How Not to Die Alone by Richard Roper

3*

Andrew is a 40-something UK government employment whose job it is to go into the homes of deceased people who died alone (and, in many cases, weren’t found for days, weeks or even months) to look for any evidence of family or friends and finances to cover the cost of the funeral. If that weren’t depressing enough, he’s also living a lie: that he has a wife and kids at home in a lovely townhouse. His reality is that he lives alone in a shabby walk-up flat with only his model trains, fellow online enthusiasts, and Ella Fitzgerald recordings for company. When new employee Peggy joins him on his visits, a friendship develops with stirrings of romantic feelings, but Andrew will need to decide if he will perpetuate the lie or risk losing Peggy’s affection by telling the truth.

This is truly a dark comedy with gallows humor and central themes of death, PTSD, loneliness, emotional abuse, and deceit. Although depression makes it exceedingly difficult, Andrew learns that there are potential friends all around if he is willing and able to reach out to them. The ending was rather abrupt, and the mystery of Andrew’s downstairs female neighbor with the lovely perfume is inconclusive which will leave readers to wonder why she’s even present in the book. Triggers: depression, death, and PTSD.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from G. P. Putnam's Sons through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.