What do you think?
Rate this book
Over My Dead Body
Nur über meine Leiche | britischer Kriminalroman mit Witz und Charme
Die geniale Autorin Maz Evans schreibt exzentrisch, witzig und charmant über eine Frau, die ihren eigenen Tod aufklären muss!
»Hallo? Können Sie mich hören? Wahrscheinlich nicht. Ich bin Dr. Miriam Price ... und ich bin tot.«
Dr. Miriam Price kann ihr Pech nicht Als die etwas unwirsche Ärztin aufwacht, muss sie nämlich entsetzt feststellen, dass sie tot ist! Irrtümlicherweise scheinen alle davon überzeugt zu sein, dass Miriam sich das Leben genommen hat. Dabei weiß sie ganz genau, dass sie ermordet wurde. Um nicht für ein halbes Jahrhundert in die langweilige Vorhölle zu kommen, muss Miriam irgendwie beweisen, dass sie getötet wurde. Gar nicht so einfach, wenn man ein Geist ist! Und ausrechnet ihre Nachbarin Winnie, mit der sie eine leidenschaftliche Feindschaft pflegt, ist die Einzige, die ihr helfen kann …
Perfekt für Fans von »How to kill your family« und »Achtsam morden«.
Die geniale Autorin Maz Evans schreibt exzentrisch, witzig und charmant über eine Frau, die ihren eigenen Tod aufklären muss!
»Hallo? Können Sie mich hören? Wahrscheinlich nicht. Ich bin Dr. Miriam Price ... und ich bin tot.«
Dr. Miriam Price kann ihr Pech nicht Als die etwas unwirsche Ärztin aufwacht, muss sie nämlich entsetzt feststellen, dass sie tot ist! Irrtümlicherweise scheinen alle davon überzeugt zu sein, dass Miriam sich das Leben genommen hat. Dabei weiß sie ganz genau, dass sie ermordet wurde. Um nicht für ein halbes Jahrhundert in die langweilige Vorhölle zu kommen, muss Miriam irgendwie beweisen, dass sie getötet wurde. Gar nicht so einfach, wenn man ein Geist ist! Und ausrechnet ihre Nachbarin Winnie, mit der sie eine leidenschaftliche Feindschaft pflegt, ist die Einzige, die ihr helfen kann …
Perfekt für Fans von »How to kill your family« und »Achtsam morden«.
417 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 3, 2023
398 people are currently reading
4316 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 659 reviews
Read
October 23, 2023A 'dead person investigates own murder' comic novel, with the emotional beats one would expect (reaching understanding, appreciating others and seeing one's own flaws, path to redemption).
I have to say, I found this a somewhat perplexing reading experience. It flips repeatedly between heavy satire depicting cartoonishly awful people, and a much more nuanced, emotionally involving tone, in a way that I found mostly disconcerting and pretty inconsistent. (This is the second book in a row that's completely lost me by spending ages setting up that a person is a thoroughly awful piece of crap and then turning round and saying, "Actually, they're great if you just appreciate them and you should forgive their years of deliberate shittiness!" Is the problem here actually me? Am I a hard and unforgiving person who can't appreciate a redemption narrative? *thinks for four seconds* Yes, I am, sue me.)
Whatevs. It has lots of zing and some good one liners and the ending had proper emotional heft, and I kept reading even when I was feeling entirely baffled as to what it was trying to do.
I have to say, I found this a somewhat perplexing reading experience. It flips repeatedly between heavy satire depicting cartoonishly awful people, and a much more nuanced, emotionally involving tone, in a way that I found mostly disconcerting and pretty inconsistent. (This is the second book in a row that's completely lost me by spending ages setting up that a person is a thoroughly awful piece of crap and then turning round and saying, "Actually, they're great if you just appreciate them and you should forgive their years of deliberate shittiness!" Is the problem here actually me? Am I a hard and unforgiving person who can't appreciate a redemption narrative? *thinks for four seconds* Yes, I am, sue me.)
Whatevs. It has lots of zing and some good one liners and the ending had proper emotional heft, and I kept reading even when I was feeling entirely baffled as to what it was trying to do.
February 5, 2024
This was a lovely break from the gloom! Read by the author, we learn that the main character is dead, but not gone, and she is not happy! The journey through finding her murderer is gentle and amusing, and enjoyable. It left me with a smile 😃
March 16, 2025
Primijetila sam da sam sa ozbiljnošću života počela mnogo više da cijenim knjige koje su mi razbibriga i koje mi tako lijepo padnu posle čitanja ozbiljnije literature, toliko da jedva čekam da ih se dokopam i da ih gutam! Tako je bilo i sa dr Prajs, naravno, te možda zato što je stvarno super zabavna, intrigantna i inteligentna, a možda i zato što se malo poistovjećujem sa njom, uglavnom 5⭐️ i za nju i za komšinicu Vini i za sve sjajne likove u ovoj knjizi, a 5+ za poslednju rečenicu iz romana kojom se i ja vodim: "Budite dobri. A ako ne možete biti dobri? Budite još bolji!" Hvala još jednom na podsjećanju!
September 18, 2023
Zoomed through this book 🏃🏽♂️
https://www.instagram.com/p/CvfX8n4o7Go/
Read this between books and it’s a great palate cleanser. Dr Miriam Price finds herself dead, and with everyone thinking she killed herself, she's sentenced to 50 years in Limbo unless she can prove that she was murdered - which is pretty hard to do when you’re dead.
This is Maz's debut in adult fiction and it’s a perfect balance of comedy, coziness and a well thought-out plot. The story was pretty predictable however I loved the modern twists.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CvfX8n4o7Go/
Read this between books and it’s a great palate cleanser. Dr Miriam Price finds herself dead, and with everyone thinking she killed herself, she's sentenced to 50 years in Limbo unless she can prove that she was murdered - which is pretty hard to do when you’re dead.
This is Maz's debut in adult fiction and it’s a perfect balance of comedy, coziness and a well thought-out plot. The story was pretty predictable however I loved the modern twists.
September 10, 2023
5 / 5
Although my library has classed this book wrong, I still enjoyed it enough to finish it in a few hours. I loved every second of reading this book, it was funny whitty and relatable turning death and grief into a funny, comforting subject. I rarely give out 5 star rating as I always think no book is perfect and there’s always room for improvement, but I can’t think of any flaws for this book.
The book is about Dr Miriam Price who was found dead by her husband surrounded by sleeping pills. Before her death, she was a doctor (specifically an A&E specialist) battling the effects of the first round of covid. The police didn’t investigate as thoroughly, classing her death as suicide. She is transported to a place called limbo, a place in between heaven and hell. Her actual death was actually meant to be at 96 years, she’s 50 years too early, meaning that she has to stay in limbo till she reaches her actual death time. What could change this is if she can prove that she didn’t commit suicide but instead was murdered. How can she do this? She looks to her mortal enemy Winnie, her next door neighbour to help solve and find her who killer was! This was a thrilling funny read!
I loved every second reading this book, there was no dull moment and would love this book to be a comedy movie. I loved the humour and relatability of it. This book makes death more manageable and comforting, although it isn’t a religious book or anything it helps you kind of view death differently rather than negatively. This book gives me vibes on the movies Inside out by Disney or one of Jim Carrey movie that has god depicted. You won’t be bored with this book, and you’ll definitely have a laugh reading this book. Couldn’t recommend this book more!
Although my library has classed this book wrong, I still enjoyed it enough to finish it in a few hours. I loved every second of reading this book, it was funny whitty and relatable turning death and grief into a funny, comforting subject. I rarely give out 5 star rating as I always think no book is perfect and there’s always room for improvement, but I can’t think of any flaws for this book.
The book is about Dr Miriam Price who was found dead by her husband surrounded by sleeping pills. Before her death, she was a doctor (specifically an A&E specialist) battling the effects of the first round of covid. The police didn’t investigate as thoroughly, classing her death as suicide. She is transported to a place called limbo, a place in between heaven and hell. Her actual death was actually meant to be at 96 years, she’s 50 years too early, meaning that she has to stay in limbo till she reaches her actual death time. What could change this is if she can prove that she didn’t commit suicide but instead was murdered. How can she do this? She looks to her mortal enemy Winnie, her next door neighbour to help solve and find her who killer was! This was a thrilling funny read!
I loved every second reading this book, there was no dull moment and would love this book to be a comedy movie. I loved the humour and relatability of it. This book makes death more manageable and comforting, although it isn’t a religious book or anything it helps you kind of view death differently rather than negatively. This book gives me vibes on the movies Inside out by Disney or one of Jim Carrey movie that has god depicted. You won’t be bored with this book, and you’ll definitely have a laugh reading this book. Couldn’t recommend this book more!
June 14, 2023
My Review:
Sometimes I like to take a step away from the dark side and change genre, so when I saw a few people recommending this book on Social Media it seemed like the perfect time for some light relief.
Over My Dead Body is absolutely WONDERFUL, I think I may have read the book from start to finish with a huge smile on my face (and if you know me, you will know that’s not a regular occurence!).
Firstly, I adored Dr Miriam Price – she is absolutely brilliant as the main character who wakes up dead and stuck in “limbo” because everyone thinks she killed herself. Determined to prove she was in fact murdered, she finds she is able to communicate with her elderly next door neighbour Winnie, which is rather unfortunate because the two of them absolutely HATE each other.
Over My Dead Body is Maz Evan’s first book in the adult fiction genre, having a hugely successful career as a children’s writer and I am tempted to read those books just because the wit, plotting and character development is so good in this one.
This book was so entertaining and I did snort-laugh several times throughout – causing a little embarrassment as I was sunbathing by a busy pool on holiday at the time!
If you enjoy “cosy” crime mysteries with brilliant characters, cracking one-liners, hysterical situations all tied beautifully together in a clever and original story, then I would 100% recommend you buy this book when it is published in August 2023.
5 HUGE STARS and I’m still grinning thinking about this book weeks after finishing it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sometimes I like to take a step away from the dark side and change genre, so when I saw a few people recommending this book on Social Media it seemed like the perfect time for some light relief.
Over My Dead Body is absolutely WONDERFUL, I think I may have read the book from start to finish with a huge smile on my face (and if you know me, you will know that’s not a regular occurence!).
Firstly, I adored Dr Miriam Price – she is absolutely brilliant as the main character who wakes up dead and stuck in “limbo” because everyone thinks she killed herself. Determined to prove she was in fact murdered, she finds she is able to communicate with her elderly next door neighbour Winnie, which is rather unfortunate because the two of them absolutely HATE each other.
Over My Dead Body is Maz Evan’s first book in the adult fiction genre, having a hugely successful career as a children’s writer and I am tempted to read those books just because the wit, plotting and character development is so good in this one.
This book was so entertaining and I did snort-laugh several times throughout – causing a little embarrassment as I was sunbathing by a busy pool on holiday at the time!
If you enjoy “cosy” crime mysteries with brilliant characters, cracking one-liners, hysterical situations all tied beautifully together in a clever and original story, then I would 100% recommend you buy this book when it is published in August 2023.
5 HUGE STARS and I’m still grinning thinking about this book weeks after finishing it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
May 26, 2024
5/5⭐ 4/5🤣 5/5🎧
LOVED this!
Run don't walk to read this wonderful piece of crime fiction, in fact spend that credit on the audio which is PHENOMENAL!
This is an amateur sleuthing story of a murder of Miriam Price, told from her point of view, post murder. She sets out to prove that she was in fact murdered rather than just accidentally overdosing.
The story had me thinking many times towards "The Good Place" which was as hilarious. The characters you meet along the way are as colorful and entertaining, and the overarching moral of the story is that we always can be better people. Especially when facing eternity.
While this book is very light, exceptionally funny and easy, the story covers deep existential dilemmas and, perhaps most importantly, it made me cry like a baby.
5 stars!
LOVED this!
Run don't walk to read this wonderful piece of crime fiction, in fact spend that credit on the audio which is PHENOMENAL!
This is an amateur sleuthing story of a murder of Miriam Price, told from her point of view, post murder. She sets out to prove that she was in fact murdered rather than just accidentally overdosing.
The story had me thinking many times towards "The Good Place" which was as hilarious. The characters you meet along the way are as colorful and entertaining, and the overarching moral of the story is that we always can be better people. Especially when facing eternity.
While this book is very light, exceptionally funny and easy, the story covers deep existential dilemmas and, perhaps most importantly, it made me cry like a baby.
5 stars!
October 21, 2024
I sincerely hope this is a start of a series. This was a hit from beginning to end. The pairing of these two characters, Miriam and Winnie was perfect for an awesome convoluted hilarious story. “You’re dead and I’m dying. What’s the worst that can happen?” …. with that quote we start the funny sleuthing.
In Limbo they tell Miriam; “Monitoring every second of the Living as they go about their daily lives would be wildly impractical, not to mention grossly intrusive. Cataloguing what someone says, eats, thinks and does all day would also be, let’s face it, rather tedious. This is Limbo, Dr. Price. Not Twitter.”
Very well written and a joy to read, plenty of sub plots to keep you turning pages really fast and characters to die for…no pun intended. This novel is Maz Evan’s first venture into adult fiction and what a great start, keep writing Maz I will keep consuming.
In Limbo they tell Miriam; “Monitoring every second of the Living as they go about their daily lives would be wildly impractical, not to mention grossly intrusive. Cataloguing what someone says, eats, thinks and does all day would also be, let’s face it, rather tedious. This is Limbo, Dr. Price. Not Twitter.”
Very well written and a joy to read, plenty of sub plots to keep you turning pages really fast and characters to die for…no pun intended. This novel is Maz Evan’s first venture into adult fiction and what a great start, keep writing Maz I will keep consuming.
August 15, 2023
Oh my goodness me. I’m writing this review having literally just finished Over My Dead Body and my eyes are full to the brim with tears! I was not expecting that! I knew this book was going to be funny but I didn’t expect it to break me aswell!
Miriam Price is dead and she’s convinced she was murdered, but now that she’s dead, how does she prove it? Because if she can’t prove it, she’ll be living in limbo for the next 50 years.
Miriam soon learns that she can communicate with the dying. They can see her, they can hear her. And the only person who can do that is Winnie, her elderly neighbour who she’s had an ongoing feud with for years. Can she get Winnie back on her side to help her solve her own murder?
Over My Dead Body is incredibly witty with some superb one liners and laugh out loud funny moments. But be prepared. It deals with some dark and sad story lines, but it is also full of moments that will fill your heart with so much joy that you’ll feel you’re about to burst. And get the tissues ready for the last 50 pages or so!
This is Maz Evans’ first adult novel and I absolutely loved it. Full of moments where the best of humanity shines through, and the very real healing power of those who put others before themselves. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, but best of all, your heart will swell with love & happiness. It’s incredible!
And I’ll tell you another thing I loved about this book - a female character in her 40s, who is child free, and doesn’t regret it. Now that gets a round of applause from me!
Miriam Price is dead and she’s convinced she was murdered, but now that she’s dead, how does she prove it? Because if she can’t prove it, she’ll be living in limbo for the next 50 years.
Miriam soon learns that she can communicate with the dying. They can see her, they can hear her. And the only person who can do that is Winnie, her elderly neighbour who she’s had an ongoing feud with for years. Can she get Winnie back on her side to help her solve her own murder?
Over My Dead Body is incredibly witty with some superb one liners and laugh out loud funny moments. But be prepared. It deals with some dark and sad story lines, but it is also full of moments that will fill your heart with so much joy that you’ll feel you’re about to burst. And get the tissues ready for the last 50 pages or so!
This is Maz Evans’ first adult novel and I absolutely loved it. Full of moments where the best of humanity shines through, and the very real healing power of those who put others before themselves. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, but best of all, your heart will swell with love & happiness. It’s incredible!
And I’ll tell you another thing I loved about this book - a female character in her 40s, who is child free, and doesn’t regret it. Now that gets a round of applause from me!
August 4, 2023
Ghost meets The Good Place in Maz Evans’ wickedly funny and satisfyingly cosy adult debut, Over My Dead Body. Bringing a refreshingly clever (and original) take on the classic murder mystery format, that both comedy loving sleuths and armchair detectives don’t want to miss!
