i love plot bending books like this. it feels like the best kind of English lesson when you have to find or look into a different perspective or investigate a different way of doing things.
this book takes that option by the horns and runs with it. she takes death. no not the black draped bony figure you imagine or are told shes just trying to do her job. but like many people just doing a really hard job and trying to do it well, death needs a break or something like that. so her boss agrees to give death sabbatical and to do so comes down to earth and inhabits a human. trouble is she has to be with her sister....Life. but they feel out yeeeeeears ago. but down on earth she finds there is an unexplained death. this doesnt happen. this isnt how death does things. she knows every single death. so who or what is behind this. could it be a one off? nope, not when more keep coming. so taking it into her own hands she decides whilst on earth she will find out just whats going on. someone's giving her a bad name after all. because only she is death.
i cant really describe this book apart from that its a really great read. i enjoy things like this that make me think. or that puts a new slant on what we are so used to knowing about something. and this author did it well. it doesnt pretend to be all knowing and like it actually wants to change your thinking or tell you something isnt or is true. its just an original take on a character so familiar to us all.

Tired of always being the bad guy, Death has talked her way into a sabbatical on Earth, where she intends to learn about the law to argue her case with the humans (There's no point being frightened of Death, she's honestly just being kind). But on day 1 of her sabbatical, she discovers a death that wasn't on the list. Her temporary replacement doesn't seem to know about it; her sister, Life, is freaking out about it. Really, what else is there to do but investigate herself?

Dapunt has tried to walk the fine line between comedy, murder mystery, and philosophical musing in this book. There were elements of all three that it sometimes did well, but I didn't feel the three elements really gelled here. I struggled to connect to the book as a whole for longer than I liked, only really starting to enjoy myself in that final third (at which point, the book really does settle in for some good build up and drama).

Overall, I can see where this book intended to land, but it didn't quite work for me.

Loved the characters in this book and loved seeing death from a human point of view, great perspective! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this before its release.

Absolutely brilliant! I loved everything about this book, from the great characters to the clever storyline.
Who'd have thought that I'd find myself on the side of death, and hoped that she would have a happy ending!
This book is one not to be missed.

I absolutely loved this book. Death’s sabbatical as a human is a genius story. I loved all the characters and would highly recommend this book.

I struggled a little more with this one than I expected although it is a really good book. Gaiman-esque and a really interesting story but perhaps it just wasn't for me? Easy to read and a satisfying puzzle to be solved.

"Death and Other Occupational Hazards" by Veronica Dapunt is a wildly imaginative and engaging read. When Death takes a sabbatical and inhabits a human body, chaos ensues, and unplanned deaths threaten to unleash an apocalypse.

As Death navigates the human world, she forms unexpected alliances with animals and humans, gaining a deeper understanding of her sister Life's creations. With its breakneck pace and clever plot twists, this book keeps you guessing until the very end.

A true genre-bender, "Death and Other Occupational Hazards" seamlessly blends elements of thriller, romance, comedy, and mystery, making it a must-read for fans of quirky, offbeat fiction.

I really really enjoyed this book! I love how they represented biblical characters in a fun and relatable way. The storyline was engaging and I didn’t guess the ending at all.
This was a great read, with some comedy and mystery.

This kind of genre isn't normally my cup of tea but I also wanted to try something new and out the box. The premise of this book sounded enticing, death as an overworked woman trying to catch a break. It most definitely is original and it sounded like a fun book but I feel like the execution fell a little flat. The humour for me, felt forced and the pacing dragged in places. Whilst some readers might enjoy the quirky take, I found it lacking depth and engagement and it just wasn't for me.

I loved this quirky book. The concept of death taking a holiday (and a job and a flatshare) in London was just so funny and true. Death herself is just great, a snarky lover of colourful fashion. Her sister (and tormentor) Life is a scream.

I was completely intrigued by the concept of this book. ‘Death’ is taking a sabbatical in modern day London but her break is rudely interrupted by a host of unplanned murders. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book but it’s quirky and fun, clever and witty and for a debut novel, it certainly hits the mark. I enjoyed how Death was not portrayed as something to be feared, but as a woman simply trying to do her job. There’s an element of romance, a fractious relationship with her sister, Life and a sweet relationship with a rescue dog which all add to the plot. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and the author for the chance to review.

Veronika Dapunt’s novel, Death and Other Occupational Hazards, adopts a unique perspective. It is narrated by Death herself. I say “herself” because she is using the body of a young woman, living in London in the 2020s. Although she has often be depicted by artists as a rather bony bloke with a scythe, that is simply a traditional view, in the same way that his Boss is often shown as an old man with a white beard sitting on a cloud.

Death wants a holiday and has managed to convince the Boss to permit it by calling it a sabbatical, intended for research into the customer base, enabling Death to offer a better service. And let’s face it: we are all part of Death’s customer base! The Boss is keen on modern management techniques and I loved the way that Death keeps mentioning them. The Bad Guy has been rechristened as the VP for Pandemonium and Perdition; the Good Guy is the Human Communications Director, although he’s been on leave for around two thousand years now. Death has a bust-up with the VP for P&P and gets admonished by the Boss. “We will reassess in a few weeks,” says the Boss.

Unfortunately, Death’s sabbatical does not go as expected. There is an Unplanned death. This is unprecedented. The Boss has a plan and Death is there to escort all living creatures on their final journey. However, she doesn’t remember being present for this one – and she remembers every death there has ever been. Then there is another Unplanned death; and another…

I was really sad when I finished the book. It is so good and I didn’t want it to end. However, it’s difficult to see how Dapunt could write a sequel. (That’s not a spoiler, it’s just that I don’t see how another book could have the same impact as this one.)s
#DeathandOtherOccupationalHazards #NetGalley

Death isn't the grim scythe bearing figure that people expect, instead she is just someone trying to do the best job they can. Deciding that she wants to have a sabbatical on Earth the Boss agrees and arranges with Death's sister Life, with whom she had had a disagreement lasting for millenia, for her to have a human body. On Earth she takes a job as a paralegal where she comes across an Unplanned death, which is against all the rules.
I absolutely loved this book, to the detriment of my sleep as I stayed awake reading it. Seeing how Death works and how Life is suffering makes a very different theme for a book. There is the mystery element of who is behind the Unplanned deaths and the supernatural interference trying to prevent her from solving this puzzle. There is a touch of romance, but this is just a side thread to the main mystery. The outcome isn't a foregone conclusion and who was behind the deaths was a surprise to me. Overall this is one of the books that I've enjoyed so far this year and I would give more than 5*if I could, highly recommended.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

Death and Other Occupational Hazards was a fantastically funny murder mystery with a touch of romance.

I heard Death has to solve a murder mystery and I was sold. Dapunt builds on this fantastic premise to deliver an existential mystery that asks the big questions about life, death and legacy. The stakes could not be higher, making for an exciting read. Dapunt sprinkles in some surprises that speak to the ridiculous nature of this cosmic scale. It is unique and thought-provoking. The mystery itself is well-constructed with great pacing and plotting to keep the reader trapped in the confines of the pages.

It has a wonderful, darkly humorous edge to proceedings, leaning into the absurdity to create comedic moments. You are caught off guard by it - destabilising your expectations a little in the best possible way. It reminded me of Hot Fuzz in the way it set up common tropes and leant into the horror of the mystery. You are dealing with Life and Death after all, things are always going to go beyond the scope of humanity.

This was embodied by Death herself. Her narrative voice was arresting. The way Dapunt humanises this unknown force of nature is nothing short of astounding. She is kind and funny and deeply caring, but there is also a bluntness and a sharp wittiness to her that reminds you of her role. This incarnation of death has been around since before the beginning of humanity and will inevitably come for each of us. Dapunt cleverly explores that concept in a myriad of ways. Most interesting for me was watching her grapple with her role and her place in the cosmos. There is a romantic thread that you fall head over heels for, but I also enjoyed the way the book explores different forms of love.

Death and Other Occupational Hazards was a bold and inventive murder mystery with an unforgettable protagonist.

I absolutely loved this book! I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley.

This was such a fun, fascinating read! We follow Death as they take a sabbatical on Earth. Their sister Life gives them a human body and they decide to get a job at a law firm. However whilst there they learn of an unplanned death - something completely unheard of. They try to investigate but are limited by their human body and presence on earth.

I loved how funny this was. There’s the whole administrative elements of life, death etc that added a bunch of planning and bureaucracy that was amusing. But then we also have Death’s observations of humanity, her fashion choices, her views on human quirks. This was really warm and funny and just made this such an enjoyable read.

