A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death

By: Maxie Dara

Narrated by: Jaime Lamchick

A LIBRARY READS PICK!

When a determined killer targets her brother, a grim reaper risks everything to save him in this delightful cozy mystery.

Nora Bird works for S.C.Y.T.H.E., which might seem odd for someone as terrified of death as she is. But ever since her parents died in an accident when she was six, she's been obsessed with avoiding risk, and what better place to learn how to cheat death than the company that employs the nation's grim reapers?

The work enables Nora to learn all about the myriad ways you can kick the bucket, which is comforting...until one day, a file crosses her desk with a name she recognizes. Her twin brother’s.

The twins haven’t spoken in six months, but Charlie is all Nora has left. Completely against her cautious nature, Nora steals the file and flees, racing to her brother’s house. She begs him to trust her that his death is imminent, and they hit the road (with his parrot, Jessica, who has plenty to say) in an attempt to evade both death and S.C.Y.T.H.E., whose sole mission of collecting souls has been disrupted by Charlie’s continued existence.

Alas, every time Nora saves him, a new cause of death appears in his file. Someone is determined to take Charlie out, and Nora will have to use everything she's ever learned about death to discover the culprit.

Critic reviews

"Witty...A long list of suspects, a dark sense of humor, and surprisingly weighty meditations on mortality carry the day. It’s a killer good time." --Publishers Weekly

"A funny and charming exploration of growth, overcoming fears, and the lengths family will go to protect loved ones." -- Library Journal

"Continues exploring this imagining of death’s bureaucracy with a wry tone and will appeal to readers who like a bitter bite with their sweetness." -- Booklist


Praise for A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer

“I’d follow this grim reaper anywhere. Wildly creative and impossible to put down, sure to induce both belly laughs and tears, A Grim Reaper's Guide To Catching A Killer is full of heart and soul(s).”—Laura Hankin, author of One-Star Romance

"Witty, moving, and with a mystery that’ll keep you turning pages late into the night, Dara’s debut is a creative, laugh-out-loud novel about the business of death, and what it can teach us about family, love, and the best parts of being alive."—Claudia Lux, author of Sign Here

"I was hooked right away by the inventive premise of Maxie Dara's A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer, but it was the relationships that really did me in. I loved watching Kathy bond with Conner, a dead teenager, and work through her relationship with recent-almost-ex-husband Simon, all set against the backdrop of a surprisingly corporate job in human soul logistics. Funny and warm and full of little moments that kept me guessing, A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer is a delightfully fresh mystery!"—Alicia Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers

“Fun and lighthearted despite the presence of death, the characters are relatable and funny, and the paranormal aspects are balanced with the ordinariness of Kathy’s messy life. The ending fleshes out this creative premise and sets the book up for the next in a heartwarming series.”--Booklist

"This debut paranormal mystery offers humor, love, and a strong cast of characters who form a found family."--Library Journal (starred review)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fantastic - I have a new favorite author

Quirky, funny, excellent characters and plot. A truly wonderful book that delivers all the feels from laughter to tears, and anticipation / stress to relief, with a very satisfying outcome.
I’m excited for the next installment or the next book from this author.