The Significant Others of Odie May

I've just finished this book and I am not quite sure how I feel about Odie May. Reading this book you may dislike her, may hate her, pity her or empathise with her. Whatever you do, you won't forget her.

The novel starts with a Police interview and from that moment forward you are instantly drawn into the story of Odie May.

Odie is murdered visiting a local store for her married lover's favourite bottle of wine. They are intending to celebrate him leaving his wife when she is murdered however this is only the start of Odie's story.... not the end.

Odie is quickly taken into a beige room, with beige chairs and beige walls and is given the chance to reflect on her life leading her to try and figure out not just who but what was responsible for her death.

It's a fantastic story telling device and the story of Odie's life is told with such great skill that it will leave you with a mix of conflicting feelings.

The ending is also fantastic which of course I won't spoil for you. I will leave you to read this fantastic novel instead and let you meet Odie all for yourself.

Thanks to Netgalley and Matador for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

I loved this one. Very fast paced, had me turning pages as I tore through it – I had to see how it would end. The characters were well rounded and the narrative felt believable. Gave me chills. Solid five

Odie Odie Odie May. What a wonderfully flawed and imperfect character.

I loved this weird book.

Opening with an interview, we, the reader, know that Odie May has been murdered. She's been at a wine shop, buying a bottle of wine to celebrate with her lover leaving his wife - when she's murdered. But...who did it. We walk through Odie's past - seeing her rights and her wrongs. We learn to love and hate her.

It's an interesting way to read and learn about someone - and I loved every page.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was definitely an interesting book with an interesting premise. It wasnt a book that had me gripped all the way through but it did keep me guessing and when I thought I knew what had happened I was completely wrong. It was an enjoyable read

Not my favorite. While the author clearly has writing skill, the darkness and explicit description just wasn't giving me a good vibe. Perhaps it's the time of year (November Holiday, and I'm looking for more optimistic books. If you're a mystery/thriller fan, this book is well written and comes from an interesting point of view.

This book had me stumped. Sitting smug and thinking I had it all thought out, the author put me in my place. Finally we have a thriller that will keep you your toes.

Genre: Literary Fiction | Literary Thriller | Adult Fiction

Release Date: 28th June 2021

Publisher: Matador



Odie May has just been stabbed to death by a woman in a green coat. She'd left home to buy her lovers favourite wine to toast him finally leaving his wife, but instead of celebrating she's dying alone under a bridge. And her murderer didn't even have the decency to let them know who they were, and there could be a few people who might be mad at her right now.

As she's dying, she can't help but think this is such a cliché ending … but it's not the end. She finds herself waking up in a beige waiting room where her 'Initial Contact', Carl, is waiting for her. As some type of afterlife therapist, they talk and go back through every bad choice and mistake, every significant other she's met, and she tries to figure out just how her life had gone wrong enough that somebody killed her.

But Carl has a choice for Odie - a simple stay or go. But nothing is that simple, especially not in death. As soon as Odie can figure out who she really is and who her most significant other is, she's got the most important decision of her afterlife to make.

"And why here? Being stabbed in the evening on the footpath under the bridge next to canal was such a cliché … my last word (I think) was probably, 'Fuck', and then I died."

Okay so I'm a huge fan of interpretations of afterlife bureaucracy and this is by far one of my favourites. One of stories that's definitely all about the journey, all about learning about a character as they learn about themselves - so having subject like Odie made this something memorable.

Odie was described as 'mesmeric and insistent' and that's definitely fitting. She isn't likeable, exactly, but there's something interesting and alluring about her. Considering she's literally a murder victim, Dyer did a beautiful job at not showing her as just a victim - but a fully rounded person, a victim and victimiser, a flawed and unreliable person who's also capable of love and compassion.

This story will make you think whether you like it or not - it makes you wonder about how the relationships you have throughout your life can shape and mould you - the girl you have your first crush on, the man who already has a wife, the friends you take advantage of, the parents who you can't talk to.

The writing was strangely poetic, with a mesmerising flow to it that sucked me in and didn't let go. Even with the fragmented, haphazard storytelling Odie tells us, everything falls into place perfectly.

Uniquely compelling, witty and heartfelt - This story is definitely one of a kind

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was gifted a reviewers copy of this title in return for an honest review.

Content Warning: This title contains references to death, sexual assault, cheating and alcoholism.

Odie May is on her way to celebrate her lover Michael leaving his wife. However she is tragically murdered by a woman with large hands wearing a lime green coat.