Alongside we do have quite a serious crime and mystery that Death has to solve as Delara, her human form. Her power is limited and she is being targeted by nefarious and powerful forces who are taking advantage of her situation to harm her. This went fairly dark in some of the crime scenes (not gratuitously). There was some interesting commentary gently woven into to the mystery around modern life and certain systems that aren’t great for humanity.

I thought this was absolutely amazing! One I’d happily read again and recommend.

When we think about encountering death, it’s frequently with fear and anxiety because the dark unknown can fill us with dread. However, here death is personified and the sting it represents is muted by the innovative, modernist viewpoint

Death needs a break so she takes a sabbatical on earth. The Temp is taking care of things in her absence and her deadly essence remains intact but under control while she takes on human flesh as Delara.

Delara/Death remains in touch with her smug, sanctimonious sister, Life, who creates every living being, each life form that exists, and can occupy their frame whenever she chooses to. This ability comes in handy when things start to go wrong.

Unplanned deaths occur. They create a mystery to be solved and a battle against the VP, aka Satan, with help from the Human Communication Director/Jesus and the Boss, who represents God.

Delara has a couple of brushes with death herself as she and Marco (her love interest) do their utmost to solve the mystery and prevent the catastrophe of the Apocalypse from happening.

The author succeeds in creating a believable, sassy female protagonist and a wryly humorous storyline where Death feels the limitations of being in a human body as well as some of the deep joys and pleasures that can be experienced in it.

What I struggled with, as a Christian believer, was how all too humanly Jesus was depicted, to the extent that he came across like a drippy hippy, a weak individual with little agency, kind but far less than divine.

The Boss also seemed to be too distant, remote and uncertain, far removed from the loving, omnipresent and omniscient being he really is. While I appreciate the comedic effect of these depictions, they didn’t sit easily with me, though the story itself was interesting and entertaining.

I loved Death’s philosophical musings on the value of life and her growing understanding of why human beings cling so tightly to it and fear the losses which death brings. Grateful thanks to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for the eARC.

Death and Other Occupational Hazards was a darkly funny novel. The mystery aspect was a good vehicle for moving the story on and the supernatural characters helped to cover for the otherwise sometimes gaping plot holes.

I enjoyed Death's exploration of human life though the purported emotional development didn't make sense for me as Death was clear from the start that she had empathy and respect for the recently dead. The romantic relationship was an unnecessary addition; I didn't find it believable and reached a very sudden climax only to suddenly be cut off.

Despite the minor flaws, I did tear through this in under 24 hours and would definitely recommend it as a holiday read or to get out of a reading slump because it was so fun.

You may think you know Death. Tall skinny fella, wears a big black cloak and runs about with a scythe?  Ushering souls into the next realm without a care?
Yeah, that's not quite right.
She's actually probably not that unlike you or I.  Trying to do her job, as well as she can, whilst also dealing with family dynamics. 
She finds herself in London while taking a sabbatical from work.  She is drawn to very colourful clothing and has a job working for a law firm.  The perfect place for her to investigate some "unplanned deaths"

As a debut, I thought this was a great read.  Death having to navigate life as a human gives us some great moments.  Moments that allow to her to experience all of the emotions and dilemmas that we deal with daily.
These topics are thoughtful and merge very well into the story.

I'm not entirely sure how I would describe this book.  Obviously,  it's fantasy  but there's also a murder mystery element as well as comedy and even romance.

I spent the last 15 minutes of reading this, while on holiday, lying on a sunbed next to the pool, absolutely breaking my heart.
This book took me through every emotion (and then some) and I really enjoyed it.
Highly recommended.

Death goes to Earth to learn more about the humans she culls and ends up wrapped up in a murder investigation that may tie back to her origins. An inventine story full of wit and snark - think Bruce Almighty meets Good Omens with a dash of The Godfather. The mafia storyline was a bit pointless, perhaps a mash up too far, and the romance shoehorned in, but overall a fun romp of a novel.

Death is “alive” and well living in 21st century London. She’s a kickass supernatural being with a penchant for fashion and investigating Unplanned Deaths during her sabbatical from the day job.
This book explores Life and Death in a light hearted way. It’s funny and quirky, and towards the end, really emotional. I felt it had nods to Terry Pratchett and C K McDonnell, but was refreshingly original in its own right.
I’m praying to The Boss that there are more adventures with these characters to come.