A BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK

A KINDLE TOP 5 BESTSELLER

'Fast, funny and furious, this book has bags of humour, bags of heart and a proper murder mystery at its core' Janice Hallett

Claire and Sophie aren't your typical murder investigators . . .

When 30-something freelance medium Claire Hendricks is invited to an old university friend's country pile to provide entertainment for a family party, her best friend Sophie tags along. In fact, Sophie rarely leaves Claire's side, because she's been haunting her ever since she was murdered at the age of seventeen.

On arrival at The Cloisters it quickly becomes clear that this family is hiding more than just the good china, as Claire learns someone has recently met an untimely end at the house.

Teaming up with the least unbearable members of the Wellington-Forge family - depressive ex-cop Basher and teenage radical Alex - Claire and Sophie determine to figure out not just whodunnit, but who they killed, why and when.

Together they must race against incompetence to find the murderer - before the murderer finds them... in this funny, modern, media-literate mystery for the My Favourite Murder generation.

'Read this fabulous book' Ben Aaronovitch
'A delicious mashup of grisly murder, country house and semi-helpful ghosts' Stuart MacBride
'Fresh, funny and hugely enjoyable' Catherine Ryan Howard

About the Author

Alice Bell grew up in South West England, in the sort of middle-of-nowhere where teenagers spend their weekends drinking Smirnoff Ice in a field that also has at least one horse in it.

She is the deputy editor of Rock Paper Shotgun, a popular PC gaming website, and in 2019 she was named one of the 100 most influential women in the UK games industry.

After spending several years in London, Alice now lives in Cork in Ireland. She has probably read more detective fiction and watched more episodes of Midsomer Murders than you.

Reviews
You've never read a country house whodunit quite like Grave Expectations. Nor is there a generation gap quite as wide as the one between Claire and Sophie. Fast, funny and furious, this book has bags of humour, bags of heart and a proper murder mystery at its core. Alice Bell writes with real verve and crafts a preposterous premise into a sharp, well written and lively story that's at once out of this world and yet reassuringly real. As reader, you're along for the ride, and it's a runaway ghost train of a ride at that! Bell is one to watch. -- Janice Hallett
A delicious mashup of grisly murder, country house and semi-helpful ghosts - imagine a really cockeyed game of Cluedo heavily seasoned with whimsy ... it's a lot of fun -- Stuart MacBride
Read this fabulous book - you will not regret it -- Ben Aaronovitch
A modern mashup of Ghosts, Blithe Spirit and Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) ... the lightly acerbic style is a delight ... plenty of spooky fun. More, please. * Guardian *
Knives Out vibes with added ghosts. Fresh, funny and hugely enjoyable. -- Catherine Ryan Howard
A very funny, entertaining, twisted take on the country house murder mystery. Wonderful.' -- S J Bennett
Funny, fast, sharp, original, and addictive ... a unique breath of fresh air. Brilliant! -- Andrea Mara
A fun and surprising character-driven whodunnit * Heat *
A fun, gripping murder mystery with a supernatural spin * Woman's Own *
An addictive, hilarious, rollicking debut - fresh, original and utterly brilliant, Alice Bell is a real talent to watch. I cannot WAIT for the next book! -- Sam Blake
Clever, unpredictable and a genuinely humorous modern day country house murder mystery which left me guessing. Perfect for anyone who fancies themselves as a detective. -- Nadine Matheson
A great read, with great characters, lots of humour, some misty-eyed moments and lots of swearing. Utterly delightful - like the BBC show Ghosts mixed with Cluedo -- Simon Toyne
A really unique concept paired with whip-smart writing and lots of heart -- Heather Darwent, author of The Things We Do to Our Friends
A clever and playful contemporary cosy mystery by Cobh-based debut author, the talented Alice Bell. Think Ghosts meets Knives Out. -- Catherine Kirwan
A highly original, clever, contemporary and funny take on the crime genre * Irish Examiner *
Wickedly good * Belfast Telegraph *
A murder mystery with lots of heart and heaps of comedy ... full of fun and intrigue, this book's a winner * Meath Chronicle *
This book positively lit up my weekends with its cosy, affectionate, funny, awkward brand of ghostly crime-solving. Perfect for fans of BBC's Ghosts, Alice Bell has a keen eye for characterisation and the ridiculous, creating a story that will both send chills down your spine and wrap you up in a hug. -- Ally WIlkes, author of All the White Spaces
Witty, addictive, and breathes some much needed (undead) life into the cosy crime murder mystery genre -- Adam Simcox
Delightful, charming, breezy ... A spirited cold-case mystery * Set the Tape *
Sharp and hilarious -- Cailean Steed
A funny, distinctive, constantly clever genre-bending supernatural crime novel' * Bookseller *



Book Information
ISBN 9781838958428
Author Alice Bell
Format Paperback
Page Count 400
Imprint Corvus
Publisher Atlantic Books
Weight(grams) 274g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 22mm