The new gripping and witty thriller from the author of You'd Look Better as a Ghost, winner of the Crime Fiction Lover Best Debut Novel 2023.
'A fresh new voice in crime fiction' - Janice Hallett
'Funny, sad, witty and very engaging' - Emma Curtis
'Darkly funny and deftly plotted' - Alice Clark-Platts
Everyone needs a hobby...
Things haven't been going well for Beth. Her husband has left her for one of her friends. Her fellow school mums judge her for swearing too much and not shifting the baby weight. And now she's stuck in A&E after her son fell off the climbing wall on the first day of school.
In fact, things haven't been going well for Beth since Charlotte died - her best friend, a favourite at the school pick-ups and the only person to ever run an interesting PTA meeting. But after being hit by a car while on an ill-timed evening jog, Charlotte is no longer there to help Beth pick up the pieces of her increasingly difficult life.
That is, until Beth discovers that Charlotte left her toddler alone in the house during that fatal run. The Charlotte she knew would never do something so irresponsible, and suddenly Beth is questioning whether Charlotte's death was really an accident. With a newfound purpose and a glass of wine in hand, it's time for Beth to uncover what really happened to her best friend. And what better place to start than the circle of chatty school mums, who can't be as perfect as they pretend. But which of them is hiding something? Beth's determined to find out. Once she's put the kids to bed, of course...
'Riotously funny and searingly observed' - Kate Simants
'A twisty-turny mystery that drew me in from the opening lines' - Philippa East
About the Author
Joanna Wallace studied Law at Birmingham University before working as a commercial litigation solicitor in London. She now runs a family business and lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband, four children and dog. Her debut novel, You'd Look Better as a Ghost, was published by Viper in 2023.
Industry Reviews
'Had me rolling around with laughter on one page, and filled with empathy the next. The Dead Friend Project is hilariously brilliant, and Joanna Wallace is a rare talent' - J.M. Hewitt, author of THE LIFE SHE WANTS
'Joanna Wallace harnesses the inner monologue of every parent who's suffered at the hands of the unrelenting tiger mother. The Dead Friend Project is Fleabag meets Absolutely Fabulous and everything in between. Darkly hilarious and 2024's must-read' - Marion Todd, author of OLD BONES LIE
'A tragic accident, a dead friend and a fresh new voice in crime fiction... This vivid, witty story is expertly told in mesmerising detail and with boundless energy, but there's a proper murder mystery at its heart. Joanna Wallace draws you into a deceptively ordinary world before she revels in the delicious horror beneath. Pure class' - Janice Hallett, author of THE APPEAL
'Motherland with murder! I haven't laughed so much in ages, then been struck speechless with horror... Funny, sad, wicked and very engaging' - Emma Curtis, author of ONE LITTLE MISTAKE
'Darkly funny and deftly plotted' - Alice Clark-Platts, author of THE FLOWER GIRLS
