of unlikeable characters (the Wistern children are a pretty detestable bunch on the whole), a fab look at a drab afterlife, and a satisfying story that has a unique slant to the usual genre offerings.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

Anthony Wistern is an obnoxious businesman who is wealthy beyond belief but isn't very likable. He has four spoilt children and an entitled wife who are all out for what they can get. His wife loves to show off her wealth and is throwing a lavish party for his 60th birthday with no expenses spared. Lights in the garden and an impressive ball water feature in their lake.
Late in the evening Anthony's body is discovered impaled on a spike that is holding the ball in place in their lake. The police are called and it is surmised that this is a tragic accident.
However, an online sleuth suspects that he was murdered and aims to find out who killed him.
This was a fun read and the story is told from the perspectives of 3 individuals; Anthony himself, his money grabbing wife, and the online Sleuth.
Anthony's version is told after his death, when he finds himself in the afterlife with the capabilities to view the events below and he soon sees that his family aren't exactly heartbroken at his demise.
I loved this book and will be on the look out for more from Bella Mackie.