The Will to Die

by Joe Pulizzi

THE REVIEWS ARE IN... over 90% recommend The Will to Die. (source: Apple/Goodreads)

Mysterious deaths, countless lies, and a shocking conspiracy. The Will to Die is everything fans are looking for...and more.

“…a fascinating mystery, complex and well developed, with each clue carefully revealed. The author leads you into startling details that are unique and compelling. I didn’t want to stop…” - Mystery Suspense Reviews

In an exhaustive hunt for the truth behind a rash of unexplained deaths in a small town, including that of his own father, what Will Pollitt begins to uncover threatens everything -- and puts his own life in the cross hairs.

Are his father’s lies what killed him?

What else will he stir up in the murky depths of a life he thought he knew?

The Will to Die is best-selling non-fiction author and content marketing guru Joe Pulizzi’s debut novel -- written at the request of his wife, a die-hard thriller fan.

OVERVIEW
The story of death in a small town, the lies that covered them up, and a conspiracy that brought one man to his knees...

Will Pollitt just successfully delivered the business pitch of his life -- a win he desperately needs. At the same moment 50 miles away, Will’s father is found dead.

Coming home gives Will a chance to reconnect with his father’s life and work. Yet digging into the past, Will makes a shocking discovery: His hometown neighbors are turning up dead at alarming rates. His father seems not only involved but could he be… one of the lead operatives? Is that why his father is now dead, too?

The hunt for the truth jeopardizes Will and everything he loves. And it makes him question not just his father’s death, but what it means to truly live.

From the Author
"If you love thrillers or mysteries about small-town murders, this book is for you. As a thriller reader myself, I've always preferred protagonists that aren't ex-FBI or someone with super powers. Will Pollitt, the main character, grew up as part of a funeral home family, but decided to follow his career passion in marketing. I know both of those worlds. I enjoyed wrapping them into a killing conspiracy that will make for a truly fun ride."

The reviews are in...The Will to Die is the indie thriller hit of 2020!

"A thoroughly modern thriller that sucks you in and holds you tight, The Will to Die is a roller coaster ride from beginning to end.” - Jay Baer, New York Times Best-Selling Author

"A riveting read full of unexpected twists, wonderfully nuanced characters, and clever cultural references. A very entertaining book. Can't wait for the movie!" - Ann Handley, Wall Street Journal Best-Selling Author

"Joe Pulizzi sits atop the marketing food chain, admired for his provocative ideas. Now he now delivers a debut novel with a deliciously fascinating twist.” - Sally Hogshead, New York Times bestselling author, Fascinate

"Finally a mystery that dives into what Dilbert would say is the deepest of all evils...the marketing profession." - Jonah Berger, Wharton Marketing Professor and Author of Contagious

KEY THEMES FOR THRILLER BOOK FANS

- The lead character, Will Pollitt, is a marketing agency professional who becomes an

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Audiobook

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 4, 2019

About the author

I'm a traditionally published and indie author. My latest is

Burn the Playbook: Are You Made for More? Build a Life on Your Terms - (2025, Tilt Publishing) - ORDER NOW.

Before that, I wrote Epic Content Marketing, second edition: Break Through the Clutter with a Different Story, Get the Most Out of Your Content, and Build a Community in Web3 - (2023, McGraw-Hill) - ORDER NOW with Brian Piper.

In 2021 I published the #1 Amazon marketing bestseller Content Inc.: Start a Content-First Business, Build a Massive Audience and Become Radically Successful (With Little to No Money) - (2021, McGraw-Hill) - ORDER NOW

My other nonfiction books include:
- Killing Marketing (2017, McGraw-Hill)
- Content Inc. (2015, McGraw-Hill)
- Epic Content Marketing (2013, McGraw-Hill, Named Best Biz Book, Fortune Magazine)
- Managing Content Marketing (2011, self)
- Get Content Get Customers (2009, McGraw-Hill)

My novel:
- The Will to Die (2020, Z Squared Media) --- ORDER NOW

Visit me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoePulizziAu...

Visit me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joepulizzi/

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joepulizzi/

Get my random thoughts on content, marketing and life 2x per month here: https://www.joepulizzi.com/signup/


I've founded four companies including The Tilt (for content entrepreneurs) and Content Marketing Institute (CMI). In 2014, I received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" by the Content Council (although I still feel pretty young).

My podcast series, This Old Marketing with Robert Rose has generated millions of downloads from over 150 countries.

My foundation, The Orange Effect, delivers speech therapy and technology services to children in over 35 states.

Reviews

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE WILL TO DIE by Joe Pulizzi is the first book in the Will Pollitt series. It is also the fiction debut for this author. Will Pollitt is a marketing professional whose family business is Pollitt Funeral Home. When Will's father dies, he comes home and reconnects with his father's work. However, everything in this small town is not what it seems. The more Will digs into things, the scarier the situation becomes. Will he and the rest of his family and friends survive?

Will Pollitt is a compelling character that a reader than root for. He has depth and his own brand of distinct flaws and virtues. His goals were clear and his motivations were well-drawn. The secondary characters were well-rounded and added depth to the story.

The prose is well-written, engaging, compelling and descriptive. The plot is clever, shocking, absorbing, gripping, and heartbreaking at times. The ending was dramatic and brought the right amount of closure. Serious themes are explored in this novel including gambling, racism, exploitation of minorities and the elderly, a variety of social issues, murder, extortion, politics, and the effects of a divorce on family life. There are also some disturbing scenes and discussions around the internal actions in a funeral home. My only quibble was that the first half was a little slow, but that is often the case in book one of a series when you are establishing the people, places, and relationships.

Overall, I enjoyed this well-written novel and look forward to the next book in the series. If the above sounds like something you would enjoy, then I recommend that you check it out.

Thanks to Joe Pulizzi for a complimentary copy of this novel and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wish this was written as a standalone. Liked the setting of Sandusky, Ohio, liked the background of a family funeral home, liked the plot, liked the characters yet do not have any desire to interact with them again.

[Pam Pulizzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm am very honored that this book is dedicated to me. As a result I was lucky to get an advanced copy. I'm a huge fan of mysteries and thriller style books and this one checked all the boxes for me. Great characters, plot twists I didn't see coming, and an incredibly unique story line. Can't wait for the next one :)

[Joe]

The ebook, hard cover and paperback are now available at your favorite bookstore. Yay!

If you love thrillers or mysteries, this book is for you. As a thriller reader myself, I've always preferred protagonists that aren't ex-FBI or someone with super powers. Will Pollitt, the main character, grew up as part of a funeral home family, but decided to follow his career passion in marketing. I know both of those worlds. I enjoyed wrapping them into a killing conspiracy that will make for a truly fun ride.

Enjoy!

[Jenene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much for sending me this book. It was a fascinating mystery and I learned quite a bit. There were intense moments and references made where I had to take a break. Lots of twists with a little humor mixed in. Highly recommend if you love a good mystery!

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

A small town conspiracy thriller that is anything but small! Joe Pulizzi’s debut novel delivers edge-of-your-seat intrigue with a huge heart.

Desperate entrepreneur and gambling addict Will Pollitt is on the verge of winning a much-needed contract. Will is out of cash, deep in debt, and if he doesn’t pay his daughter’s college tuition, her academic career at Penn State will be over. At a critical point in the meeting, he receives a text message that rocks his world: “DAD DIED.”

Will immediately returns to Sandusky, Ohio, to view his father’s body in the funeral home he spent his life operating. Having grown up around the family business, Will immediately picks up on a key detail that doesn’t seem quite right. Further complicating matters, his ex-wife is set to do the embalming, and his frazzled sister doesn’t trust the coroner who performed the autopsy. Did their father really die of a heart attack, or was he murdered?

Very impressive debut novel. Highly recommended.

[Buddy Scalera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smooth, charming, and addictive. "The Will To Die" is a twisty, entertaining thriller with great characters and a tight plot.

First-time novelist Joe Pulizzi nails the beach-read thriller with this modern-day murder mystery. The prose is sharp, the dialogue is smart, and the plot is intensely effective.

**No Spoilers**
The author (Pulizzi) is an internationally known marketing speaker (yes, really). The main character is a marketing professional who becomes entangled in a family mystery that starts off with an unexpected death in the family.

This is notable because the effectiveness of the book depends on small and large details. Great thrillers (and this one is pretty great) need a solid, believable foundation to drive the escalating narrative. Pulizzi takes the time to set up characters and situations that feel real and personal, so that you truly care about these characters.

It's worth noting that Pulizzi is an excellent prose writer. His writing is clear and effective without being flashy or distracting.

[Debbie Maskus · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last three books have informed me of unknown subjects. The Will to Die exposes the demise of private funeral homes due to more people electing cremation over embalming. I also learned about life insurance policies becoming insurance settlements and the deception of these policies. The Will to Die details rampant white supremacy in smaller towns, and the policing and scrutiny of citizens. The story line races and intensifies as Will Pollitt learns what is happening in Sandusky, Ohio. Another funeral director/owner has installed himself as the Supreme Leader and like Hitler has chosen what people will populate and work in Sandusky. The story reads like 1984. Another author, Mark de Castrique, also outlines the problems of family owned funeral homes in his Barry Clayton series. I always thought that funeral homes would have business. My only distraction of The Will to Die is the lack of psychological description.

[Jeremy Bednarski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't read a lot of fiction books (mostly marketing books and biographies), but this one kept my interest throughout. I really enjoyed the detailed depictions of actual Cleveland locations (and I'm assuming the same for Sandusky), as well as the marketing plan details. Great suspense and twists to keep the action moving. Even as Will was starting to put the pieces together, there were more obstacles to overcome. I definitely recommend this book. Loved it!

[Diana Kingsbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a good thing that folks in the marketing biz know a little something about “selling it”, because if there’s one thing less likely to elicit enthusiasm from me than the prospect of reading a thriller about marketing, it’d be reading a thriller about a funeral home… both of which, it just so happens, form the basis of marketing pro Joe Pulizzi’s first unputdownable outing as a novelist, The Will to Die.

(In case you missed it, let’s pause here for a dramatic moment whilst I reiterate: unputdownable. Like, really, truly.)
_______________

On paper, Will Pollitt may be a big-city (well, Cleveland, Ohio, so biggish, anyway) marketing whiz, but the reality of his life is anything but rosy. Still sore over a messy divorce from the love of his life, Will desperately needs to land a new deal in order to save his tiny firm and continue sending his daughter to university… so that his ex-wife or daughter never find out how close to bankruptcy he actually is.

When Will’s sister calls—in the middle of an all-important pitch meeting he and his partner are in, with a hot new soda company—and tells him their father, Abe, has just died, it’s the last thing Will is prepared to hear. Actually, make that the second-to-last thing… because the first thing she tells him when he’s arrived at their family-owned funeral home in Sandusky (a picturesque, smaller town, for anyone not familiar with the famous home of huge, amusement-park roller coasters [and not much else]), is that she’s convinced their dad’s demise involved foul play.

Will doesn’t want to believe it—who would want to, after all?—yet promises her that he’ll stick around for a few days, helping not only with the funeral preparations but also looking into things.

Once the will is read, naming Will the sole inheritor of Pollitt Funeral Home, Will gets another surprise: Abe’s instructions say that he wants Will to either sell the funeral parlor outright, or to keep it… and stay in Sandusky to run it, himself, for at least one year.

With the prospect of finally being able to get out from under the mountain of debt he’s amassed, by selling the home to a rival funeral business that’s more than eager to obtain it, Will is torn. Should he take the easy path, and get on with his life… or should he do what his gut says is the right thing, and stick around, trying to see if he can get the recently-floundering family business back on track… as a way to honor his dad, and his dad’s legacy.

A chance discovery—during a frantic change of burial clothing (yep, as in, playing dress-up with a corpse) just minutes prior to his dad’s funeral service—has Will thinking maybe there’s something to his sister’s suspicions, after all… and makes his decision a little easier.

It’s deciphering the little clues left behind, finding the answers—and trying not to die, himself, in the process—that’ll be the challenge.
_______________

If you’re thinking this sounds a tad off-putting—“corpses? eww!”—I’ll ask that you take my word for it, here: it isn’t, at all. (I mean, as long as you’ve come to terms with the fact that every living thing dies, eventually, then you can handle this book.) It’s an extremely well-written suspense tale, with a surprising sense of humor… that just happens to revolve around a funeral home.

There’s also a wonderful sense of place; as a former Midwesterner (and someone who knows more than she cares to forget about much-smaller towns than depicted in this book), I can affirm that Pulizzi has nailed the area, and the people.

Honestly, there’s so much to love about The Will to Die. You wanna pick up interesting little details about businesses you probably don’t know much about (marketing and the funeral business)? They’re here. Keen to follow some fascinating—and absolutely believably-flawed—characters? Check. Have a hankering for unusual heroes? Absolutely. Just craving a really good yarn that’ll keep you reading on into the wee hours? This book.

As for me, well… I’ll be anxiously awaiting the sequel. (Hint, hint, Mr. Pulizzi.s :)

[Brian Aird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling Read

The Will to Die: A Novel of Suspense by Joe Pulizzi is a very consuming book that will not disappoint the reader who is looking for a murder mystery, but wishes to really connect with the emotions, thinking and lifes of the members of the story.