She wakes up in a beige waiting room with beige walls. Carl Draper appears and announces that he is her Initial Contact. Clip board in hand, he escorts her into an interview room. It is over the course of this interview that Odie and Carl backtrack to certain significant events in her life as we as decisions that may have gotten her to where she is today. Simultaneously, Carl is able to show Odie her how her family learns of her death as well as her boyfriend’s bizarre reaction.

After she witnesses her funeral, the person who murdered her is revealed and Odie needs to make a decision. Does she stay where she is or does she go back to her life minutes before her murder? This decision comes with consequences that further questions Odies character.

I really enjoyed this book. It was different from most things I’ve read and I flew through it. I really liked how they wove Odie’s experiences with interviews with the killer. I thought I knew who the killer was and what Odie would decide. In the end I was wrong and I’m not mad about it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc.

Not sure what I think of this book, it moved very slowly for quite awhile and then it picked up. The ending reveal of the choice she had to make and the reveal of who murdered her, were anticlimatic. It felt like all the time going into all the details of her relationships, there wasn't as much of an investment in how she got to her choices and also how it ended. It did become interesting though, despite all my complaints

The Significant Others of Odie May
by Claire Dyer
Description
On the night Odie May and her married lover are due to celebrate him leaving his wife, Odie goes out to buy a bottle of his favourite wine and, on her way home, is murdered by a woman in a lime green coat. But Odie’s story does not end there…
Next, she finds herself in a waiting room with a man who introduces himself as Carl Draper and who tells her he is her Initial Contact. He is carrying a clipboard and invites her into an interview room. Over the course of her interview, Carl guides Odie back through the years, asking her about the significant others in her life in a quest to work out what she’s done wrong, who might have murdered her and why.
As Odie comes to realise the truth about herself, the life she’s led and her death, she's given a choice: Carl can put her back to the moment before she was murdered and prevent it from happening, but this comes at a price Odie doesn't know if she can pay and, as she decides, she not only begins to understand what she has to do to become the person she should have been all along, but who is her most significant significant other.


Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and review.
I DO NOT know what to think of The Significant Others of Odie May.IT seemed like many. Done before. It was just ok for me. Not a thriller/mystery. Sorry, but this one was just not one I got into much.

This was my first book to read by this author but I cannot wait to read more! The characters stay with you long after you finish the book. Such a great story and fast read. Highly recommend!!!

Wow what can I say about this book, when I first started it I wasn’t so sure it was my kind of read but it was really gripping full of detail, Odie is such an unusual character, I started out not so keen on her but as the story went on my opinion changed, the book takes you back to revisit her life, looking at her flaws as she tries to figure out how she got into the situation she finds herself in!!

Wow, this book! I haven’t seen anyone talking about it but it’s so damn good! Odie Mays is murdered and finds herself in this beige room - a sort of in between of Heaven and Hell. She must recount the terrible things she has done in her life so “the big G” can determine if she feels remorse or not. And, well, Odie has done some pretty terrible things. Despite her being a sort of terrible person, I loved her so much. I haven’t come across a character so deeply flawed yet lovable in such a long time - if ever to this extent. Especially as she recounts these moments, it’s understandable why she hurt this person, how it affected her later, and why she does or doesn’t feel remorse for it. She was also such a witty character, and getting to hear her thoughts was extremely entertaining. I feel like this book would make an excellent movie!

Odie’s murderer was a bit obvious to me, but that didn’t really bother me. The story isn’t really about trying to figure out who Odie’s murderer was - more so about the life she lived and what led her to being murdered.

There were a couple things that did disappoint me, though. The first thing that disappointed me was Carl’s chapter. It was a lot of telling rather than showing and I just didn’t really care about Carl enough to want to read about his life. Him and Odie had what felt like insta-love, and I don’t enjoy reading about that. I felt like I was forced to like him and pity him, but I just didn’t. The second part I didn’t enjoy was the whole “Big Upset” that happened with Uncle Boo. So… he did take photos of little girls and touch them a lot but it wasn’t ever sexual and was just because he wanted a daughter of his own? I’m sorry it’s still creepy - you can want a daughter and not be so secretive about the photos you take of children. Like, why was he hiding the computer so much? What was he doing with these photos? And why was Odie’s dad so okay with it? He left his family to stay by his friend’s side, which sure is admirable but 100% not the right decision and he’s a giant asshole. I think Uncle Boo and Odie’s dad were meant to have some redemption, but it didn’t land for me.

I thought this book was going to be one of the easiest five stars I’ve ever given, but a few events at the end slightly disappointed me and made me bump it down to four. However, I still 100% recommend this read to everyone! It’s so good and will keep you turning and turning the page till you hit The End.

P.S. The storyline with Cora was my favorite out of all the other ones. If you’ve read this book I’m curious which storyline you enjoyed the most.

Thank you NetGalley and Matador for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

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25% in thoughts: I love Odie so so much. She’s intelligent, witty, and just a little lost. I haven’t loved a main character this much in so long. Dyer is so skilled at keeping the reader’s attention. There’s at least three events that have been hinted at but are still a mystery and I’m like I must know now! It makes me want to binge read this so bad. Also, look how gorgeous this cover is! Why is no one I know talking about this book???

EXCERPT: It's a simple service at the local crematorium. I'd never given much thought to my death, but if I had I think I would have liked it to be in a church, with masses of flowers, huge crowds, and sweeping music. Instead, I get a handful of people in a municipal building with tinny music and displays of what looks like supermarket blooms.

Mrs. Willis is there though, which is nice. And Sally, and even Kim from the gym. I was pleased to see her. Ana doesn't come, but that's not totally unexpected. I hope she and her mum are back in Ukraine and that her dad's been released from prison. I think she'd have grown up to be someone remarkable, a doctor maybe, or a chemist, or a supermodel. She'd be tall, and strong and beautiful, and I like to think of her living in a flat overlooking a park, with the photo of her dad in pride of place on the mantelpiece and books of his poetry lining the shelves. She'd still wear her hair long, would be married and have a family. This is what I hope, anyway. I hope that whatever Uncle Boo did to her didn't cause any lasting damage.

Bella's there though, with her daughter, who must be about eleven now, I guess. They look very similar, but each time Alice checks her phone Bella nudges her and scowls. Bella is still elegant but has, I notice, become more muscular. Perhaps she works out a lot. She's well-dressed and is wearing a diamond the size of a quail's egg on the third finger of her right hand. I am pleased for her and, like with Ana, hope that she never got to know what I did and put two and two together.

And Cora and her sisters are there, which pleases me. It's times like this that you wish you'd sorted all the unfinished stuff. I should have got in touch with Cora in the intervening years and said how sorry I was. It would have been nice to have the chance to be forgiven.

It's funny how being here means I get the chance to think these things. I didn't know I had it in me. It's just such a fucking shame that it's all come too late. It's a travesty. That's what it is.

ABOUT 'THE SIGNIFICANT OTHERS OF ODIE MAY': Any one of them could have murdered her... but who did?

On the night Odie May and her married lover are due to celebrate him leaving his wife, Odie goes out to buy a bottle of his favourite wine and, on her way home, is murdered by a woman in a lime green coat.

The next thing Odie knows is that she’s in a waiting room and there’s a man called Carl Draper saying he’s her Initial Contact. He is carrying a clipboard and invites her into an interview room.

Over the course of her interview, Carl and Odie track back to the significant others in her life to date to try and work out where she’s gone wrong, who might have killed her, and why.

In the meantime, Carl also shows Odie what’s happening in the life she’s left behind as her mother and her lover, Michael, learn of her death and manage the tricky days that follow it.

But nothing is as simple as it seems. Although Carl has it in his power to return Odie to the moment before she was killed, this comes at a price she may not be able to pay.

MY THOUGHTS: I enjoyed this ramble through the high and lowlights of Odie May's life and death. She is forced to confront her past when she is suddenly and violently killed on her way to meet her lover.

It's very hard to like Odie May, but she is entertaining. She is also complex. As her 'Initial Contact' Carl takes her back over events in her life, some of them life defining, she has to face up to her covetous nature and her disregard for other people's feelings. Little pieces of Carl's life are also revealed.

At times I was sorry for Odie. At others I was angry with her, but one thing I never felt was bored by her.

A thoroughly entertaining story.

⭐⭐⭐.9

#TheSignificantOthersofOdieMay #NetGalley

I: #clairedyerwriter

T: @ClaireDyer1

#contemporaryfiction #domesticdram #fantasy #murdermystery

THE AUTHOR: I’m allergic to mussels, oysters and the like and my grandmother wanted me to be a BBC newsreader when I grew up. Clearly this did not come to pass.

I was born in Guildford and have lived in Bedfordshire, Birmingham, South Wales and Berkshire (not necessarily in that order). I have a BA in English & History from the University of Birmingham, an MA in Victorian Literature & Culture from the University of Reading and an MA in Creative Writing from Royal Holloway, University of London.

Following the bad poems and short stories of the platforms and flares days of my teens and the even bleaker stuff of the leg warmers and shoulder pad days of the ’80s, my collections, Eleven Rooms, Interference Effects and Yield have been published by Two Rivers Press, and my novels, The Perfect Affair and The Moment and my FREE short-story, Falling for Gatsby are published by Quercus. The Last Day, was published by The Dome Press, and a new novel, The Significant Others of Odie May was published by Matador in July 2021.

Having formerly been the Clerk of The Worshipful Company of Management Consultants and worked for an HR research forum in London, I now teach Creative Writing, run Fresh Eyes and co-ordinate Reading’s Poets’ Café on behalf of The Poetry Society’s Reading Stanza. I am also a regular Radio Reads contributor on BBC Radio Berkshire, have been Chairman of Reading Writers and am a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, the Romantic Novelists’ Association, The Poetry Society, The Poetry Book Society, The Society of Women Writers and Journalists and The Society of Authors.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Matador via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Significant Others of Odie May by Claire Dyer for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

Not my book of the year by a long shot. Too many issues and in general felt like I had read similar books too often before.
That said it is well written with good character developments.

Really enjoyed this book. Reminiscent of Eleanor Oliphant but more rounded and thorough and I really got her. Great.

Thank you for NetGallery for providing me with this arc for review.

I absolutely loved this book, Odie is a flawed character, at times unlikeable, definitely very selfish, but you still find yourself rooting for her to do better and ultimately you fly through the book wanting to know her outcome, so be prepared to set some time aside once you start this book.

This is a very clever way to tell a story. No ordinary murder mystery, the author takes us through a reflection of the life of the victim after she has been killed by way of an interview. A fascinating approach which allows us to get to know the main character - to see her as a complete person, not just the murder victim - with all her own faults, as well. I liked the writing style and found the somewhat dark theme lifted a bit by the way it was written.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Even though Odie, the main character was not the most likeable person, she was fun to listen to, and I knew who the killer was before it was revealed. I would definitely recommend this one!

I expected this to be a mystery but that really isn't the direction it goes in at all. We follow Odie May who has been murdered and in death has to reflect on her life, culminating in the discovery of who murdered her. I though that was surely the crux of it. But actually, this is all about the decisions we make that change us. Odie May isn't particularly likeable. We're mainly shown the moment where she is her worst self and they way her choices impact the people closest to her.

Somehow I knew I should be put off but I ended up somewhere close to sympathy for her. For how her life got out of control based on her worst impulses. For how she just wanted some love and care. All in all, I was invested in the time I got the spend with Odie May. The structure was clear but interesting, it played with you emotions in a good way, and it gripped me throughout. Don't go into it expecting a thriller but don't let that put you off either.

Interesting but not really my cup of tea. Well written I just personally couldn’t get into the story. Follows the multiple lives odie may has touched and the potential of what could have been. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was an unusual book and I absolutely loved it.

When Odie May is murdered one evening she must discuss what went wrong in her life to learn who killed her.

It was a really interesting concept and I found it a very absorbing read. I found Odie May quite refreshing in that she was flawed like so many of us are. She behaved appallingly at times, but her heart was good and she deserved love and affection. **SMALL SPOILER**The only thing I wasn’t sure of was the ending. I understood the choice she made but I think I’d have preferred to see her embracing her single after-life rather than moving on to yet another relationship! **END OF SPOILER**

I raced through this book in one sitting and found it easily readable and well paced. A great read and I’d love to read more by this author! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

I love that more books are creating imaginative interpretations of the afterlife. Odie May has the choice to return to earth minutes before her murder or pass on to the afterlife. The whole time I thought I knew who the murderer was and what decision Odie May would make, but I was wrong on both accounts. It's what makes a good book if it can keep you guessing.

This extraordinary novel is luscious and clever. From its opening pages when I learned that the title character was dead I realized I was in for a real treat. This is a beautifully written story, full of empathy and poetic moments. Here are the ghosts that haunt our lives but seen from a new and unique perspective. Odie May is dead but the story is very much about life and the choices we make. It is also about the eternal hope of second chances and righting our wrongs. The haunting beauty of this novel will stay with me for a long time.

Odie May is dead and going over her life to see if she qualifies to return and try again. She is forced to recall those people she has wronged and whether one of them killed her. This makes it all sound much more mysterious and interesting that it actually was. I was bored. I did not find the egregious acts worthy of possible murder and frankly if anyone looks at their life in such detail, they would probably find similar moments. I was hoping for more of a mystery behind who killed her and to watch as slowly clues were revealed and the murderer uncovered. Nope. That didn't happen either. I think the basis for the story is interesting. I feel like this was a missed opportunity to do more.

this is a good murder mystery that is looked at by "angels" from the waiting room. Odie is buying wine for a celebration with her married lover when she is murdered. Her angel, Carl, is new to the job and he and Odie bond as they sort out her admission. Carl also shows Odie what’s happening in the life she’s left behind as her mother and her lover, Michael, learn of her death and manage the tricky days that follow it. But nothing is as simple as it seems. Although Carl has it in his power to return Odie to the moment before she was killed, this comes at a price she may not be able to pay. A couple of twists that I didn't see coming. Well written with characters I really liked. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Excellent…completely different type of book that I’ve read and I absolutely loved it. Makes you think about your actions and consequences in life and how they affect others. Not just in that moment but in the long term as well. Read and enjoy !!

#thesignificantothersofodiemay #clairedyer thank you to #netgalley for this advanced reader copy. Imagine being on the way to celebrate with your lover him leaving his wife. But. On the way you’re murdered. After you are gone you’re given the choice to return to earth before the murder. Or. Move on. As she talks about her life. What went wrong. Whose lives she touched. And find out who killed her. You might be surprised. #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #netgalleyreview #booksbooksbooks #readerlife

This was a really captivating book. I had trouble picking it p but once I did i couldn't put it down. I liked Odie May because she wasn't perfect, she had her flaws and it just made her more relatable. Starting the story off with the police interview was a nice touch.

Odie May is on her way to celebrate her lover Michael leaving his wife. However she is tragically murdered by a woman with large hands wearing a lime green coat. The premise drew me in from the beginning. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

I enjoyed this book despite disliking the central character for most of the story! I found myself wanting to find out if she could redeem herself in the end. It’s cleverly written to draw the reader in and I did warm to Odie in the end. If you enjoyed The Midnight Library give this a try.

I love the entire premise of this book: reflecting on a life's worth of decisions that led to Odie May being murdered on her way home.

While I loved the idea of the book, I didn't enjoy the execution as much. From the synopsis I was expecting more of a crime drama, and while the mystery of her murder does end up being solved, I felt the journey to the answers was a bit lackluster.

I love, however, how the author used a totally unlikeable main character as the basis of her book --- such an interesting change of pace from your typical novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Pleasantly surprised with this unique and fresh novel! Will definitely seek out more from Dyer in the future

Such a fantastic book that draw you in right way from page 1. Odie May has been murdered. She's also the one being questioned. Unusually written with a more unusual premise. I simply couldn't put it down. Thank you so much, I can't wait to start recommending this!

Odette Briony May (Odie) is on her way home having just bought a bottle of wine to drink in celebration with her lover, Michael who has just left his wife. However, she is murdered by a woman wearing a lime green coat, sunglasses and black gloves. As she lays dying on the footpath under a bridge, she finds herself visited by a man named Carl Draper who describes himself as her Initial Contact. Together, Odie and Carl backtrack through Odie's life in an attempt to discover where Odie went wrong and who might have killed her.

This novel has an unusual premise and I found it very compelling. I guess you might struggle with it if you disliked the main character. Personally, I found Odie interesting, complex and sometimes extremely selfish. The author's writing style was a good fit for me and though there are sections that are heartbreaking and rather awful, there is some humour too. A great tale that gives food for thought.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Matador via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

There was something about this book that kept reminding me of “the midnight library.” It just didn’t seem original enough for me. The characters were well written and the plot was interesting but not memorable.

Great read that keeps you interested throughout. Premise is unique and the story line moves well. I couldn’t put this down!

Loved this book great literary fiction a book I hated to see end.The authors writing is so beautiful literary fiction at its best,This book kept me guessing enjoying each character will be recommending the book and Claire Dyer #netgalley#matadorbooks,

A gripping version of afterlife. Imagine you get murdered, and you and your 'initial contact' try to find out who did it. You then have the option to return, but to what cost? It's a fun and interesting concept! Odie is a complex character. She says she takes responsibility for her actions, but comes up with a lot of excuses as well. She's also not the nicest person, maybe that's why she got murdered. It was pretty predictable who did it early on, but even so it was easy to keep reading, just in case there was a plot twist.

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good book!
Absolutely loved the characters, the plot, the tension - impossible to put it down.
Certainly recommended!

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x