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In-Depth Market Research Interviews with Dead People #1
In-Depth Market Research Interviews with Dead People: Volvo
Listening Length 47 minutes
Acclaimed author of The Adults Alison Espach’s short story In-Depth Market Research Interviews with Dead People is an at-once hilarious and heart-breaking portrait of a dead woman’s marriage and the Volvo that stood in the middle of it all.
If you knew you were going to die in two years, would you still have gone with the Volvo? So begins the first question of this interview between the recently deceased Linda and her Volvo’s Market Research representative. Over the course of the rest of the interview, listen in and roll down your window into not only a woman’s marriage but a psyche. This brilliantly woven tale shines a light on our collective idiosyncrasies, neuroses, and desires. In the tradition of Sally Rooney and Maria Semple, Alison Espach threads the needle between humor and devastation and emerges a master of observational satire and millennial voice.
Acclaimed author of The Adults Alison Espach’s short story In-Depth Market Research Interviews with Dead People is an at-once hilarious and heart-breaking portrait of a dead woman’s marriage and the Volvo that stood in the middle of it all.
If you knew you were going to die in two years, would you still have gone with the Volvo? So begins the first question of this interview between the recently deceased Linda and her Volvo’s Market Research representative. Over the course of the rest of the interview, listen in and roll down your window into not only a woman’s marriage but a psyche. This brilliantly woven tale shines a light on our collective idiosyncrasies, neuroses, and desires. In the tradition of Sally Rooney and Maria Semple, Alison Espach threads the needle between humor and devastation and emerges a master of observational satire and millennial voice.
1 pages, Audible Audio
Published September 10, 2020
About the author
Alison Espach
10 books7,737 followersAlison Espach grew up in Trumbull, Connecticut, where she lived for most of her life. She earned her BA from Providence College and her Masters in Creative Writing from Washington University in St. Louis. Her writing has appeared in McSweeney's, Five Chapters, Glamour, Salon, The Daily Beast, Writer's Digest, and other journals.
She is currently teaching in New York City.
She is currently teaching in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
September 21, 2020
In-Depth Market Research Interviews with Dead People by Alison Espach is an Audible Original. This Audible really made me think about what is important in life. Do you want boring all the time? What really makes you happy? If you knew you were going to die, would you do anything different? Buy something fun? Do something daring? Go see something new? It was a touching story, although short, it was powerful.
December 5, 2024
A surprisingly humorous tale, given the title!
Read
September 13, 2020This was a really nice piece which says a lot in a small space.
The framing is kind of silly, but it worked pretty well for me.
The framing is kind of silly, but it worked pretty well for me.
December 1, 2025
An interesting way for someone to examine their choices and voice some regrets. A thought provoking short story.
September 16, 2020
This was fun, I liked the flow
October 8, 2022
Hauntingly tragic, tragically normal. This well paced story of young woman's life is told through the creative lens of market research interviews. Ones conducted after the consumer has passed away! It felt like something out of Black Mirror.
From the first paragraph I was hooked. It was enjoyable, amusing, relatable. As I started to understand where the story was heading I felt sad, determined to understand something I feared I already knew too well. Her stories weren't my own but the feelings were all too familiar. I let her emotional journey crash over me like waves. Experiencing and releasing old wounds I'd forgotten were there. And ultimately, gloriously, left with a message of loving yourself. Not as a self-help platitude but as a reality.
I can't promise it will resonate with everyone the way it did with me, but I can't imagine anyone not enjoying it.
From the first paragraph I was hooked. It was enjoyable, amusing, relatable. As I started to understand where the story was heading I felt sad, determined to understand something I feared I already knew too well. Her stories weren't my own but the feelings were all too familiar. I let her emotional journey crash over me like waves. Experiencing and releasing old wounds I'd forgotten were there. And ultimately, gloriously, left with a message of loving yourself. Not as a self-help platitude but as a reality.
I can't promise it will resonate with everyone the way it did with me, but I can't imagine anyone not enjoying it.
October 7, 2020
A short story of someone’s regrets of living a safe life after they died under the veil of an interview. A little boring and pointless. Not recommended in general.
October 27, 2020
Very short yet enjoyable!
January 20, 2023
OK, este fue un audiolibro ... interesante...
Creo que el titulo me llevó a pensar que se trataba de algún tipo de documental acerca de errores en la marca de autos Volvo que le habían costado a sus usuarios la vida ... pero resultó ser una especie de cuento corto (totalmente ficticio) en el cual una mujer después de muerta es entrevistada por Volvo (si, así de raro) acerca de qué fue lo que en vida la hizo elegir sus productos, y la mujer comienza a explayarse y a filosofar acerca de varios aspectos en su vida, usando una experiencia con su auto Volvo como el hilo coherente de su historia.
