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Not Dead Yet
Recently widowed Mary feels something needs to change, but she is not sure what ? She decides to sell her home in Sydney, and move to a retirement village in sunny Queensland. Mary has always enjoyed her own company and struggles with the many personalities she encounters in the village. There are two things Mary won’t tolerate. Idiots, and nasty women. Unfortunately for her, the village is full of them. Has Mary made a mistake, or will she find something wonderful?
213 pages, Unknown Binding
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About the author
Hayley Walsh
5 books36 followersHayley is an Australian author of light hearted women’s fiction. Hayley was born and bred in Sydney, and lives in Far western Sydney with her partner and two young stepsons. She loves animals (don't all writers), is a coffee addict, and has a wicked sense of humour. Hayley’s sense of humour is brought to life in her story telling. She loves to make women laugh, by writing fun Stories they can relate to.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 15, 2022
I’ve loved every single book I’ve read by Hayley and this was no exception. The laughter was there, the funny characters and the ones I wanted to slap! This was more serious than Hayley’s previous books but that isn’t a bad thing as I was able to see how she can write any form of story going and that shows how talented she is!
I could’ve easily read more of this sweet story and I can’t wait to read more from Hayley.
I could’ve easily read more of this sweet story and I can’t wait to read more from Hayley.
December 4, 2025
I won a signed copy of this book and read it straight away. I only put in for the competition because I'd seen this cover constantly I've socials and loved it.
I love that this story can be enjoyed by anyone but brings light to the struggles the older generation has.
The characters are relateable, their situation and circumstances we can all understand. my heart went out to poor Barb, Carol and off course Mary.
A love story until the end with a few twists, lots of laughs and a book that will keep you wanting to get to the end.
I love that this story can be enjoyed by anyone but brings light to the struggles the older generation has.
The characters are relateable, their situation and circumstances we can all understand. my heart went out to poor Barb, Carol and off course Mary.
A love story until the end with a few twists, lots of laughs and a book that will keep you wanting to get to the end.
March 9, 2022
Rating 4.5
I received this book as an ARC but all thoughts are my own.
A touching, heartbreaking, and humorous story.
Not Dead Yet introduces Mary as she's lost her husband, Bob. They were high-school sweethearts and after 51 years of marriage, Mary is having to learn to cope on her own. As Mary struggles to adapt with life on her own as an older woman, she decides a change of sea is necessary. Mary's move to Sunshine Shore's Retirement Village isn't everything she had hoped it would be. However, being close to her dear friend Barb makes all the difference. When a shock discovery rocks Mary's world, she's left needing her loved ones close by.
The story has lots of lovely flashbacks, allowing us to get to know Mary, Bob, and her friendships.
Underneath the humour the story deals with the difficult topics of loss and ageing. Mary considers herself to have become invisible due to her age. There's a particularly sad part in the story when she realises she's become a burden to her family. It's truly heartbreaking to read Mary's story, especially when you consider how true to life it is.
My only complaint is that I wanted more! The ending was a little abrupt and (without giving too much away) I wanted to know more about Mary's life.
A wonderful read from a talented author.
I received this book as an ARC but all thoughts are my own.
A touching, heartbreaking, and humorous story.
Not Dead Yet introduces Mary as she's lost her husband, Bob. They were high-school sweethearts and after 51 years of marriage, Mary is having to learn to cope on her own. As Mary struggles to adapt with life on her own as an older woman, she decides a change of sea is necessary. Mary's move to Sunshine Shore's Retirement Village isn't everything she had hoped it would be. However, being close to her dear friend Barb makes all the difference. When a shock discovery rocks Mary's world, she's left needing her loved ones close by.
The story has lots of lovely flashbacks, allowing us to get to know Mary, Bob, and her friendships.
Underneath the humour the story deals with the difficult topics of loss and ageing. Mary considers herself to have become invisible due to her age. There's a particularly sad part in the story when she realises she's become a burden to her family. It's truly heartbreaking to read Mary's story, especially when you consider how true to life it is.
My only complaint is that I wanted more! The ending was a little abrupt and (without giving too much away) I wanted to know more about Mary's life.
A wonderful read from a talented author.
February 20, 2022
An enjoyable story which challenges negative the societal perceptions of the elderly and the ageing process.
January 26, 2022
4.5 stars
Charming and Delightful
This story is truly charming to read. With a cast of down-to-earth, relatable characters, the story flows along like a warm hug from a friend.
Mary and Barb are two good friends, and along with Bob and Neil, they navigate school with mischievous glee. The story reverts from past to present easily and, although sad at times, this poignant story will make you smile and possibly shed a tear as well. A great Aussie story with believable, real characters.