Will Pollit is a compulsive gambler. Due to his addiction, he has lost his wife and his way. He is completely destitute and struggles to maintain his own head above financial waters and yet keep his daughter, Jess (who he loves dearly), in college.

While in a business meeting, he receives a distressing text. His father has died of a possible heart attack.

And so the journey home commences. A journey that includes restoring his estranged relationship with his wife and a cadry of future life decisions that need to be made. Along the way he reaquaints himself with his father through a history of journals penned by his dad. A journey of remorse for getting to know the man, his father, that he loved.

Added to the mix is the decision as to whether to keep his father's mortuary business afloat. A business he was once was involved with.

To top it all off, there have been a series of deaths in the home town of Will. A series of deaths that seem to have a common thread which has also woven into the death of Will's father.

The Will to Die: A Novel of Suspense by Joe Pulizzi is a wonderful mix of murder and mystery with significant overtones of broken relationships, regrets, instances of hard luck love, memories and consequences of poor decisions that are made in life. A story of life.

The author has done a great job in penning a novel that will engage the mind, imagination and heart of the reader.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally enjoyed Joe Pulizzi's debut novel The Will to Die. The story flowed very well as I dread books that bog me down with those many "thoughts" and characters ruminating over and over the same topics. Will Pollitt and his business partner Robby run a struggling marketing firm. Robby and Will are also close friends, and we appreciate their friendship as the book progresses. Will is a recovering gambling addict, working hard to rebuild is life after a heart breaking divorce, financial ruins, and embarrassment. Will is notified his funeral director father has passed away suddenly in what appears to be a heart attack. Once Will starts reviewing financial and other affairs of his father, he quickly finds thinks are just not adding up. Add to the mix, Will's ex-wife, Sam is a talented embalmer who worked for his father. His hometown has turned into some sort of business cult, and Will cannot trust anyone anymore. Things are turning deadly at every corner. The Will to Die is fast-paced and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.

[Ilene Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Will To Die”. Will Pollitt and Robby Thompson are partners in a marketing agency. They are out making a presentation when Will gets an urgent cell message from his sister, Denise, in Sandusky Ohio saying his father has died. Now, Sandusky is the last place he wants to go back to after making a success of his self in the big city of Cleveland. His father was the owner of a rundown funeral parlor which he left to Will only if he runs it for a year. After that, when he sells it, he will finally be out of all his gambling addictions that caused his marriage to break up and not having enough money for his daughter’s tuition at Ohio State. Once he arrives and hears about his father’s insurance policy he discovers something fishy going on. The insurance company targets only minority people. He and his partner start investigating, and then we are on one rollercoaster ride after another. What a great thriller! Thank you Joe Pulizzi for the chance to read it.

[Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fine first novel from a local Clevelander (and acquaintance) Joe Pulizzi. It's a story that takes place locally (Cleveland and Sandusky) and involves a complex series of discoveries by the main protagonist (Will Pollitt) as he re-enters the world of funeral homes resulting from the death of his father (a funeral home owner). Joe proves to be a good story-teller here as he is able to weave the threads of this complex story into a succinct structure that kept me interested from start to finish.

This was to be a 4-out-of-5 rating until the plot went a bit off the rails into a wild saga of revenge and "ethnic cleansing" that, frankly, was just too "out there" for me. Joe did take the story home with good writing but, unfortunately, he "jumped the shark" in the final third of the book. Hopefully, this will result in a course adjustment in future novels and not, as is often the case, the beginning of the end.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A crime novel and murder mystery, this book centers around Will, a marketing professional who believes that there are strange and murderous things happening in his small town of Sandusky, OH. He has a slight problem with gambling though, so no one believes him when he brings the odd things that are happening up and then to make matters worse, things start happening around him that make him think that he is next on the list of those slated to die.
The writing is crisp, and the author shows his well versed story telling skills in this book. I was certainly entertained. There were a few things at the end that didn’t quite pull together and other questions that weren’t neatly buttoned up, but that is not always possible. The reader is taken on this wild ride with Will and the scope of all this behind what is happening in his small town is pretty big.

[Jimmy Jefferson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspense filled fun read

This story is about Will Pollitt who is the main character of our story. When his father passes away, Will is called home and begins to discover the many questionable things that are happening in this sleepy little town. This story takes a look into the world of death, funeral homes, life insurance, and how to cope with this tragic time. I found the characters to be well developed and easy to relate to on many levels. Will is the kind of character you can get behind and root for throughout this adventure in death. Take an in depth look at the process of death and the dishonesty of funeral and life insurance. This is a great read that keeps you interested from the first page. Check this one out folks it is worth the time.

[Gary L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know Joe as a former landlord of mine and as a marketeer who is THE guru of content marketing; however, I NEVER dreamed I'd read a novel he authored - especially one filled with such intrigue. The story builds from the beginning to a blistering end. I'm not going to say this was a good book for a first-time novelist - it is a GREAT ONE! I just happen to live in the center of the subject cities - halfway between Cleveland and Sandusky (a best-kept vacation secret). Small town mid-America trying to make a comeback, but leaving itself vulnerable to big schemers, fraudulent business tactics and murders. Worth the read! It would make a good movie!

[Katherine Hebert · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good!

The Will to Die is one of the best suspense stories that I’ve read. It’s Will’s story about his journey to find out why his father and neighbors were killed, and if someone is after him. It’s a well written, suspenseful novel that literally grips you from the first page. I couldn’t put the book down. I was rooting for Will, and I felt emotionally connected to Will. Such a good book.

[Donna Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sandusky is a small town in Ohio and well described in this story. The businessmen of the town want to rebuild the community and greed overcomes their intent. A conspiracy is formed involving insurance settlement and people are dying. A funeral director wants to put an end scheme. He leaves an elaborate trail of information for his son to set things right. This complicated senario is exciting to read,

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not usually my genre of book but I liked the characters, their honesty, and the modern components interlaced throughout. There were times when I thought I knew what was going to happen then it didn't play out that way. It's creative and even for being a thrillerystery, it didn't seem like an unbelievable stretch. I listened to half of this book and read the second half and that added a bit of a different dynamic.

[Carla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy read and the first part of the book is interesting. I did like the main character and the back story of his life. But the plot was weak -the whole huge conspiracy thing was just too unbelievable for my taste. I found myself skim reading to get through the end of it.

Book description:
When Will Pollitt returns home for his father’s funeral, he discovers a string of similar deaths — and his family’s connection to a shocking conspiracy.

[Sandra Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will, returns to his hometown, after his Dad passes away. Their family business, was a funeral home, one of two in the town.
When he gets there, he finds his ex-wife is the embalmer. Talk about uncomfortable, as Will by his gambling problem, caused their marriage to break up.
He (Will) along with his partner, Robbie, seem to think something sinister is up. Now, it is up to them, and the ex (Samantha) to unravel the puzzle.
Great read.
Really liked the characters, hope there is a sequel/series.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I downloaded the podcast audiobook because it came up as an ad on Facebook and sounded interesting. It was really good. It was not at all what I was expecting. Sandusky is definitely off my list of places to visit, lol, since even though I know it was a fictional story, it was terrifying and not unbelievable.

[Jacquie Chakirelis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Pulizzi has written a terrific Mystery novel. It is one of those books you can't put down. A mystery that kept you guessing and laughing at same time. I loved the twists and turns that kept me guessing to the very jaw-dropping end. Hoping this becomes a series as the characters are so interesting and I would love to see them develop.

[Cristina Hiatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

i rally liked this

i just automatically mute every single Twitter ad that pops up in my timeline. but something made me stop on the ad for this book. I've never bought anything Twitter was trying to sell. but I'm glad i did with this one. highly recommend. great story and several chuckles. chuckles are important

[Teri Mollison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! So nice to see a "hero" who is just a "regular guy" rather than a tip-of-the-spear Delta, CIA-FBI agent gone rogue. I mean, I love those vigilante stories too; but this guy is a marketing guy in Cleveland. His special skill is just doing the right thing. What's not to love? Enjoy!

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I read by this author. It is a good fast moving mystery, set in Sandusky Ohio. Will the lead character is flawed, but very like-able. I recommend this book, and plan on reading more from this author.

[karen amos · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love suspense you must read this! You won't be disappointed!

There are a lot of twist and turns culminating in an edge of your seat ending! Be prepared to read straight through.

[Scoobi · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book absolutely sucks and it’s really boring. I hate it with all my life. I hate it so much that I gave the actual book to my dog and even my dog doesn’t like the pages. It’s so annoying and the author is super problematic. 100% do not read. Or else teehee <3

[Wpayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Will to Die

Very different but really good. This had me biting my nails. Lots of action with some humor thrown in. Loved it!