What do you think?
Rate this book
Denis Ever After
Denis Egan is dead.
He’s okay with that. It’s been five years since he died, and the place where souls go is actually pretty nice. Sure, there are some things about his life and how it ended he can’t quite recall, but that’s how it’s supposed to be. Remembering could prevent Denis from moving on to whatever’s next.
However, something is standing in his way. His twin brother Matt can’t let go of him, and as long as the living are holding on to his memory, Denis can’t rest in peace.
To uncover the truth about what happened that day five years before, Denis returns to his hometown and teams up with Matt. But visiting for too long has painful consequences for Denis, and Matt’s renewed interest in his brother’s passing is driving a wedge between his still-grieving parents.
Can the two boys solve the mystery of Denis’s death without breaking apart the family he’s left behind?
He’s okay with that. It’s been five years since he died, and the place where souls go is actually pretty nice. Sure, there are some things about his life and how it ended he can’t quite recall, but that’s how it’s supposed to be. Remembering could prevent Denis from moving on to whatever’s next.
However, something is standing in his way. His twin brother Matt can’t let go of him, and as long as the living are holding on to his memory, Denis can’t rest in peace.
To uncover the truth about what happened that day five years before, Denis returns to his hometown and teams up with Matt. But visiting for too long has painful consequences for Denis, and Matt’s renewed interest in his brother’s passing is driving a wedge between his still-grieving parents.
Can the two boys solve the mystery of Denis’s death without breaking apart the family he’s left behind?
311 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 24, 2018
40 people are currently reading
2149 people want to read
About the author
Tony Abbott
210 books404 followersTony Abbott (born 1952) is an American author of children's books. His most popular work is the book series The Secrets of Droon, which includes over 40 books. He has sold over 12 million copies of his books and they have been translated into several other languages, including Italian, Spanish, Korean, French, Japanese, Polish, Turkish, and Russian. He has also written the bestseller Firegirl.
Abbott was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1952. His father was a university professor and had an extensive library of books which became one of Abbott's first sources of literature. When he was eight years old, his family moved to Connecticut where he went through elementary school and high school.
Abbott attended the University of Connecticut, and after studying both music and psychology, decided to study English and graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor's degree in English literature. He attended the workshops of Patricia Reilly Giff to further develop his writing after college.
Abbott currently lives in Trumbull, Connecticut, with his wife, two daughters, and two dogs. Tony had one brother and two sisters.
Abbott was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1952. His father was a university professor and had an extensive library of books which became one of Abbott's first sources of literature. When he was eight years old, his family moved to Connecticut where he went through elementary school and high school.
Abbott attended the University of Connecticut, and after studying both music and psychology, decided to study English and graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor's degree in English literature. He attended the workshops of Patricia Reilly Giff to further develop his writing after college.
Abbott currently lives in Trumbull, Connecticut, with his wife, two daughters, and two dogs. Tony had one brother and two sisters.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
October 12, 2018
Stunned. No string of words I could put together would do this book justice.
Denis died when he was 7-years-old under mysterious circumstances. For the last 5 years, he has been in an after-life limbo place called Port Haven. Dead people arrive on boats and stay until they are forgotten. Then they move on to eternal peace. Back in the real world, his twin Matt has discovered a file on Denis’s death, which has caused his grief to resurface. Denis must go back and help his family move on so that Denis can move on. One chapter in and my heart was already being crushed by the sadness of it all.
As if I wasn’t suffering enough, I had to deal with paragraphs like this in chapter 2. “You keep forgetting and forgetting until your whole self fades peacefully, like mist in the sun. Unless you try not to leave, or you remember too much, or you visit the living too often. Then you get ripped away from here. And it hurts. They scream, those souls do, who remain too long. You feel them getting pulled apart. Ripped right down the center.”
Slow. Exhale. I feel the knot in my stomach returning just thinking about it. This kind of language is standard fare for the entire book. I was literally a mess. This is not for the middle grade faint of heart. Trust me on this. What you’ll be dealing with is a 7-year-old lifeless body propped up against the Georgia monument at the Gettysburg Battlefield Park. Not kidding. You’ll also have to deal with Denis retracing his steps back from where he was found, to where he was kidnapped, to where he died. He has forgotten all of it. Now he must relive it, so his family will know what happened to him and have peace.
I have left out mega amounts of detail, but here are my final thoughts. The plot is amazing, like branches of a tree converging at the trunk. No linear garbage here. The details are deep. Every character is developed down to their toenails. The prose will leave you staring with your mouth open. I don’t know where this Tony Abbott came from, but he needs to get the Newbery medal today. There is, and will be, no competition.
Denis died when he was 7-years-old under mysterious circumstances. For the last 5 years, he has been in an after-life limbo place called Port Haven. Dead people arrive on boats and stay until they are forgotten. Then they move on to eternal peace. Back in the real world, his twin Matt has discovered a file on Denis’s death, which has caused his grief to resurface. Denis must go back and help his family move on so that Denis can move on. One chapter in and my heart was already being crushed by the sadness of it all.
As if I wasn’t suffering enough, I had to deal with paragraphs like this in chapter 2. “You keep forgetting and forgetting until your whole self fades peacefully, like mist in the sun. Unless you try not to leave, or you remember too much, or you visit the living too often. Then you get ripped away from here. And it hurts. They scream, those souls do, who remain too long. You feel them getting pulled apart. Ripped right down the center.”