Thanks to the author for providing me with an advance copy.
Charming and Delightful
This story is truly charming to read. With a cast of down-to-earth, relatable characters, the story flows along like a warm hug from a friend.
Mary and Barb are two good friends, and along with Bob and Neil, they navigate school with mischievous glee. The story reverts from past to present easily and, although sad at times, this poignant story will make you smile and possibly shed a tear as well. A great Aussie story with believable, real characters.
Thanks to the author for providing me with an advance copy.
April 20, 2023
Not dead yet is not the usual genre I would read, so I feel I can really objective here. I really enjoyed this book. I think perhaps it was because the characters reminded me of members of my own family, and I felt really attached to the wonderful character of Mary. The story jumps through time, reflecting on important parts of her life, and this is done very well. The story had touching moments, and the humour and lightheartedness was used well.
September 9, 2025
My favourite so far from Hayley Walsh.
‘Not Dead Yet,’ is intricately woven with humour and big themes while Mary finds her feet in her second act of life.
Following a thread of relationship longevity, Mary picks her way through with emotional dexterity, over hurdles and seamlessly into a most pleasing end result!
‘Not Dead Yet,’ is intricately woven with humour and big themes while Mary finds her feet in her second act of life.
Following a thread of relationship longevity, Mary picks her way through with emotional dexterity, over hurdles and seamlessly into a most pleasing end result!
December 17, 2022
This is a warm and funny story where Mary finds there is still a lot of life in her yet, after her husband passed. With a few surprises i did not see coming, I enjoyed getting to know the characters in this novel and I even got a bit teary in parts!
June 30, 2022
The main character of this book is Mary Gibson, who finds herself having, and struggling, to rebuild her life after she has become a widow. The readjustment is not an easy one, let me just say that, especially not once a variety of pieces from her past start to once again resurface and become meaningful. There’s no squirting the milk back up the udder, it’s now out and needs to be taken care of. Some of that is aided by the move described in the synopsis, some is made more difficult. Also, the move the synopsis describes occurs past this book’s half-way point, so it's not as significant to the plot as it is made out.
Another thing the readers find out on their own is the fact that this book contains flashback sequences to Mary’s youth told mainly from her perspective, but others come up as well. What are they about? How she met her friends, her first date with her future husband, their wedding night… things like these, that eventually, while limited in scope, prove themselves to be meaningful. It’s normie stuff, but it’s emotionally resonant with the audience.
Unlike some examples I could mention, however, where the main conflict was mainly emotional, or was carried out mainly in the emotional plane, this book has a better grip on its pacing, and therefore it delivers these emotional beats in a more controlled, more refined way, that makes the conflict shine through, and lays out the stakes in a very refreshing and deliberate manner. You always know what’s going through Mary’s head, and all the steps and pieces of information necessary for that insight are laid out with clinical precision and empathetic attention. It’s a very captivating read.
Other aspects of the book are more hit-and-miss. While Mary receives the lion’s share of characterisation and development, plenty of other characters all have their moments under the sun as well. Not all of them receive names, but the ones that do stick out to readers and are made memorable, even if their appearances are relatively brief. Other elements of the story, settings, descriptions, general environment-building tends to fall to the wayside. It’s a bit on the minimalist side, only expanded upon if absolutely necessary.
Unfortunately, some flaws exist as well. The book is at times sloppy and ambiguous, as not all characters receive the same insights into their backstories that Mary does. This makes it all the stranger when some do in fact receive those backstories, and others don’t. You could argue that makes sense, because the narrative implies Mary finds out, but there is at least one instance where she very clearly doesn’t, and, assuming that is the intention, it also undercuts the narrative, and its message of perpetuity in the face of uncertainty.
What really gets me, however, is something I freely admit is petty, but bothersome. Mary at want point wants to join a book club, and finds out the next book to be discussed is one she doesn’t remember reading, but she remembers seeing a miniseries based on the book, and hoping it counts. She’s a former English teacher, she will have spent DECADES telling students watching adaptations doesn’t count, and yet this supposed book lover and former educator allows herself to be this sloppy with her most steadfast passion? Really? I know it’s petty, but the Mary I read up until then would not think like this.
Overall, in spite of certain flaws, the respect and attention that went into writing this book make it very much worth anyone’s while.
Another thing the readers find out on their own is the fact that this book contains flashback sequences to Mary’s youth told mainly from her perspective, but others come up as well. What are they about? How she met her friends, her first date with her future husband, their wedding night… things like these, that eventually, while limited in scope, prove themselves to be meaningful. It’s normie stuff, but it’s emotionally resonant with the audience.
Unlike some examples I could mention, however, where the main conflict was mainly emotional, or was carried out mainly in the emotional plane, this book has a better grip on its pacing, and therefore it delivers these emotional beats in a more controlled, more refined way, that makes the conflict shine through, and lays out the stakes in a very refreshing and deliberate manner. You always know what’s going through Mary’s head, and all the steps and pieces of information necessary for that insight are laid out with clinical precision and empathetic attention. It’s a very captivating read.
Other aspects of the book are more hit-and-miss. While Mary receives the lion’s share of characterisation and development, plenty of other characters all have their moments under the sun as well. Not all of them receive names, but the ones that do stick out to readers and are made memorable, even if their appearances are relatively brief. Other elements of the story, settings, descriptions, general environment-building tends to fall to the wayside. It’s a bit on the minimalist side, only expanded upon if absolutely necessary.
Unfortunately, some flaws exist as well. The book is at times sloppy and ambiguous, as not all characters receive the same insights into their backstories that Mary does. This makes it all the stranger when some do in fact receive those backstories, and others don’t. You could argue that makes sense, because the narrative implies Mary finds out, but there is at least one instance where she very clearly doesn’t, and, assuming that is the intention, it also undercuts the narrative, and its message of perpetuity in the face of uncertainty.
What really gets me, however, is something I freely admit is petty, but bothersome. Mary at want point wants to join a book club, and finds out the next book to be discussed is one she doesn’t remember reading, but she remembers seeing a miniseries based on the book, and hoping it counts. She’s a former English teacher, she will have spent DECADES telling students watching adaptations doesn’t count, and yet this supposed book lover and former educator allows herself to be this sloppy with her most steadfast passion? Really? I know it’s petty, but the Mary I read up until then would not think like this.
Overall, in spite of certain flaws, the respect and attention that went into writing this book make it very much worth anyone’s while.
November 29, 2022
This was the first book I've read by Hayley Walsh, but it won't be the last. When Mary loses her husband to a heart attack and then has a fall that lands her in the hospital, she realizes it's time to move into a retirement community. Her best friend lives in Queensland in an assisted living facility, so Mary decides to head to the sunshine state, moving from her two grown children and young grandchildren, and away from her nosy neighbor, Gertrude, a woman who Mary has wanted to tell off for many years. Through flashbacks, we learn of Mary's life as a child who moved to the city from a country town, and of her teenage years when she had two loves. The first was Neil, the boy who moved away in their senior year of high school, and his best friend, Bob, who Mary eventually married. We also dip into the life of Mary's best friend, Barbra, once a talented ballet dancer who had to give up the love of her life due to a secret she'd kept from everyone, including Mary. The story flows easily, and I honestly wish some chapters had been longer so we could learn more about the events and the characters. Each character is filled with such humor and heart, especially Mary, who deals with loss, big secrets, rediscovered love, and a cat who loves butter in a fun and feisty way. Recommended for readers who are fans of feel-good stories.
May 21, 2023
This is a lovely story about growing old.
Poor Mary is left alone in her big old house when her husband of many many years passes away. She is feeling her age and the loneliness that hits upon being newly widowed. She knows she is reliant on her daughter to take her shopping and is feeling rather like a burden on her adult children. She also has the neighbor from hell. A nosy bossy woman named Gertrude who simply will not leave poor Mary alone. To escape the cold, the loneliness, her annoying neighbor, and the encroaching feeling of becoming a burden, Mary moves to a retirement village in Queensland to be closer to her best friend from her childhood. But the village is full of personalities of the not so pleasant variety. Bullies don’t just enter our lives at school or in the workplace. It seems even in old age we cannot escape them. There are also shocking secrets that are uncovered.
This story of growing older and coming to terms with our fragility. It is interspersed with memories of Mary’s childhood, adolescence, friendships and first loves. There are a few surprises along the way, new friends, old friends, some shocks and a bit of sadness. This is a beautiful story. An easy read that travels at a cracking pace. I loved it.
Poor Mary is left alone in her big old house when her husband of many many years passes away. She is feeling her age and the loneliness that hits upon being newly widowed. She knows she is reliant on her daughter to take her shopping and is feeling rather like a burden on her adult children. She also has the neighbor from hell. A nosy bossy woman named Gertrude who simply will not leave poor Mary alone. To escape the cold, the loneliness, her annoying neighbor, and the encroaching feeling of becoming a burden, Mary moves to a retirement village in Queensland to be closer to her best friend from her childhood. But the village is full of personalities of the not so pleasant variety. Bullies don’t just enter our lives at school or in the workplace. It seems even in old age we cannot escape them. There are also shocking secrets that are uncovered.
This story of growing older and coming to terms with our fragility. It is interspersed with memories of Mary’s childhood, adolescence, friendships and first loves. There are a few surprises along the way, new friends, old friends, some shocks and a bit of sadness. This is a beautiful story. An easy read that travels at a cracking pace. I loved it.
March 1, 2022
Oh I just loved this book! It was such a heart warming tale of family, relationships, heart break and ageing.
We meet Mary at her husbands funeral, this is a massive change in her life and we find her struggling to negotiate life without him and not become a burden to her family. This is an honest portrayal of becoming older and navigating all of the tricky situations that comes along with that process. Mary is beginning to feel invisible which sadly is all too common as ladies age.
Throughout the tale we learn all about her early days in the form of flashbacks, it is lovely to build up a picture of Mary and Bob in their younger years and all the roads left untaken. She wonders whether things may have been different had she chosen a different path, I mean don't we all?!
If you want to read more of my thoughts head over to my blog to read my full review! Link in my profile.
We meet Mary at her husbands funeral, this is a massive change in her life and we find her struggling to negotiate life without him and not become a burden to her family. This is an honest portrayal of becoming older and navigating all of the tricky situations that comes along with that process. Mary is beginning to feel invisible which sadly is all too common as ladies age.
Throughout the tale we learn all about her early days in the form of flashbacks, it is lovely to build up a picture of Mary and Bob in their younger years and all the roads left untaken. She wonders whether things may have been different had she chosen a different path, I mean don't we all?!
If you want to read more of my thoughts head over to my blog to read my full review! Link in my profile.
September 28, 2022
Hayley Walsh wrote a very thought provoking and emotional story with just enough humour to even things out. I enjoyed the flashbacks to Mary, Barb, Neil and Bob's lives. As the places and lifestyle written about are well known to me the story felt familiar, but it is the author's style of writing that made it come to life. I felt all the fears and humiliations of aging and ageism. As the story progressed, I was plunged into anger and grief right along with the characters. I even think they bounced back quicker than I did. Though I felt I knew where the story was heading, I still very much enjoyed its conclusion. Well done, Hayley Walsh another terrific creation.
September 4, 2023
Hayley tackles an under-appreciated social issue - the difficulties people face as they age. Having thoroughly enjoyed Making March, I anticipated another pithy romp, but that wasn’t the vibe here. I think Hayley aimed for pathos, but unfortunately missed the mark. Some of the relationships between characters were saccharine, and the dialogue felt stilted. The big problem is the poorly edited presentation, with typos riddling the book and grammar errors everywhere. With only a tenuous storyline that was obvious very early on, the mistakes overwhelmed the story for me, unlike Making March. A disappointment after the earlier work, sadly
March 12, 2022
It's never too late to start again
'I may be older, but I'm not dead yet!' This sums up the delightful tale of recently widowed, Mary. In her unique style, the author has delivered a poignantly sweet story full of loss, betrayal and the challenges of ageing in Australia, but laced with humour, homegrown Aussie slang, and a big splash of optimism.
The prose is light and entertaining, switching from Mary's early life to the current timeline and throwing in some twists and surprises along the way. Perfect for enjoying with a cuppa and a Tim Tam Slam 😁
'I may be older, but I'm not dead yet!' This sums up the delightful tale of recently widowed, Mary. In her unique style, the author has delivered a poignantly sweet story full of loss, betrayal and the challenges of ageing in Australia, but laced with humour, homegrown Aussie slang, and a big splash of optimism.
The prose is light and entertaining, switching from Mary's early life to the current timeline and throwing in some twists and surprises along the way. Perfect for enjoying with a cuppa and a Tim Tam Slam 😁
March 28, 2022
I started really not liking it and finding the constant jumps from first to third person a bit grating, but when I got into it and the style that it was written I rather enjoyed it. I also liked that it stayed grounded and didn't fall into the trap of making the protagonist do a tonne of crazy stuff. The bomb that gets dropped three quarters through is well written and believable. Yeah. Definitely worth the read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2024
It is a nice change to read about older people and it is obviously not quite easy to create a story about them. At first, I thought the story was unfolding a little slow, but eventually, it picked up pace and developed some interesting twists. I enjoyed the flashbacks into the past. The book was like a touch of sunshine.
August 12, 2024
A good read
I can totally relate to Mary’s struggles that her advancing years brought, but I loved that she was still determined to live her best life.
I enjoyed the story and love that the author did not shy away from the realities of aging.
I can totally relate to Mary’s struggles that her advancing years brought, but I loved that she was still determined to live her best life.
I enjoyed the story and love that the author did not shy away from the realities of aging.
August 15, 2023
A lighthearted gem of a book that's ideal if you're looking for an easy, heartfelt read based in a beautiful part of the world!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews