Reports of His Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated is a quirky, poignant, and heartfelt character-driven story set in England.

Reports of His Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated by James Goodhand

Genre/Categories/Setting: Contemporary Fiction, Quirky Characters, Mistaken Identity, Humor, England.

***This post contains Amazon Affiliate Links

My Summary:

Welcome to my stop on the Harlequin Trade Publishing Blog Tour for The Reports of His Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated. Thanks #NetGalley @HTP_Books / MIRA for a complimentary eARC of #ReportsOfHisDeathHaveBeenGreatlyExaggerated upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Ray “Spike” Thorns is a retired groundskeeper and lives like a recluse with a hoarding problem. When his neighbor dies on his doorstep, a case of mistaken identity ensues, and everyone assumes Ray has died. As his family plans his funeral and the condolences roll in, he is forced to face his own death and decides to put some things right before his funeral. During this process, we learn more about Ray’s background, career, and reputation.

My Thoughts:

Warm-hearted

The more that is revealed about Ray, the more we love and admire him! He’s one of the good guys! We discover that he lived a quiet yet meaningful life, and he touched others with his thoughtfulness, generosity, kindness, benevolence, generous spirit, and encouragement. He’s a difference maker in his unique way.

Humorous

Reminiscent of The Borrowed Life of Fredrick Fife, mistaken identity is always an entertaining and engaging trope. Now that the news of his demise has spread, an obituary written, a funeral planned, his possessions sorted, and condolences received, how will he rewind all this? How can he explain himself? How does he prove he’s not dead? What about the other family?

Poignant and Thoughtful

Maybe it would benefit all of us to read our own obituary and contemplate our own funeral while we are living. Ray discovers that people regard him highly and that he has been a positive influence on many lives. He gains a new and improved sense of self and purpose for his remaining days. Our first impression of him changes as we realize he’s not a hoarder but a giver. Acts of kindness can have a lasting impact on people with whom you interact. I admire the way the author reveals Ray’s character, and by the lovely and satisfying conclusion, you can tell that the author loves him.

Content Consideration: a sprinkling of profanity

Recommending Reports of His Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated:

Fans of quirky, humorous, and unique stories will enjoy adding Reports of His Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated to their TBRs. Perfect light and thoughtful weekend reading.

Related: Another mistaken identities trope: The Borrowed Life of Fredrick Fife

My Rating: 4 Stars

More Information Here

Meet the Author of Reports of His Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated, James Goodhand

James Goodhand has written two YA novels. His YA debut, Last Lesson, was called “a powerfully charged study in empathy,” by the Financial Times. This is his adult debut. He lives in England with his wife and young son.

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