Slow. Exhale. I feel the knot in my stomach returning just thinking about it. This kind of language is standard fare for the entire book. I was literally a mess. This is not for the middle grade faint of heart. Trust me on this. What you’ll be dealing with is a 7-year-old lifeless body propped up against the Georgia monument at the Gettysburg Battlefield Park. Not kidding. You’ll also have to deal with Denis retracing his steps back from where he was found, to where he was kidnapped, to where he died. He has forgotten all of it. Now he must relive it, so his family will know what happened to him and have peace.
I have left out mega amounts of detail, but here are my final thoughts. The plot is amazing, like branches of a tree converging at the trunk. No linear garbage here. The details are deep. Every character is developed down to their toenails. The prose will leave you staring with your mouth open. I don’t know where this Tony Abbott came from, but he needs to get the Newbery medal today. There is, and will be, no competition.
September 3, 2018
I have so much to say about this book, about its humanity, about its humor, about the magical realism, about the way it transcended the very tragedy and sadness of its plot, and brings the reader to a place of hope and love and joy. There, I said it. I read the first line in the morning and sat on my deck until dark, because I just HAD to know what happened ( BTW the ending is extremely satisfying) and because I absolutely loved believing in, and inhabiting, the other-worldly world Tony Abbott created so completely.
July 14, 2018
What an unusual read that I fear will not be a hit with its intended audience, but rather a hit with a somewhat older crowd.
There are so many themes going on in this book, with a plot that swirls around dealing with loss and the fragility of memory and the effects of violence and familial misunderstandings and kidnappings and... has your head started to spin yet?...
Regardless, the writing is swell and I love the inclusion of a LGBTQ+ relationship. Although, unfortunately, it may go over the heads of the young ones... I wonder why it is never addressed more directly. It is a beautiful relationship, but feels like a lost opportunity for fully embracing the topic.
All in all, Debis Ever After is highly recommended to readers of ALL ages and not just the MG crowd.
There are so many themes going on in this book, with a plot that swirls around dealing with loss and the fragility of memory and the effects of violence and familial misunderstandings and kidnappings and... has your head started to spin yet?...
Regardless, the writing is swell and I love the inclusion of a LGBTQ+ relationship. Although, unfortunately, it may go over the heads of the young ones... I wonder why it is never addressed more directly. It is a beautiful relationship, but feels like a lost opportunity for fully embracing the topic.
All in all, Debis Ever After is highly recommended to readers of ALL ages and not just the MG crowd.
October 13, 2017
Matt's twin Denis is driven to help find the cause of his death from the grave. Not just a mystery well written for middle grades, but a tale of a family overcoming the loss of a son/brother and what it can do from the persecutive of a young survivor. Matt has not only lost his twin, but his parents are disintegrating on a delay basis. Matt is bolstered by a friend and is haunted by his brother, Denis. Together thy work to solve the reason Denis was found dead.
This is a truly wonderful book unfolding a provacative vision of life beyond the grave, the ties of family and the drive to resolve the important issues of our lives at all cost. I think this is a potential award-winning book, or should be. I recommend it to readers of all ages.
This is a truly wonderful book unfolding a provacative vision of life beyond the grave, the ties of family and the drive to resolve the important issues of our lives at all cost. I think this is a potential award-winning book, or should be. I recommend it to readers of all ages.
November 1, 2018
This book was AWESOME!!! It's a really cool mystery with so many twists and turns. In the beginning of the book, you don't really know what's going on, or anything about the mystery. As you progress, the characters find more and more clues to this big mystery. In the end, the answer is actually rather surprising and sad. You NEED to read it!!!! I loved it!!!!
September 3, 2017
4.5 stars, really sitting with me after I have finished it
August 1, 2022
3,5 naprawdę dobre middle grade
August 12, 2018
Supernatural "Whodunnit?" for young adults.
Denis was killed five years ago. At least he thinks he was. He definitely died - he's currently roaming the afterlife with his grandfather, and vaguely remembers his death... possibly his murder.
He decides he needs to return to help his suffering family, his 12-year-old twin brother and father who are having trouble letting go and moving on, his silently pained mother. Can he communicate with Matt and work out just how he died and why?
I was reminded of The Lovely Bones listening to this - a story about a dead child, possibly killed, the identity of the killer unknown, and the victim trying to help his grieving family move on. Like that book, this is not for young children, despite being narrated by a pre-teen.
Denis delves into his own death, moving back to the night of his murder and works with his twin to solve it and put himself and his family at peace.
Denis's voice is well-created by the narrator, he sounds young, keen and quite accustomed to his situation. The audio format suits the telling, and it is easy to follow.
The story itself is sad, though I found the plot a little convoluted at times to follow. I was worried about graphic death/murder scenes, but there is nothing that means a mature child/teenage reader couldn't enjoy this, despite the genre and content.
The portrayal of a grieving family is quite heart-rending, and even for someone more than dubious about an afterlife, the rules and vision of Denis's are intriguing and don't detract.
Personally, I think a 9 year old will find this a little much, I would say 11-14 year olds and even adults will connect best with the subject matter and twins.
With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.
Denis was killed five years ago. At least he thinks he was. He definitely died - he's currently roaming the afterlife with his grandfather, and vaguely remembers his death... possibly his murder.
He decides he needs to return to help his suffering family, his 12-year-old twin brother and father who are having trouble letting go and moving on, his silently pained mother. Can he communicate with Matt and work out just how he died and why?
I was reminded of The Lovely Bones listening to this - a story about a dead child, possibly killed, the identity of the killer unknown, and the victim trying to help his grieving family move on. Like that book, this is not for young children, despite being narrated by a pre-teen.
Denis delves into his own death, moving back to the night of his murder and works with his twin to solve it and put himself and his family at peace.
Denis's voice is well-created by the narrator, he sounds young, keen and quite accustomed to his situation. The audio format suits the telling, and it is easy to follow.
The story itself is sad, though I found the plot a little convoluted at times to follow. I was worried about graphic death/murder scenes, but there is nothing that means a mature child/teenage reader couldn't enjoy this, despite the genre and content.
The portrayal of a grieving family is quite heart-rending, and even for someone more than dubious about an afterlife, the rules and vision of Denis's are intriguing and don't detract.
Personally, I think a 9 year old will find this a little much, I would say 11-14 year olds and even adults will connect best with the subject matter and twins.
With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.
September 14, 2018
I won a paperback copy of this from Goodreads. I thought the premise of Denis seeing his family from the afterlife was interesting, but I couldn't ever get into Abbott's view of afterlife. It seemed too convoluted and strange to take seriously. The story is interesting, but confusing in parts. It reads more like a debut novel than something from an experienced author. I also didn't care for the relationship between Matt and Trey, and not because it might be a gay relationship, but because they're 12!!!! Much too young for sexual innuendos.
September 26, 2021
Meant to be a middle grades book, Denis Ever After has some difficult, dark passages that may haunt a young reader. I will not be recommending a story in which the main character is dead from outset and believes he was abducted and murdered as a seven year old.
July 8, 2018
Release date - July 24, 2018
This is a tough book to rate. I think overall I’d give it a 2.5, because it was well written and the concept was interesting, but it seemed way too dark for a middle grade novel.
In a way, this book is the exact opposite of The Window, which I read a few days ago. Each of these books centers around the death of a twin and the twin that survived trying to discover the cause of death, but this book puts a twist on that by making the dead twin the narrator. Denis has been dead for 5 years and there has been no closure for his family. He died at age 7 and has been in a sort of purgatory ever since, unable to move on because his twin brother Matt can’t let go of him. Clues about what happened to Denis have come to light and he and his brother try to piece together the facts about what happened.
This also had vibes of The Lovely Bones, since the narrator is dead (not a spoiler; this is revealed on the back cover of the book).
While well written, I was somewhat turned off from this book. It deals with a lot of hard topics (the death of a child, the grieving process, etc) and at times, I found it hard to believe this was a middle grade novel.
I loved the relationship between Denis and Matt, but I didn’t think Trey added much to the plot. Trey did help Matt to think more positively in his grief, which was nice, but was mostly just there. I enjoyed Denis’s interactions with GeeGee. She was so sweet.
I guess the mystery is what makes this middle grade. It was fairly linear and didn’t have as many twists and turns as a book meant for an older reader.
This is a tough book to rate. I think overall I’d give it a 2.5, because it was well written and the concept was interesting, but it seemed way too dark for a middle grade novel.
In a way, this book is the exact opposite of The Window, which I read a few days ago. Each of these books centers around the death of a twin and the twin that survived trying to discover the cause of death, but this book puts a twist on that by making the dead twin the narrator. Denis has been dead for 5 years and there has been no closure for his family. He died at age 7 and has been in a sort of purgatory ever since, unable to move on because his twin brother Matt can’t let go of him. Clues about what happened to Denis have come to light and he and his brother try to piece together the facts about what happened.
This also had vibes of The Lovely Bones, since the narrator is dead (not a spoiler; this is revealed on the back cover of the book).
While well written, I was somewhat turned off from this book. It deals with a lot of hard topics (the death of a child, the grieving process, etc) and at times, I found it hard to believe this was a middle grade novel.
I loved the relationship between Denis and Matt, but I didn’t think Trey added much to the plot. Trey did help Matt to think more positively in his grief, which was nice, but was mostly just there. I enjoyed Denis’s interactions with GeeGee. She was so sweet.
I guess the mystery is what makes this middle grade. It was fairly linear and didn’t have as many twists and turns as a book meant for an older reader.
July 24, 2018
The Egan family has had a great big ole hole in their hearts and their lives. Five years ago the lifeless body of Denis Egan was found lying at the base of a monument at Gettysburg. Denis was Matt’s twin brother and best friend. Mom, Dad and especially Matt are having trouble moving on and it’s destroying their family. Can Denis and Matt work together to solve the mystery surrounding Denis’s death?
Denis is the narrator of this story. He moves back and forth between Heaven and Earth as he pieces all the threads together. The author’s concept of the afterlife is an interesting one. I like the idea that we exist as long as someone remembers us. Denis works with his brother Matt and Matt’s bestie Trey to save his family. The characters persistence, determination and problem solving skills are put to the test as they uncover family secrets and discover the truth about how Denis died. An original plot and suspenseful mystery that will hold middle grade readers interest.
Denis is the narrator of this story. He moves back and forth between Heaven and Earth as he pieces all the threads together. The author’s concept of the afterlife is an interesting one. I like the idea that we exist as long as someone remembers us. Denis works with his brother Matt and Matt’s bestie Trey to save his family. The characters persistence, determination and problem solving skills are put to the test as they uncover family secrets and discover the truth about how Denis died. An original plot and suspenseful mystery that will hold middle grade readers interest.
December 9, 2018
I have read 107 books this year for the Goodreads Challenge. Actually more, because I am a school librarian and read books to kids all week, every week, but I didn't count most of them for the challenge.
I can fairly say this is one of the best books I've read this year, if not ever. Tony Abbott tells a story of family and tragic loss with all the layers that encompasses. Tony gets suspense, fear, pain, sorrow and hope and has wrapped them all up together in this wonderful story. I don't believe in re-telling a story in a review. All I will tell you is that this is a thoroughly engaging, page turning story that you will carry with you for a long time. You won't be disappointed. It is powerful.
I can fairly say this is one of the best books I've read this year, if not ever. Tony Abbott tells a story of family and tragic loss with all the layers that encompasses. Tony gets suspense, fear, pain, sorrow and hope and has wrapped them all up together in this wonderful story. I don't believe in re-telling a story in a review. All I will tell you is that this is a thoroughly engaging, page turning story that you will carry with you for a long time. You won't be disappointed. It is powerful.
March 17, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Denis is a ghost. He died when he was 7 and has been in a really nice place ever since, where he hangs out with his great-grandmother. He can’t get to the next place though, because his twin brother Matt can’t let go of him. He goes back to Matt to help him solve the case surrounding his own death, getting wrapped up in a complicated backstory along the way. The premise is interesting, but the details were kind of morbid for a book that is aimed at middle grades; the family history also felt over complicated. Still, some middle school readers may enjoy it.
May 7, 2018
This middle grade novel had me reading very fast and turning page after page. The story line is unique, fresh, and also haunting. So much to think about!
December 28, 2019
4.5 ⭐
This book was my Christmas read. And man, I had no idea I was in for a treat.
This book was my Christmas read. And man, I had no idea I was in for a treat.
April 14, 2025
This book was such an adventure and a whirlwind of emotions. Unlike anything I’ve read in a while. Truly enjoyed it!
February 20, 2018
This is a wonderful mystery book. Matt’s twin brother Denis was murdered 5 years ago. The readers follow Denis as he travels between the afterlife and the human world to help Matt solve his murder.
I loved the author’s creative take on the afterlife and how ghosts communicate with human loved ones. The characters -(mom, dad, and surviving twin)- were realistic and well-done. How the plot unfolded and how they solved the murder was original. And the ending was satisfying.
I recommend this book and I think this book will be nominated for some awards.
I loved the author’s creative take on the afterlife and how ghosts communicate with human loved ones. The characters -(mom, dad, and surviving twin)- were realistic and well-done. How the plot unfolded and how they solved the murder was original. And the ending was satisfying.
I recommend this book and I think this book will be nominated for some awards.
September 6, 2018
This is the second children's novel I've read recently from the perspective of the afterlife. I did not love either of them, which I think is because I had a hard time buying into the "rules" of the afterlife created by the authors. Obviously, no one can write about the afterlife from experience, so it's all fantasy. But there were things in this book that just didn't make sense to me. Why were all the people in Port Haven connected to Denis and his family? Didn't they have other people from their lives that should have been there? I also didn't really buy the whole twin thing as the reason why Denis aged after his death but no one else does. At times I did get caught up in the mystery and wanting to know what happened next, but in the end it was pretty convoluted.
Read
August 13, 2024dnf August 2024 when I learned that a seven year old child had been murdered and this book is about solving mystery behind it.... I ask you, does that cover lead you to believe it's going to be like that?
April 11, 2022
I know there are some kids who will absolutely love so much about this book--the life after death, haunting and mysterious murder--but I didn't it. The closer I got to the end, the more the story threads seemed to tangle or unravel not revealing the ending as I felt like it should have. There are still some loose ends out there. This book would've terrified me had I read it in 7th grade, maybe that's the goal.
July 15, 2018
I've never been into mysteries. As a younger person, I was not drawn even to Scooby Doo mysteries other than they were on and usually presented comic elements. These kept me.
Tony Abbott knows how to write the parts of the story that keep the hard-to-sell-to-mystery, reader me into DENIS EVER AFTER. As my tendency in review is to connect books to the larger culture, I can tell you that this new book (which releases soon) is part THE LOVELY BONES, part ELSEWHERE, and part GHOST. And everything that the book might draw by way of connection from these familiar works is also what makes DENIS EVER AFTER a unique look at loss and grief and the threads to hold families together in the midst of tragedy.
Dead for five years, Denis Egan spends his time in a place called Port Haven where he keeps the company of other spirits around him who help him to put together the details of his experiences on earth and the plan for the next step in the afterlife. There are lessons here about what we remember and what we forget (and which memories go first). "Gee Gee" becomes a sort of maternal "spiritual guide" as does a somewhat absent-minded writer named "Russell" who takes down notes on the new arrivals to the Port.
While he died at the age of seven, Denis continues to grow older because his twin brother, Matt, keeps his memories alive on Earth (which makes for an interesting stretch into the middle grade/upper middle grade reading category here). The combination of his own curiosity surrounding his death with the witnessing of his brother's pain on Earth draw Denis in the rules for exploring the life that was from the position of the "life" that is now.
Abbott does not disappoint in balancing the rules of the after world with the responses of the real world and how Denis is able to cross the barrier between these worlds is a tense, descriptive element of the book that will have readers imagining the scene as it might play out on the screen (reminiscent of scenes like those in Shusterman's UNWIND). Present, too, are notions of what happens when spirits are forgotten or the disposition of those who stay too long "mingling" in the affairs of the "real world."
Abbott is able to draw out the responses from Denis's family as they get drawn into Matt's invitation to go on "one more tour" of the places and clues of his brother's death. These are complicated familial issues that are sure to draw out conversations among readers. Readers will sympathize with the mother and father who are working out their own memories of family and of the loss of their child.
One of my biggest takeaways from DENIS EVER AFTER is the father's openness and willingness to listen to Matt when he comes to him with his share. Even if his ear is bent toward grief and closure to the mystery of his son's death, this is an important inclusion within the work. This is an important message for readers at this age that what they bring to us is credible and worthy of our consideration and our belief.
Abbott keeps the suspense moving right up to the final pages of the book that will be most satisfying to the reader. Chapter lengths ranging from five to seven pages will keep the pages turning and provide stopping points for readers who respond well to these shorter installations. Classroom teachers looking for that book to hook mystery readers will want to have this one available in the fall.
Tony Abbott knows how to write the parts of the story that keep the hard-to-sell-to-mystery, reader me into DENIS EVER AFTER. As my tendency in review is to connect books to the larger culture, I can tell you that this new book (which releases soon) is part THE LOVELY BONES, part ELSEWHERE, and part GHOST. And everything that the book might draw by way of connection from these familiar works is also what makes DENIS EVER AFTER a unique look at loss and grief and the threads to hold families together in the midst of tragedy.
Dead for five years, Denis Egan spends his time in a place called Port Haven where he keeps the company of other spirits around him who help him to put together the details of his experiences on earth and the plan for the next step in the afterlife. There are lessons here about what we remember and what we forget (and which memories go first). "Gee Gee" becomes a sort of maternal "spiritual guide" as does a somewhat absent-minded writer named "Russell" who takes down notes on the new arrivals to the Port.
While he died at the age of seven, Denis continues to grow older because his twin brother, Matt, keeps his memories alive on Earth (which makes for an interesting stretch into the middle grade/upper middle grade reading category here). The combination of his own curiosity surrounding his death with the witnessing of his brother's pain on Earth draw Denis in the rules for exploring the life that was from the position of the "life" that is now.
Abbott does not disappoint in balancing the rules of the after world with the responses of the real world and how Denis is able to cross the barrier between these worlds is a tense, descriptive element of the book that will have readers imagining the scene as it might play out on the screen (reminiscent of scenes like those in Shusterman's UNWIND). Present, too, are notions of what happens when spirits are forgotten or the disposition of those who stay too long "mingling" in the affairs of the "real world."
Abbott is able to draw out the responses from Denis's family as they get drawn into Matt's invitation to go on "one more tour" of the places and clues of his brother's death. These are complicated familial issues that are sure to draw out conversations among readers. Readers will sympathize with the mother and father who are working out their own memories of family and of the loss of their child.
One of my biggest takeaways from DENIS EVER AFTER is the father's openness and willingness to listen to Matt when he comes to him with his share. Even if his ear is bent toward grief and closure to the mystery of his son's death, this is an important inclusion within the work. This is an important message for readers at this age that what they bring to us is credible and worthy of our consideration and our belief.
Abbott keeps the suspense moving right up to the final pages of the book that will be most satisfying to the reader. Chapter lengths ranging from five to seven pages will keep the pages turning and provide stopping points for readers who respond well to these shorter installations. Classroom teachers looking for that book to hook mystery readers will want to have this one available in the fall.
July 24, 2018
I could not put down Denis Ever After from best-selling author Tony Abbott! (Katherine Tegen Books an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers) Denis Egan is dead and wants to die permanently. Well, he needs to die permanently because that’s what you do when you live in Port Haven. When you ‘live’ there, you only stay for a period of time. The period of time lasts as long as the memories of others keep you ‘alive.’ The period of time lasts as long as it takes you, the dead, to forget your life. The time in Port Haven lasts as long as it takes the living to forget you and cut the ‘thousands of threads’ that tether your soul to the world below. The purpose of death is to die and crossover out of Port Haven. Denis can’t. His twin brother Matt keeps calling to him. His parents are struggling to hold their marriage and family together. His community is still trying to solve his murder and now Denis must help. For Denis, now twelve he was seven when he died the first time, to find his rest he must solve his five-year-old, now cold, case. With several trips back and forth through The Razor, Denis returns to his home town and by ‘haunting’ his brother he helps to solve the mystery of the circumstances surrounding his death. What is discovered is beyond anyone’s imagination. This incredibly moving story, funny, heartfelt, filled with suspense is the latest novel from Tony Abbott. ‘Denis’ will grab you by the heart and will not let you go until you read the last page. This mystery of family, friendship, and the ties that bind will leave you speechless. With honesty and clarity Abbott shows readers and idea of the ways in which those we have loved can possibly let us know they are okay after all. In the best way possible the ending will leave you looking for Kleenex and filled with hope.
September 19, 2018
This was an absolutely incredible MG book about the heartache of both loss and moving on. Denis died under mysterious (murderous?) circumstances when he was 7 and it’s now five years later. He’s living in the Great Beyond (or whatever), but his twin brother is still mourning him so much that Denis can’t move on to the Greater Beyond (or whatever). So Denis decides to haunt his twin and together they untangle the many truths of Denis’ tragic death.
It’s really not as cheesy as it sounds. And it’s not nearly as dark. It is a serious topic and Abbott covers it thoroughly but also with a lightness only a MG book could bring. I thought that the construction and writing of both twins was phenomenal. I also loved that their parents played a big part in the grieving and healing process, because that’s how it would be in real life.
Everyone deals with loss differently and this book highlights that beautifully with humor and tenderness.
It’s really not as cheesy as it sounds. And it’s not nearly as dark. It is a serious topic and Abbott covers it thoroughly but also with a lightness only a MG book could bring. I thought that the construction and writing of both twins was phenomenal. I also loved that their parents played a big part in the grieving and healing process, because that’s how it would be in real life.
Everyone deals with loss differently and this book highlights that beautifully with humor and tenderness.
September 6, 2019
I really like different looks at the afterlife that don't rely on Biblical mythology and when you thrown in a good murder-mystery, this book didn't disappoint.
The book opens up with Denis talking about how he died (murdered at age 7 and left to be found at the base of a statue in Gettysburg) and how he "lives" now in the Port Haven, basically Heaven but where everyone has a home and people arrive on different types of boats. He spends his days with a variety of characters, most notably his great-grandmother (Gee Gee) and an author that catalogues everyone he meets in Port Haven, on the beach watching the boats come in and playing cards. The longer you're in Port Haven, the less you remember about your life but starting from your death backwards, as a way to find peace and "go clean" before you leave (ascend?) for the next place (this isn't explained because Denis wouldn't know but reincarnation isn't mentioned). There are ways to look in on your living relatives, either through a well/looking glass that just shows you what's happening or you can go through The Razor (which is both literal and figurative as Denis explains it) to actually haunt them in real-time. After Denis looks in and sees that his twin brother is having a really hard time (it's 5 years since Denis' murder), Denis decides to endure The Razor and help Matt forget him so Denis himself can "go clean" and move on too. However, it's not as easy as he thinks.
This reminded me of both Elsewhere and The Lovely Bones but for younger readers. The murder is solved at the end and you get a pretty satisfying resolution, though it's a bit open-ended since Denis is still dead and must return to Port Haven. The only issue is that both Matt and Denis speak more like adults so you tend to forget they're only 7-12 years old - they could have easily been 16-18 or older, though maybe the matured a little faster because of how their life ended up going. Overall, I really recommend and I plan on looking into the author's other non-serial books.
The book opens up with Denis talking about how he died (murdered at age 7 and left to be found at the base of a statue in Gettysburg) and how he "lives" now in the Port Haven, basically Heaven but where everyone has a home and people arrive on different types of boats. He spends his days with a variety of characters, most notably his great-grandmother (Gee Gee) and an author that catalogues everyone he meets in Port Haven, on the beach watching the boats come in and playing cards. The longer you're in Port Haven, the less you remember about your life but starting from your death backwards, as a way to find peace and "go clean" before you leave (ascend?) for the next place (this isn't explained because Denis wouldn't know but reincarnation isn't mentioned). There are ways to look in on your living relatives, either through a well/looking glass that just shows you what's happening or you can go through The Razor (which is both literal and figurative as Denis explains it) to actually haunt them in real-time. After Denis looks in and sees that his twin brother is having a really hard time (it's 5 years since Denis' murder), Denis decides to endure The Razor and help Matt forget him so Denis himself can "go clean" and move on too. However, it's not as easy as he thinks.
This reminded me of both Elsewhere and The Lovely Bones but for younger readers. The murder is solved at the end and you get a pretty satisfying resolution, though it's a bit open-ended since Denis is still dead and must return to Port Haven. The only issue is that both Matt and Denis speak more like adults so you tend to forget they're only 7-12 years old - they could have easily been 16-18 or older, though maybe the matured a little faster because of how their life ended up going. Overall, I really recommend and I plan on looking into the author's other non-serial books.
August 18, 2023
There is a lot to love about this novel and also a lot that falls short. It takes on A LOT, perhaps too much. First I’ll focus on the good - an interesting take on the afterlife and spirits. Thoughts on death/tragedy/losing a loved one handled well. A compelling mystery that moves at a fast pace and kept me reading. A genuine look at family dynamics when tragedy occurs - though this is a double-edged sword, I think it delves a bit too deep and dark, but maybe it’s helpful for some kids who are going through these situations. The relationship between Trey and Matt was refreshing and nice to read. I read the GeeGee character as an allegory for dementia/Alzheimer’s and I thought that was well done.
Where it falls short: very dark for MG, if it was just one dark subject matter (death) it would be fine but it gets really heavy all over the place. There’s a lot of telling instead of showing. The dialogue irked me in many ways. The plot was convoluted and I imagine that Denis slipping back and forth between past and present would be confusing to a young reader because it wasn’t always very clear. I didn’t love the narrative voice where on occasion the reader was being addressed. While some things are explored too in depth, I think some things aren’t explored enough (or rather the wrong things are focused on). It seems like we don’t actually get much of the connection between Denis and Matt and their feelings between each other, it seems like we scrape the surface. Also, the handling of Trey being (possibly?) gender-queer was clumsy. I love LGBTQ inclusion and representation but I’m not sure we can call it that if it’s not ever actually said and the characters are just being coded that way. I get that authors may think that a “gay” relationship might be too much for a MG novel, hence the tip-toeing around it (also - I read other comments giving the author a hard time for sexual innuendos which there are absolutely none of).
Where it falls short: very dark for MG, if it was just one dark subject matter (death) it would be fine but it gets really heavy all over the place. There’s a lot of telling instead of showing. The dialogue irked me in many ways. The plot was convoluted and I imagine that Denis slipping back and forth between past and present would be confusing to a young reader because it wasn’t always very clear. I didn’t love the narrative voice where on occasion the reader was being addressed. While some things are explored too in depth, I think some things aren’t explored enough (or rather the wrong things are focused on). It seems like we don’t actually get much of the connection between Denis and Matt and their feelings between each other, it seems like we scrape the surface. Also, the handling of Trey being (possibly?) gender-queer was clumsy. I love LGBTQ inclusion and representation but I’m not sure we can call it that if it’s not ever actually said and the characters are just being coded that way. I get that authors may think that a “gay” relationship might be too much for a MG novel, hence the tip-toeing around it (also - I read other comments giving the author a hard time for sexual innuendos which there are absolutely none of).
July 12, 2018
Review originally posted on www.yabookscentral.com
3.5 stars
Denis died when he was 7, and he's getting along just fine in Port Haven--the place where souls hang out while they're still being remembered by the living. Once those on Earth stop thinking about them, the dead souls move on to the next step in their process. Denis's twin brother Matt is doing such a good job of remembering Denis that Denis has even aged while he's been in Port Haven, so now he's 12, and his brother has started "haunting" him--his remembrances of Denis are so strong that they're pulling him back to Matt's world. Why? Because Matt wants to know how Denis died and who murdered him.
DENIS EVER AFTER by Tony Abbott follows Denis, Matt, and Trey (Matt's best friend) as they try to work through the mystery surrounding Denis's death. Unfortunately, the afterlife starts to scrub the details of a person's death from them the minute they arrive, so Denis has vague recollections of what happened to him, but nothing really helpful.
DENIS EVER AFTER is a mystery and a meditation with twists and turns, action and relationships, and plenty of opportunities for the reader to try to guess the truth behind Denis's death and the stories that the living are hiding. The bond that Denis and Matt share is wonderful, and the way the story of Denis's death unfolds is fascinating even while it's confusing. This story pulled me in immediately, and the book's take on the afterlife is great. Matt and Denis make it a worthwhile read, and I'd love to see more books that feature the author's take on death and what comes after.
My thanks to the publisher and YA Books Central for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
3.5 stars
Denis died when he was 7, and he's getting along just fine in Port Haven--the place where souls hang out while they're still being remembered by the living. Once those on Earth stop thinking about them, the dead souls move on to the next step in their process. Denis's twin brother Matt is doing such a good job of remembering Denis that Denis has even aged while he's been in Port Haven, so now he's 12, and his brother has started "haunting" him--his remembrances of Denis are so strong that they're pulling him back to Matt's world. Why? Because Matt wants to know how Denis died and who murdered him.
DENIS EVER AFTER by Tony Abbott follows Denis, Matt, and Trey (Matt's best friend) as they try to work through the mystery surrounding Denis's death. Unfortunately, the afterlife starts to scrub the details of a person's death from them the minute they arrive, so Denis has vague recollections of what happened to him, but nothing really helpful.
DENIS EVER AFTER is a mystery and a meditation with twists and turns, action and relationships, and plenty of opportunities for the reader to try to guess the truth behind Denis's death and the stories that the living are hiding. The bond that Denis and Matt share is wonderful, and the way the story of Denis's death unfolds is fascinating even while it's confusing. This story pulled me in immediately, and the book's take on the afterlife is great. Matt and Denis make it a worthwhile read, and I'd love to see more books that feature the author's take on death and what comes after.
My thanks to the publisher and YA Books Central for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
June 30, 2019
This novel posits a brand-new idea about what the afterlife is like. I can welcome any innovation about what comes after we die when it’s imaginative and serves the narrative and this one offers a notion of an after-afterlife and the pain that comes when the living don’t let go of you. Unlike the message behind certain children’s movies, for the dead, being remembered by the living doesn’t always involve happiness or joy. For most Americans, the thought of departed loved ones—especially those who die young or through violence or horrible accident—involves misery, grief and pain for the living.
Denis’s attempts to get his family to let go of him and yet help his sullen, rebellious twin brother Matt find out the reasons behind Denis’s death at the hands of a killer are some of the thought-provoking fictional writing about life after death that I’ve read in recent years. Coming back to the world of the living is fraught with danger for Denis but his family’s grief sucks him into the hunt for his murderer.
Forgetting is what is expected when you die and your death-memory is the first to go. But, as his time among the living grows, Denis’s thoughts unspool like unwinding thread. This is sharp writing that crackles with sensation. You can almost see the colors, images and memories as they burst into Denis’s mind.
The descriptions could have been awkward, too, with one world suffering at the expense of the other. But Mr. Abbott makes both planes equally compelling, as well as the people who exist in both. It’s a fine story and, perhaps, contains a lesson for living people who may dwell too much on those who died in tragic circumstances.