Se siente como leer el trabajo de un estudiante de literatura, alguien a quien su tarea era improvisar una historia en 15 min a partir de un escenario hipotético. ¿lo mas gracioso de todo? No esta mal ... no esta nada mal.
Este audiolibro de solo cuarenta y tantos minutos me entretuvo demasiado, la verdad me sorprendí cuando se acabó porque sentí que solo habían pasado 15 min. De acuerdo a Audible ésta es toda una saga, hay mas audiolibros como éste pero que giran en torno a productos como Bounty y Tempur-pedic ... así que esperen reseñas pronto de esas historias porque esto está bastante bueno.
3.5/5 estrellas
Creo que el titulo me llevó a pensar que se trataba de algún tipo de documental acerca de errores en la marca de autos Volvo que le habían costado a sus usuarios la vida ... pero resultó ser una especie de cuento corto (totalmente ficticio) en el cual una mujer después de muerta es entrevistada por Volvo (si, así de raro) acerca de qué fue lo que en vida la hizo elegir sus productos, y la mujer comienza a explayarse y a filosofar acerca de varios aspectos en su vida, usando una experiencia con su auto Volvo como el hilo coherente de su historia.
Se siente como leer el trabajo de un estudiante de literatura, alguien a quien su tarea era improvisar una historia en 15 min a partir de un escenario hipotético. ¿lo mas gracioso de todo? No esta mal ... no esta nada mal.
Este audiolibro de solo cuarenta y tantos minutos me entretuvo demasiado, la verdad me sorprendí cuando se acabó porque sentí que solo habían pasado 15 min. De acuerdo a Audible ésta es toda una saga, hay mas audiolibros como éste pero que giran en torno a productos como Bounty y Tempur-pedic ... así que esperen reseñas pronto de esas historias porque esto está bastante bueno.
3.5/5 estrellas
November 28, 2021
Not as good as the other one, kept me interested enough till the end but I didn't care as much about this woman like I did with the married couple from the Bounty interview.
Narration was good though.
*Audible audio *
Narration was good though.
*Audible audio *
January 31, 2025
Balance - thats what we need.
December 5, 2023
#InDepthMarketResearchInterviewsWithDeadPeople by #AlisonEspach Book #85 of the year 2023
The book opens with the woman being interviewed in the afterlife. It's a short, intense, funny (?), sweet-sad story about a woman, comfortably married to a boring accountant (are there any other types?) who has a steady job. A man devoted to his family, a father and a husband who provides and protects his family. And, thus their favourite line is, "We always buy a Volvo". With a strong engine, a tank that holds during the worst weather, and no coffee cup holders!
Hank lives across the street. Recently laid off, but wealthy enough to buy the fastest cars, only to polish and keep them in his garage.
The woman's Volvo just conks out one day as she's about to drive off. Hank who witnesses this, suggests she buy a new car. Then asks her which car she wants to buy. She gives the stock reply about the Volvo. Hank repeats his Q, which stumps the woman- she's lived a stable life, but a life where she's never been asked this Q. Hank suggests they go and look at the cars available. The woman lets the salesman at the car showroom think that she and Hank are married, and Hank plays along. She even says she has only six months to live.
During the time- from there to the car showroom, then to the top of the mountain when she drives a "ladies car" at top speed- even on the turns, she remembers who she used to be, and once on top of the mountain she breaks down. Hank allows her to cry her heart out, not comforting her, and she likes that.
The woman explains in the end that she bought the Volvo, as her daughter would be inheriting the car.
I loved the fact that this is the story of most people who get married and raise a family. Yes, there may be occasional regrets about what they used to be- but they won't do it any other way!
The book opens with the woman being interviewed in the afterlife. It's a short, intense, funny (?), sweet-sad story about a woman, comfortably married to a boring accountant (are there any other types?) who has a steady job. A man devoted to his family, a father and a husband who provides and protects his family. And, thus their favourite line is, "We always buy a Volvo". With a strong engine, a tank that holds during the worst weather, and no coffee cup holders!
Hank lives across the street. Recently laid off, but wealthy enough to buy the fastest cars, only to polish and keep them in his garage.
The woman's Volvo just conks out one day as she's about to drive off. Hank who witnesses this, suggests she buy a new car. Then asks her which car she wants to buy. She gives the stock reply about the Volvo. Hank repeats his Q, which stumps the woman- she's lived a stable life, but a life where she's never been asked this Q. Hank suggests they go and look at the cars available. The woman lets the salesman at the car showroom think that she and Hank are married, and Hank plays along. She even says she has only six months to live.
During the time- from there to the car showroom, then to the top of the mountain when she drives a "ladies car" at top speed- even on the turns, she remembers who she used to be, and once on top of the mountain she breaks down. Hank allows her to cry her heart out, not comforting her, and she likes that.
The woman explains in the end that she bought the Volvo, as her daughter would be inheriting the car.
I loved the fact that this is the story of most people who get married and raise a family. Yes, there may be occasional regrets about what they used to be- but they won't do it any other way!
November 12, 2021
Reflections and lessons learned:
“If you knew that you were going to die in two years, would you still have bought your Volvo?”
Two things from my day drove this middle of the night choice - a much needed, shuffle thrown up, listen to an old Bill Hicks bit about advertising, and a couple of unexpected prompted sad thoughts about loss from the week. I started and stopped it a few times not knowing whether it was the right time, but it really helped.
A story of reflection told from the other side - philosophical ponderings resulting from a mundane interview - family, communication, security and reflection all achieved in a short story
“If you knew that you were going to die in two years, would you still have bought your Volvo?”
Two things from my day drove this middle of the night choice - a much needed, shuffle thrown up, listen to an old Bill Hicks bit about advertising, and a couple of unexpected prompted sad thoughts about loss from the week. I started and stopped it a few times not knowing whether it was the right time, but it really helped.
A story of reflection told from the other side - philosophical ponderings resulting from a mundane interview - family, communication, security and reflection all achieved in a short story
November 11, 2020
A bit strange yet touching very short story about a woman and her neighbor.
December 29, 2024
Fun concept
February 21, 2026
Liked this short story a lot, recommend it.
February 23, 2026
Feb 2026
September 15, 2020
After I finished this, I sat for a while and wondered, "What did I just listen to?". A little humorous, yes but I'm not sure what else to say about it to be honest. It was hard to follow at times and I think I missed the whole point. There were some moments when you'd think, "Hey I can relate to this" and others when you'd consider finishing the book a waste of your time not because it's long but because you don't know where it's going.
December 29, 2020
a short story where a company does rote market research with recently deceased customers has such POTENTIAL to be something unique and absolutely absurd (and honestly an interesting and potentially hilarious take on capitalism and the way corporations value sales & innovation over people's lives again and again) and yet.....all this was, was a short story about a dead housewife recounting the time she cheated on her husband with her douchey neighbor bc her husband’s trauma from his brother dying tragically young makes him a bit careful and honestly she found that kinda boring:/
hugely disappointing.
hugely disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2020
Total waste of time. The conceit that the person being interviewed was dead added nothing to the story. Am not sure what point the author was attempting to make with this story. The humor was sophomoric and the storyline seemed to have no purpose.
shorts-and-casts
February 25, 2021Cute
September 22, 2023
Not what I was expecting.
Even as a novella it seemed long and at times pointless. Maybe I missed the intention.
Even as a novella it seemed long and at times pointless. Maybe I missed the intention.
August 1, 2023
this is my second one from the series (did Bounty first) - in love with these.
Volvo cares more, you can see it from the tone of the interviewer, and the questions asked, Volvo wins people’s hearts, like that neighbour that you thought you didn’t like, but they are so helpful, Volvo will be with you in your time of need, Volvo would suggest a different car, if they genuinely thought that was a better option, buy a sports car, Volvo understands, Volvo is relatable, human, just like you, Volvo is the car next door, the car you never knew would be the right thing at the right time.
you can get that sports car, but Volvo is safe, you want Volvo for you, for your family, for your children, you trust Volvo, they care about your life, your comfort, and your happiness.
will you stay faithful to Volvo, even if temporarily tempted? Volvo is not actually asking this, they want you to make your choices, knowing they care. Volvo is here to support you, they are your friend, they are your counsellor, they will listen, with no judgement.
the scripts from this series are really good, the stories are very different from each other, and I enjoyed both so far.
Volvo cares more, you can see it from the tone of the interviewer, and the questions asked, Volvo wins people’s hearts, like that neighbour that you thought you didn’t like, but they are so helpful, Volvo will be with you in your time of need, Volvo would suggest a different car, if they genuinely thought that was a better option, buy a sports car, Volvo understands, Volvo is relatable, human, just like you, Volvo is the car next door, the car you never knew would be the right thing at the right time.
you can get that sports car, but Volvo is safe, you want Volvo for you, for your family, for your children, you trust Volvo, they care about your life, your comfort, and your happiness.
will you stay faithful to Volvo, even if temporarily tempted? Volvo is not actually asking this, they want you to make your choices, knowing they care. Volvo is here to support you, they are your friend, they are your counsellor, they will listen, with no judgement.
the scripts from this series are really good, the stories are very different from each other, and I enjoyed both so far.
September 9, 2026
In this episode of In-Depth Market Research Interviews with Dead People, Linda is asked about her last Volvo purchase. Linda and her husband have always bought Volvos for their safety and reliability, just as they’ve made all the decisions about their marriage and family. But while Linda’s husband was away, their neighbour, Frank, takes Linda car shopping and steers her towards a much more reckless car. During the test drive, Linda imagines what it might be like to live a more care-free life like she did before she married, and she surprises and alarms her passengers with her more daring side.
This made me think. I thoroughly enjoyed this exploration of the decisions people make that shape their lives and their relationships and it was easy to relate to Linda’s grass-might-be-greener fantasies. As someone who’s faced cancer, I’ve also asked myself if I’d had a life well-lived, if I had regrets, and whether there were things I still needed to do. They’re hard but important questions to ask ourselves. Great that a short story can evoke such deep thoughts in a fun way! 🎧 US voice actors Susannah Jones & Allyson Johnson both perform well on the audio!
This made me think. I thoroughly enjoyed this exploration of the decisions people make that shape their lives and their relationships and it was easy to relate to Linda’s grass-might-be-greener fantasies. As someone who’s faced cancer, I’ve also asked myself if I’d had a life well-lived, if I had regrets, and whether there were things I still needed to do. They’re hard but important questions to ask ourselves. Great that a short story can evoke such deep thoughts in a fun way! 🎧 US voice actors Susannah Jones & Allyson Johnson both perform well on the audio!
April 13, 2021
Listen to this free shortstory on audible, it's 40 min long.
At first I gave it 3 starts, but then I thought about the story and change my view on it, and the more I think about the story, the more I like it.
It's a strange setup, a dead woman is being interviewed about her carpurchase before her death and it's a 'person' from the carmanufacturer, who's questioning the woman.
This story is sort of 'everyday realism' where the questions from the interviewer,
(who really wants to know why she ended up buying the car she did)
makes the woman not just answer with the story about the day her car died, but also her thoughts about her life, her neighbour, familylife and how one day, started out bad but then became a something unexpected.
At first I gave it 3 starts, but then I thought about the story and change my view on it, and the more I think about the story, the more I like it.
It's a strange setup, a dead woman is being interviewed about her carpurchase before her death and it's a 'person' from the carmanufacturer, who's questioning the woman.
This story is sort of 'everyday realism' where the questions from the interviewer,
(who really wants to know why she ended up buying the car she did)
makes the woman not just answer with the story about the day her car died, but also her thoughts about her life, her neighbour, familylife and how one day, started out bad but then became a something unexpected.
January 3, 2021
Funny concept, and well presented as an audio program. A wife/mother dies and is being interviewed in a market research thing ("after death", although no real use of the death; it was really just "after the fact"), and she talks about her car buying behavior and forgone life choices. Basically, that she was always a Volvo buyer because it was safe and expected of her, but that when she test-drove a better and sportier car with her neighbor, she preferred it -- and him, the adventure-seeking man next door vs. her boring accountant husband and family life. Could have been a lot better, but was at least short, and the concept was sort of worth it. More like 3.5 stars.
February 18, 2023
( Format : Audiobook )
"What do you want?"
The first in a brief run of one hour short stories in which respondents reveal far more about their emotional states when alive through the guise of being interviewed by a market researcher after their deaths. Each character is performed by a different narrator. In this episode, a Volvo representative interviews a lifelong Volvo car user. Narrators are Susannah Jones and Allyson Johnson.
At.times sweet, sometimes sad, and a little thought provoking.
Available for free through the Audible Plus programme
A quick and unusual tiny slice of life, perfect to fill in a lunch break or shortish journey.
"What do you want?"
The first in a brief run of one hour short stories in which respondents reveal far more about their emotional states when alive through the guise of being interviewed by a market researcher after their deaths. Each character is performed by a different narrator. In this episode, a Volvo representative interviews a lifelong Volvo car user. Narrators are Susannah Jones and Allyson Johnson.
At.times sweet, sometimes sad, and a little thought provoking.
Available for free through the Audible Plus programme
A quick and unusual tiny slice of life, perfect to fill in a lunch break or shortish journey.
Want to Read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews