The Dead Father's Club

A brilliant new novel from the acclaimed author of The Last Family in England.

Philip Noble is an eleven-year-old in crisis. His pub landlord-father has died in a road accident and his mother is succumbing to the greasy charms of her dead husband’s brother, Uncle Alan. The remaining certainties of Philip’s life crumble away when his father’s ghost appears in the pub and declares Uncle Alan murdered him.

Arming himself with weapons from the school chemistry cupboard, Philip vows to carry out the ghost’s relentless demands for revenge. But will Leah, the gorgeous daughter of Uncle Alan’s God-fearing business partner, Mr. Fairview, prove too much of a distraction? And can the words of a ghost be trusted any more than the lies of the living? Philip makes his decision and when the moment comes to act, he finds himself hurtling towards disaster.

Just as Matt Haig’s acclaimed and best-selling first novel, The Last Family in England, was a brilliant reworking of Henry IV Part I, with dogs in the major roles, so The Dead Fathers’ Club gives more than a nod to Hamlet. Hilariously funny, it is full of poignant insights into the strange workings of the world seen through the eyes of a child.

Publishers Weekly

Something of a Hamlet for the 21st century, this audiobook presents Philip Noble, an 11-year-old boy whose father recently died in a car accident. But when his father returns as a ghost demanding revenge for his death, Philip must decide whether or not his Uncle Allan murdered his father. While grappling with the idea of murder, Philip must contend with all the typical stresses of adolescence including romance and bullys. HighBridge Audio's decision to cast 11-year-old Andrew Dennis to read this novel pays off. His youthful voice adds authenticity and his narrative skills fully envelope the first-person perspective of Philip. He also ably distinguishes additional characters. His most impressive feat is the level of emotion and intensity he maintains through many of the scenes. Several times, Haig repeats a word or phrase more than five times. In the text, this works because readers can skim, but listeners must hear each one. However, Dennis infuses different emphasis for each repeated word, making it work. Simultaneous release with the Viking hardcover (Reviews, Nov. 13). (Feb.)

Matt Haig was born in 1975. His The Last Family in England was published in 2004.