It follows the recently deceased Dr Miriam Price, who needs to solve her own murder (which is currently being ruled as a ‘misadventure’) in order to bypass the 50 years she’ll have to wait in limbo before she can get into the after life.
The only problem is, Miriam was blackout drunk before she died and has no recollection of who her murderer could be. So with time running out to catch the culprit, Miriam must team up with the only living person who can currently see her, neighbour (and mortal enemy) Winnie. If Miriam can convince her to help that is…
This was such a phenomenal read! The writing was utterly addictive and the lighthearted satirical tone blended perfectly with the darker, more serious themes of the plot (grief, addiction and alcoholism,etc.) The unique concept of the afterlife was also really intriguing and definitely gave off The Good Place vibes, only with a slightly cynical, British twist that really added a sense of realism to the whimsy (which I loved.)
The cast of characters were also exceptionally well developed, adding depth and nuance that made them all soo compelling. But, Miriam and Winnie were definitely my faves (stealing the show and my heart with their antics.)
Miriam (our main protagonist and sole POV) is a witty, self aware character that I honesty hadn’t expected to love quite so much. She’s incredibly outspoken and (like a true misanthrope) dislikes virtually everyone around her. However, her hilariously brutal commentary involving pretty much everyone in her life—from lecherous colleagues and “boring” best friends to virtual signaling, do-gooder siblings—was soo gloriously entertaining.
As was her feud with neighbour, Winnie (who’s now the only person capable of helping her find her killer—on account of no one else being able to see her.)
Winnie was even more loveable thanks to her tenaciously sassy demeanour, and ability to give as good as she gets when it comes to the Miriam. Their banter was top notch (as were the one liners) and the not-friends-but-not-sure-if-we’re-enemies dynamics were super entertaining to delve into. In fact, they had soo many laugh out loud moments together the pair might have just become my new fave crime fighting duo (when they can stop arguing, that is.)
I also didn’t guess the big twist either, which I’m pleasantly surprised about. I usually manage to guess (or get super close to figuring out) who the culprit is, but I genuinely had no clue who it was.
The emotional journey Miriam takes,and the people she ultimately meets along the way made for such a satisfyingly heartfelt conclusion. If you love dark humour or satirical crime fiction then you absolutely must check this out, though do be sure to check the TWs beforehand.
Also, a huge thank you to Headline (and Isabelle) for the finished copy.
It follows the recently deceased Dr Miriam Price, who needs to solve her own murder (which is currently being ruled as a ‘misadventure’) in order to bypass the 50 years she’ll have to wait in limbo before she can get into the after life.
The only problem is, Miriam was blackout drunk before she died and has no recollection of who her murderer could be. So with time running out to catch the culprit, Miriam must team up with the only living person who can currently see her, neighbour (and mortal enemy) Winnie. If Miriam can convince her to help that is…
This was such a phenomenal read! The writing was utterly addictive and the lighthearted satirical tone blended perfectly with the darker, more serious themes of the plot (grief, addiction and alcoholism,etc.) The unique concept of the afterlife was also really intriguing and definitely gave off The Good Place vibes, only with a slightly cynical, British twist that really added a sense of realism to the whimsy (which I loved.)
The cast of characters were also exceptionally well developed, adding depth and nuance that made them all soo compelling. But, Miriam and Winnie were definitely my faves (stealing the show and my heart with their antics.)
Miriam (our main protagonist and sole POV) is a witty, self aware character that I honesty hadn’t expected to love quite so much. She’s incredibly outspoken and (like a true misanthrope) dislikes virtually everyone around her. However, her hilariously brutal commentary involving pretty much everyone in her life—from lecherous colleagues and “boring” best friends to virtual signaling, do-gooder siblings—was soo gloriously entertaining.
As was her feud with neighbour, Winnie (who’s now the only person capable of helping her find her killer—on account of no one else being able to see her.)
Winnie was even more loveable thanks to her tenaciously sassy demeanour, and ability to give as good as she gets when it comes to the Miriam. Their banter was top notch (as were the one liners) and the not-friends-but-not-sure-if-we’re-enemies dynamics were super entertaining to delve into. In fact, they had soo many laugh out loud moments together the pair might have just become my new fave crime fighting duo (when they can stop arguing, that is.)
I also didn’t guess the big twist either, which I’m pleasantly surprised about. I usually manage to guess (or get super close to figuring out) who the culprit is, but I genuinely had no clue who it was.
The emotional journey Miriam takes,and the people she ultimately meets along the way made for such a satisfyingly heartfelt conclusion. If you love dark humour or satirical crime fiction then you absolutely must check this out, though do be sure to check the TWs beforehand.
Also, a huge thank you to Headline (and Isabelle) for the finished copy.
September 14, 2023
“Never say sorry. It’s a simple mantra and one that has served me well. It has everything you need from a guiding philosophy: it’s pithy, it’s achievable and it sounds good in Latin: Numquam deprecaris.”
In this sharp, funny novel by Maz Evans, Dr Miriam Price must prove she’s been murdered or spend the next fifty years in the lobby of the afterworld.
With her corpse found on her bedroom floor amid bottles of scattered pills and empty vodka bottles, the consensus is that Dr Miriam Price died by ‘misadventure’. It surprises none of her family or friends, who were well aware of her drinking problem, and the police are satisfied with the evidence of the crime scene. Miriam however is convinced that she was murdered and overcrowding in Eternity (due to CoVid) means if she can’t prove it before the coroner’s official ruling in five days, she’ll be stuck in limbo for the next fifty years.
Over My Dead Body made me laugh, and quite a lot. A workaholic A&E consultant with a drinking problem and an uncompromising personality, Miriam is quite a character. Not a particularly likeable one at first to be honest, but definitely entertaining. She does grow on you though, and I really liked the redemptive path Evans developed for her.
Being incorporeal and all, Miriam needs help if she is going to find her killer, unfortunately for her, the only person that can see or hear her is Winnie, the elderly neighbour with whom she’s been waging war for years. Winnie is more than capable of giving as good as she gets and their scathing banter is hilarious as the two begrudgingly work together.
There is no shortage of suspects in Miriam’s murder given she’d recently left her husband for her married lover, fought with her best friend, and lost a young patient unexpectedly. The deadline Miriam and Winnie are working to enhances the tension, and the mystery is well plotted. I found the identity of the guilty party to be a surprise but really enjoyed the drama and chaos of the denouement.
Despite the general hilarity of the novel, Evans touches on serious themes such as grief, addiction, regret, atonement, and redemption. There’s also some thoughtful commentary about life, and death, and a moving, happy conclusion.
Irreverent, witty, with plenty of heart, Over My Dead Body is such a fun read, and I won’t apologise for recommending it.
In this sharp, funny novel by Maz Evans, Dr Miriam Price must prove she’s been murdered or spend the next fifty years in the lobby of the afterworld.
With her corpse found on her bedroom floor amid bottles of scattered pills and empty vodka bottles, the consensus is that Dr Miriam Price died by ‘misadventure’. It surprises none of her family or friends, who were well aware of her drinking problem, and the police are satisfied with the evidence of the crime scene. Miriam however is convinced that she was murdered and overcrowding in Eternity (due to CoVid) means if she can’t prove it before the coroner’s official ruling in five days, she’ll be stuck in limbo for the next fifty years.
Over My Dead Body made me laugh, and quite a lot. A workaholic A&E consultant with a drinking problem and an uncompromising personality, Miriam is quite a character. Not a particularly likeable one at first to be honest, but definitely entertaining. She does grow on you though, and I really liked the redemptive path Evans developed for her.
Being incorporeal and all, Miriam needs help if she is going to find her killer, unfortunately for her, the only person that can see or hear her is Winnie, the elderly neighbour with whom she’s been waging war for years. Winnie is more than capable of giving as good as she gets and their scathing banter is hilarious as the two begrudgingly work together.
There is no shortage of suspects in Miriam’s murder given she’d recently left her husband for her married lover, fought with her best friend, and lost a young patient unexpectedly. The deadline Miriam and Winnie are working to enhances the tension, and the mystery is well plotted. I found the identity of the guilty party to be a surprise but really enjoyed the drama and chaos of the denouement.
Despite the general hilarity of the novel, Evans touches on serious themes such as grief, addiction, regret, atonement, and redemption. There’s also some thoughtful commentary about life, and death, and a moving, happy conclusion.
Irreverent, witty, with plenty of heart, Over My Dead Body is such a fun read, and I won’t apologise for recommending it.
August 9, 2024
One of the best books I have ever read. An incredible concept that reminded me of The Good Place. Couldn’t recommend more
June 5, 2025
fantastic!!
July 24, 2024
So, a little less than three months after first picking up this book for the Golden Dagger Award Longlist, I sit here, forced to ask myself: is this my favourite book of this year so far? And post-re-read, a book circle where we discussed it for close to two hours, and me gushing about this book to anyone that will listen, I can firmly affirm my feelings. Yes, this is the best book of 2024 for me so far, and it will take something extraordinary to knock it off its perch.
So, what makes me love this book so much? A hard question to answer for sure, because there's very little in this book I don't love. I adore the characters we're meant to empathize with, and despise the villains of the narrative, I will say no more than that.
The premise had me snickering when I first picked this book up, and after starting, I barely stopped to do anything else. This book consumed me, and Miriam kept me thoroughly entertained, and equal billing goes to Winny, her crotchety neighbour. Their quest to uncover who actually murdered the good doctor forces Miriam to really re-assess some things about her life until her demise, and though she starts the book as a raving... well, bitch, by the end I cried for her, and others in this book.
The comedy is on-point, the setting of mid-2020's at the height of the pandemic really adds to the narrative in my view, and I do not believe it will make the book feel dated, though I am hardly an authority on whether that's a consensus. This book felt so real, despite its fantastical structure, and the characters felt authentic, with special mention going to Miriam's brother Christian. I loved him, and he did not deserve the hand he had been dealt, but his perseverance was inspiring to me.
I realize now that I've hardly talked about the premise of the book, but I do not think it a flaw. While I have gushed during this review about all the things I love, I'd like to think I've not put in any real spoilers. I think this book will work best for you if you go in knowing only the barest of the premise, and just enjoying the ride.
I will definitely be rereading this multiple times in the future, and I can only hope my enthusiasm here will convince others to take the plunge and join me to revel in this world Maz Evans has created.
5 out of 5 stars
So, what makes me love this book so much? A hard question to answer for sure, because there's very little in this book I don't love. I adore the characters we're meant to empathize with, and despise the villains of the narrative, I will say no more than that.
The premise had me snickering when I first picked this book up, and after starting, I barely stopped to do anything else. This book consumed me, and Miriam kept me thoroughly entertained, and equal billing goes to Winny, her crotchety neighbour. Their quest to uncover who actually murdered the good doctor forces Miriam to really re-assess some things about her life until her demise, and though she starts the book as a raving... well, bitch, by the end I cried for her, and others in this book.
The comedy is on-point, the setting of mid-2020's at the height of the pandemic really adds to the narrative in my view, and I do not believe it will make the book feel dated, though I am hardly an authority on whether that's a consensus. This book felt so real, despite its fantastical structure, and the characters felt authentic, with special mention going to Miriam's brother Christian. I loved him, and he did not deserve the hand he had been dealt, but his perseverance was inspiring to me.
I realize now that I've hardly talked about the premise of the book, but I do not think it a flaw. While I have gushed during this review about all the things I love, I'd like to think I've not put in any real spoilers. I think this book will work best for you if you go in knowing only the barest of the premise, and just enjoying the ride.
I will definitely be rereading this multiple times in the future, and I can only hope my enthusiasm here will convince others to take the plunge and join me to revel in this world Maz Evans has created.
5 out of 5 stars
Read
March 16, 2024Abandoned at 25%.
I love the idea behind this book: misanthrope whose murder has been disguised as a suicide hangs around as a ghost seeking vengeance that she can only achieve by talking to the one woman who can see and hear her, a neighbour she has always disliked.
I think this would make great television. The novel has lots of funny lines and the scenario is fresh and full of possiblities.
So why did I abandon this at 25%?
I think my mistake was in taking the audiobook version. It's narrated by the author. I think engaging a professional narrator would have been a better choice. Maz Evans reads with gusto but she gabbles at times and constantly rushes the text rather than let it settle. She also doesn't differentiate the voices of the two main characters as well as I would expect a professional narrator to.
Maybe it was the narration but it seemed to me that the story had no variation in pace or in the type of humour. I don't think that stand-up vitriol can be sustained across an entire novel.
This is a debut adult novel from a successful children's author. Maybe I needed to stick with the book for longer to discover its strengths. Maybe I should have just swapped to the ebook version. These days, I seem to have less and less patience with maybes.
I love the idea behind this book: misanthrope whose murder has been disguised as a suicide hangs around as a ghost seeking vengeance that she can only achieve by talking to the one woman who can see and hear her, a neighbour she has always disliked.
I think this would make great television. The novel has lots of funny lines and the scenario is fresh and full of possiblities.
So why did I abandon this at 25%?
I think my mistake was in taking the audiobook version. It's narrated by the author. I think engaging a professional narrator would have been a better choice. Maz Evans reads with gusto but she gabbles at times and constantly rushes the text rather than let it settle. She also doesn't differentiate the voices of the two main characters as well as I would expect a professional narrator to.
Maybe it was the narration but it seemed to me that the story had no variation in pace or in the type of humour. I don't think that stand-up vitriol can be sustained across an entire novel.
This is a debut adult novel from a successful children's author. Maybe I needed to stick with the book for longer to discover its strengths. Maybe I should have just swapped to the ebook version. These days, I seem to have less and less patience with maybes.
February 13, 2024
Spoilers. (Slightly). Ok so, um. I don’t like to disrespect a writer or a book. But I have never disliked a writer so much before. But the constant whining about covid (which has nothing to do with the deaths in book) and use of calling ppl gammon is really annoying. The murder was obvious to me from the first mention of said person…and the fact they think after death you will still need treatment for illness makes me wonder why they even bothered to writer about limbo… and prescribing viagra in limbo, really? And it seemed full of things that just didn’t add up. I really wasn’t sure I would finish this book. But I didn’t want to have to lug it with me for two months round the Netherlands never reading it on my trip. And also not really likeable characters. There’s a line in this book that’s says, she’s a horrible writer. I agree. I read it quickly to get it over with.
September 9, 2024
4.5 stars for this one! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
I loved this book. I’ve just stayed up until 2am to finish it. This book had me laughing out loud, crying and just feeling all the feelings. It covered some pretty sensitive topics, but still kept it fun and lighthearted. Miriam and Winnie are hilarious together, from the stories of their prior feud to how they worked together to solve Miriam’s murder, it was just so much fun.
I’ve not had a book keep me up late for so long! I just wanted to finish it and find out what happened to Miriam in the end. I loved the characters, especially Jake with his stories. Just a real feel good book!
I loved this book. I’ve just stayed up until 2am to finish it. This book had me laughing out loud, crying and just feeling all the feelings. It covered some pretty sensitive topics, but still kept it fun and lighthearted. Miriam and Winnie are hilarious together, from the stories of their prior feud to how they worked together to solve Miriam’s murder, it was just so much fun.
I’ve not had a book keep me up late for so long! I just wanted to finish it and find out what happened to Miriam in the end. I loved the characters, especially Jake with his stories. Just a real feel good book!
June 22, 2024
Mogla je biti i ocena manje, ali mi je poslednjih 30ak posto bilo baš simpatično. Bilo je dosadnjikavih delova gde nije mogla da se odluči da li piše ozbiljniju knjigu ili čiklit, ali se pregura. Nije baš komedija kakvu sam očekivala, ali bilo je zabavno i volela bih nastavke.
January 14, 2024
4.5/5 ⭐️
Heel erg vermakelijk 🫶🏼
Heel erg vermakelijk 🫶🏼
August 10, 2024
Execrable Dr Miriam Price has died, but unless she can prove that her apparent suicide was forged by her murderer, she’ll have to live in Limbo for 50 years.
This was a fun mystery book (but the ending broke me a bit)!
This was a fun mystery book (but the ending broke me a bit)!
November 11, 2024
I loved this book with its very unusual take on solving a murder.
The main character is Dr Miriam who everyone thinks committed suicide but she knows she was murdered and rather than moving on she stays and, with the neighbour she hates but the only person who can see her, sets about solving her death.
I loved the humour, adored the characters, enjoyed the clever approach to the usual “who done it”
And the big plus, I didn’t guess the correct killer halfway through
The main character is Dr Miriam who everyone thinks committed suicide but she knows she was murdered and rather than moving on she stays and, with the neighbour she hates but the only person who can see her, sets about solving her death.
I loved the humour, adored the characters, enjoyed the clever approach to the usual “who done it”
And the big plus, I didn’t guess the correct killer halfway through
August 3, 2025
Budite dobri. A ako ne možete biti dobri?
Budite još bolji!
Budite još bolji!
October 4, 2025
Ono što sam očekivala, to sam i dobila. Negde na sredini mi je bila malo dosadnjikava, ali ostatak mi se svideo - baš ono što mi je trebalo da kratko napravim predah od obaveza.
Knjiga je pisana u prvom licu, a naratorka je dr Prajs - u nekim momentima dopadljiva, u drugim i ne toliko. Mogu, čak, reći i da mi je bila iritantna, ali kako je priča odmicala tako se i njen lik razvijao. Interesantna mi je bila priča oko Limba, kao i sarkazam koji je pratio celu knjigu.
Za shvatanje raspleta mislim da je bolje da se ova knjiga čita na engleskom, tj. ako baš želite da imate mogućnost da predvidite kraj.
"Ali biti živ nije isto što i živeti. U mladosti se bojiš smrti. U srednjem dobu se bojiš umiranja. U starosti se bojiš života."
Knjiga je pisana u prvom licu, a naratorka je dr Prajs - u nekim momentima dopadljiva, u drugim i ne toliko. Mogu, čak, reći i da mi je bila iritantna, ali kako je priča odmicala tako se i njen lik razvijao. Interesantna mi je bila priča oko Limba, kao i sarkazam koji je pratio celu knjigu.
Za shvatanje raspleta mislim da je bolje da se ova knjiga čita na engleskom, tj. ako baš želite da imate mogućnost da predvidite kraj.
"Ali biti živ nije isto što i živeti. U mladosti se bojiš smrti. U srednjem dobu se bojiš umiranja. U starosti se bojiš života."
September 18, 2024
Decent twist, just didn’t really keep me on the edge of my seat
December 14, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this after a friend recommended it.
Miriam is dry, sarcastic and has questionable morals but that kind of makes her more endearing!
Favourite line:
“But until then my friend… Be good. And if you can’t be good? Get better”
Miriam is dry, sarcastic and has questionable morals but that kind of makes her more endearing!
Favourite line:
“But until then my friend… Be good. And if you can’t be good? Get better”
August 6, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, which stood out from other crime novels I have read. I initially thought it might fall under the category of ‘cosy crime’, but the characters of Dr Miriam Price and her elderly neighbour Winnie proved themselves to be anything but cosy. Their ongoing feud provided a comical element to the story, which continued even after Miriam’s murder. Despite being sworn enemies in life, Miriam and Winnie formed an unlikely alliance and even developed a fondness for each other.
It’s not hard to see why Miriam could think of so many people who might want to bump her off. She was rather abrasive, often downright rude, perhaps rather selfish and at this point, furious. I suppose you can understand why, having been murdered but condemned to spend decades in limbo since she’s classed as a ‘death by misdventure’. I can see why she would be none too happy about that. However, over the course of the book you come to understand Miriam and while maybe not agreeing with all she has done in life, she certainly becomes a bit more personable. As a dedicated and skilled doctor, she has sworn to ‘do no harm’ and even in death, that’s a vow she takes seriously.
I really enjoyed meeting all the other characters in the book and finding out about their potential reasons for wanting to murder Miriam. That maybe sounds a bit odd but through them we find out more about Miriam and through them Miriam finds out more about themselves. Quite a few of these stories were very moving, particularly that of young Bella.
I highly recommend Over My Dead Body as it kept me guessing about the culprit while also being surprisingly poignant at times. It’s a fresh and funny read that is both entertaining and uplifting, which, it has to be said, is quite unusual for a crime novel.
It’s not hard to see why Miriam could think of so many people who might want to bump her off. She was rather abrasive, often downright rude, perhaps rather selfish and at this point, furious. I suppose you can understand why, having been murdered but condemned to spend decades in limbo since she’s classed as a ‘death by misdventure’. I can see why she would be none too happy about that. However, over the course of the book you come to understand Miriam and while maybe not agreeing with all she has done in life, she certainly becomes a bit more personable. As a dedicated and skilled doctor, she has sworn to ‘do no harm’ and even in death, that’s a vow she takes seriously.
I really enjoyed meeting all the other characters in the book and finding out about their potential reasons for wanting to murder Miriam. That maybe sounds a bit odd but through them we find out more about Miriam and through them Miriam finds out more about themselves. Quite a few of these stories were very moving, particularly that of young Bella.
I highly recommend Over My Dead Body as it kept me guessing about the culprit while also being surprisingly poignant at times. It’s a fresh and funny read that is both entertaining and uplifting, which, it has to be said, is quite unusual for a crime novel.
October 26, 2023
This was a highly entertaining, over the top-ish, fun and hilarious book. At first I laughed so much that I cried, towards the end I cried because I really wanted the book to never end. But over all it was a chef’s kiss of a whodunnit with a paranormal element and an excellent character redemption.
Dr Miriam Price and her nemesis Winnie partnering up to solve the former’s murder case, was a brilliant plot. Totally loved the world building, the cast of characters, and all the sassy-snarky one liners! These two heroines should have their own podcast and sell poster prints with their remarks on them.
Dr Miriam Price has been murdered and it’s not easy to find out who ended her life; the list of people with a motive is - rightfully - long. Like… Looooooooong.
I’m keeping an eye on Maz Evans’ future novels, something tells me I’m going to love all of them.
Dr Miriam Price and her nemesis Winnie partnering up to solve the former’s murder case, was a brilliant plot. Totally loved the world building, the cast of characters, and all the sassy-snarky one liners! These two heroines should have their own podcast and sell poster prints with their remarks on them.
Dr Miriam Price has been murdered and it’s not easy to find out who ended her life; the list of people with a motive is - rightfully - long. Like… Looooooooong.
I’m keeping an eye on Maz Evans’ future novels, something tells me I’m going to love all of them.
February 21, 2025
Not my usual kind of read, but my god, I LOVED it! Hilarious, clever, and totally addictive. Plus, the audiobook? Absolute perfection—the narrator gave me strong Bridget Jones vibes with witty, charming delivery that had me hooked.
✨ The Plot:
Miriam Price has been murdered—but death isn’t stopping her from solving the case. The catch? The only person who can see her is her grumpy nemesis, Winnie... because Winnie is dying. Together, this unlikely duo must uncover the truth, navigating a web of secrets, lies, and laugh-out-loud chaos.
💜 What I Loved:
✔ Witty and hilarious commentary — I was laughing constantly!
✔ Unpredictable mystery — I could not guess the ending, which made the reveal so satisfying.
✔ Brilliantly developed side stories — Each suspect’s backstory is perfectly explored, adding depth and intrigue.
✔ Unique dynamic — The love-to-hate neighbor relationship between Miriam and Winnie is comedy gold.
⚡ Final Verdict:
A sharp, hilarious mystery with heart. If you’re after a murder story that doesn’t take itself too seriously but still delivers all the twists, Over My Dead Body is for you. The audiobook is a must
✨ The Plot:
Miriam Price has been murdered—but death isn’t stopping her from solving the case. The catch? The only person who can see her is her grumpy nemesis, Winnie... because Winnie is dying. Together, this unlikely duo must uncover the truth, navigating a web of secrets, lies, and laugh-out-loud chaos.
💜 What I Loved:
✔ Witty and hilarious commentary — I was laughing constantly!
✔ Unpredictable mystery — I could not guess the ending, which made the reveal so satisfying.
✔ Brilliantly developed side stories — Each suspect’s backstory is perfectly explored, adding depth and intrigue.
✔ Unique dynamic — The love-to-hate neighbor relationship between Miriam and Winnie is comedy gold.
⚡ Final Verdict:
A sharp, hilarious mystery with heart. If you’re after a murder story that doesn’t take itself too seriously but still delivers all the twists, Over My Dead Body is for you. The audiobook is a must
November 17, 2024
Dieser Krimi war mal etwas anderes. Die Tote Dr. Miriam Price ermittelt aus dem Jenseits an ihrem eigenen Todesfall. Hab ich tatsächlich so noch nie gelesen und hat mir echt gefallen. Miriam mochte ich sofort, auch wenn sie zu Lebzeiten und auch noch in ihrem Tode ziemlich kratzbürstig war. Es war witzig zu lesen, wie sie sich mit ihrer Nachbarin - die die einzige ist, die sie sehen kann - herumstreitet und letztendlich zusammenrauft.
Der Schreibstil war gut und ich fand es interessant, wie die Autorin sich das Leben nach dem Tod so vorstellt. Es geht auf jeden Fall humorvoll zu.
Ein Roman mit viel Witz, skurrilen Charakteren und zum Drübernachdenken, was einen nach dem Tod so erwartet.
Hat mir gut gefallen.
Der Schreibstil war gut und ich fand es interessant, wie die Autorin sich das Leben nach dem Tod so vorstellt. Es geht auf jeden Fall humorvoll zu.
Ein Roman mit viel Witz, skurrilen Charakteren und zum Drübernachdenken, was einen nach dem Tod so erwartet.
Hat mir gut gefallen.
August 12, 2025
This book was really funny, had a great murder mystery, and I raced through it really quickly.
It was a hard book to rate as while I loved the relationship between Miriam and Winnie, the logic of limbo and the colour system for ghost at times annoyed me, and at times stretch my willingness to suspend disbelief. The idea of a pill that allows you to be real for a second also was also a bit of a plot hole- surely as a society they would have seen a lot of ghosts at this point?
So I would say 5 stars for the murder mystery, well done characters and a good laugh- the colours were just not for me!
It was a hard book to rate as while I loved the relationship between Miriam and Winnie, the logic of limbo and the colour system for ghost at times annoyed me, and at times stretch my willingness to suspend disbelief. The idea of a pill that allows you to be real for a second also was also a bit of a plot hole- surely as a society they would have seen a lot of ghosts at this point?
So I would say 5 stars for the murder mystery, well done characters and a good laugh- the colours were just not for me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 659 reviews