Published 10th April 2025 by Bantam.
From the cover of the book:
Her job is to die for. Literally.Most people think that when they meet Death, it’ll be a skeleton in a black potato sack. Maybe with a scythe. Truth is, she’s just a woman doing a job, and she’s very good at it.
But when Death takes a much-needed break to live on earth, things start to go terribly wrong.
Someone’s killing people not on her list (well, not yet anyway) and it's down to her to find the culprit before it’s too late.
To make matters worse, her sanctimonious sister, Life – whom Death hasn’t got on with in millennia – won’t stop blaming her . . . And then there’s the slight problem of the charming (sexy) parasitologist she’s suspicious of.
But she’ll be fine, right?
After all, who better to investigate a murder than Death herself?
***********
Death is very good at her job, but she is a little fed up with traipsing around the globe outfitted by a Boss who feels the expectations of dying creatures are more important that her wardrobe choices. It is time for a break from the baggily-clothed, scythe-wielding, skeleton persona for a little sabbatical among the humans to try to connect with them on a more personal level.
Set up in human form as Dalara Dunn, in a grotty little flat in London (which she is sure is some kind of revenge on the part of her hollier-than-thou sister, Life), Death ditches the drab outfits for brightly coloured, sartorial splendour, and is looking forward to a fun time as a paralegal for a less than salubrious city law firm.
However, her adventure gets off to a dodgy start when her first case involves a death that was most certainly not on the approved list - and she should know. Rather than the rest she was anticipating, Death is going to have to try to get to the bottom of this unplanned death, and she is going to need some helpers, starting with the very attractive parasitologist, Marco - even if she is not sure he can be trusted...
What a delightful comic escapade this debut turned out to be! With lashings of delicious Terry Pratchett-esque vibes, Dapunt's Death discovers that assuming a new identity as the fabulously attired Dalara brings with it quite the learning experience, especially when it comes to negotiating human emotions.
The story beautifully clashes together the reality of humankind with a quirky spiritual/mythological set-up in which sisters Life and Death have to work through eons of feud-laden baggage to solve a very cleverly contrived mystery. In a Good Omens kind of way, the less than convivial duo find themselves battling insidious arch-enemies with a dastardly plan, wading through mafia-revenge plots, connecting with a glossy-haired old friend, and rubbing shoulders with a delightful human supporting cast (including gorgeous doggy side-kicks, and a super helpful rodent brigade) to save the world from catastrophe - and the big 'Boss' is just as ineffable as expected.
There are laugh-out-loud moments galore, slick twists and turns that really keep you guessing, and bags of unexpected emotional (and profound) content too (tears were shed, and thoughts provoked). Dapunt portrays sisterly relationships perfectly, with all their messy, tangled emotions, and the finely judged romantic suspense between Death and Marco hits the sentimental soft spot magnificently.
I thoroughly enjoyed this literary tonic, and cannot wait to see what comes next from Veronika Dapunt!
Death and Other Occupational Hazards is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.
Thank you to Transworld for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review and for inviting me to take part in this blog tour.
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