How Not To Die Alone by Richard Roper

Hello all!
Courtesy of Netgalley, I got to read this book and let me tell you! Well, wait. 

Set in the U.K., Andrew works for a government council that deals with people who pass away that seem to have nobody in their lives.  The council's job is to look around the person's home to see if they can find next of kin or some kind of funds to have a simple burial.  Sounds like a dreary job, but Andrew takes it to the next level. If the deceased seems to have nobody in their life, Andrew takes the time to attend the small church service offered. He feels that it is the least he could do. 

However, in the book, you know something bad has happened to Andrew, but we don't know what it is right away.  Andrew spends his days at work and lonely nights living in a drab apartment.  The only thing that keeps him going is his love for model trains and the online forum where he feels he can talk to his online "friends." Andrew also has a secret.  I am not giving anything away here, it's in the description of the book, but Andrew's loneliness has driven him to create a fake family for the sake of his co-workers.  

He weaves tales of his wife, Diane and two children.  He feels this is going along fine until the boss wants each employee to hold a dinner party at their respective homes. Well, I knew the secret was going to come out but couldn't wait to find out how. 

Also another wrench in the works is new hire at the job, Peggy.  Peggy is married (really she is!) with children and has her own issues.  Both Peggy and Andrew strike up a friendship that proves to be beneficial to both parties. 

I couldn't wait to find out how Andrew's secret was going to come out, how it would affect his very rigid constructed life and also how it would affect his real friendship with Peggy. The author did a phenomenal job with the development of these characters, from Andrew to Peggy to their horrible co-workers (ha!), they all seemed real to me.  

i found  this book very touching and it made me smile and even laugh in some parts. In all honesty, the way Andrew's friends rally around him in the hour of his need had me teary eyed. What a well rounded, thoughtful, engrossing story.  I think a lot of people will enjoy it. Thank you so much to Netgalley and to the publisher!

 Coming May 28, 2019!