Denis’s attempts to get his family to let go of him and yet help his sullen, rebellious twin brother Matt find out the reasons behind Denis’s death at the hands of a killer are some of the thought-provoking fictional writing about life after death that I’ve read in recent years. Coming back to the world of the living is fraught with danger for Denis but his family’s grief sucks him into the hunt for his murderer.
Forgetting is what is expected when you die and your death-memory is the first to go. But, as his time among the living grows, Denis’s thoughts unspool like unwinding thread. This is sharp writing that crackles with sensation. You can almost see the colors, images and memories as they burst into Denis’s mind.
The descriptions could have been awkward, too, with one world suffering at the expense of the other. But Mr. Abbott makes both planes equally compelling, as well as the people who exist in both. It’s a fine story and, perhaps, contains a lesson for living people who may dwell too much on those who died in tragic circumstances.
October 5, 2018
Summary (book jacket)
Dennis Egan is dead. He’s okay with that. Port Haven, the place where souls go, is actually pretty nice. Sure, there are some things about his life and how it ended he can’t quite recall, but that’s how it’s supposed to be. Remembering could prevent Denis from moving on to whatever’s next.
However, something is standing in his way. His twin brother, Matt, can’t let go of him, and as long as the living are holding on to his memory, Denis can’t rest in peace. So he returns home to find out why, only to realize that the circumstances surrounding his death are not at all what he imagined.
To uncover the truth about what happened, Denis teams up with Matt. But leaving Port Haven for too long has painful consequences for Denis, and Matt’s obsession with his brother’s passing is driving a wedge between his still-grieving parents. Can the boys solve the mystery without breaking apart the family Denis left behind?
Comments (Mine)
A murder mystery for kids? What a unique idea, and this is a unique, powerful and amazing book. Be prepared to experience a roller coaster of emotions as Denis and Matt work together to discover the truth about Denis’s death. Abbott keeps the tension high and the mystery dark and unsettling, tweaking it with several flashes of humor and intriguing imaginative speculation about the dead. You will not be able to put this book down.
Denis Ever After reminded me very much of The Lovely Bones. Best for grades 6 and up. There is some brutality here and a kidnapping situation that might cause distress in younger readers.
Dennis Egan is dead. He’s okay with that. Port Haven, the place where souls go, is actually pretty nice. Sure, there are some things about his life and how it ended he can’t quite recall, but that’s how it’s supposed to be. Remembering could prevent Denis from moving on to whatever’s next.
However, something is standing in his way. His twin brother, Matt, can’t let go of him, and as long as the living are holding on to his memory, Denis can’t rest in peace. So he returns home to find out why, only to realize that the circumstances surrounding his death are not at all what he imagined.
To uncover the truth about what happened, Denis teams up with Matt. But leaving Port Haven for too long has painful consequences for Denis, and Matt’s obsession with his brother’s passing is driving a wedge between his still-grieving parents. Can the boys solve the mystery without breaking apart the family Denis left behind?
Comments (Mine)
A murder mystery for kids? What a unique idea, and this is a unique, powerful and amazing book. Be prepared to experience a roller coaster of emotions as Denis and Matt work together to discover the truth about Denis’s death. Abbott keeps the tension high and the mystery dark and unsettling, tweaking it with several flashes of humor and intriguing imaginative speculation about the dead. You will not be able to put this book down.
Denis Ever After reminded me very much of The Lovely Bones. Best for grades 6 and up. There is some brutality here and a kidnapping situation that might cause distress in younger readers.
September 13, 2018
Hearing a first-person perspective from a dead twin, five years after his death at age seven in mysterious circumstances will appeal to many middle-grade readers, but, like other stories that attempt to describe the afterlife, this is disappointingly thin on scope, details, and supportive cast, even though it includes thought-provoking aspects.
For example, Denis continues to age because his family updates their memories of him as his living twin brother Matt continues to age, whereas his grandmother GeeGee and the handful of other dead people are fading quickly because nobody is remembering them much.
Denis makes a difficult journey to the living when his twin brother’s obsession with him prevents him from becoming “clean” and resting in peace.
Not that all the characters are presumed white; one significant 12-year-old character, Trey, is painstakingly and sweetly gender-neutral. Every adult living and dead character, including his grieving parents, feels dishonest, suspect, and secretive, so despite the sadness inherent in the death of a child, this story mostly feels disturbing.
Furthermore, even when Denis relives the traumatic incident that led to his death, readers may be left unmoved by his matter-of-fact description. The denouement is more pitiable than twisted and the book ends with hopeful but sappy vignettes - Abbott may have underestimated the emotional capacity of his readers.
Reviewed for ACL.
For example, Denis continues to age because his family updates their memories of him as his living twin brother Matt continues to age, whereas his grandmother GeeGee and the handful of other dead people are fading quickly because nobody is remembering them much.
Denis makes a difficult journey to the living when his twin brother’s obsession with him prevents him from becoming “clean” and resting in peace.
Not that all the characters are presumed white; one significant 12-year-old character, Trey, is painstakingly and sweetly gender-neutral. Every adult living and dead character, including his grieving parents, feels dishonest, suspect, and secretive, so despite the sadness inherent in the death of a child, this story mostly feels disturbing.
Furthermore, even when Denis relives the traumatic incident that led to his death, readers may be left unmoved by his matter-of-fact description. The denouement is more pitiable than twisted and the book ends with hopeful but sappy vignettes - Abbott may have underestimated the emotional capacity of his readers.
Reviewed for ACL.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews