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I See You've Called in Dead
7 hours, 34 minutes
The Office meets Six Feet Under meets About a Boy in this coming-of-middle-age tale about having a second chance to write your life’s story.
Bud Stanley is an obituary writer who is afraid to live. Yes, his wife recently left him for a “far more interesting� man. Yes, he goes on a particularly awful blind date with a woman who brings her ex. And yes, he has too many glasses of Scotch one night and proceeds to pen and publish his own obituary. The newspaper wants to fire him. But now the company’s system has him listed as dead. And the company can’t fire a dead person. The ensuing fallout forces him to realize that life may be actually worth living.
As Bud awaits his fate at work, his life hangs in the balance. Given another shot by his boss and encouraged by his best friend, Tim, a worldly and wise former art dealer, Bud starts to attend the wakes and funerals of strangers to learn how to live.
Thurber Prize-winner and NYTimes bestselling author John Kenney tells a funny, touching story about life and death, about the search for meaning, about finding and never letting go of the preciousness of life.
The Office meets Six Feet Under meets About a Boy in this coming-of-middle-age tale about having a second chance to write your life’s story.
Bud Stanley is an obituary writer who is afraid to live. Yes, his wife recently left him for a “far more interesting� man. Yes, he goes on a particularly awful blind date with a woman who brings her ex. And yes, he has too many glasses of Scotch one night and proceeds to pen and publish his own obituary. The newspaper wants to fire him. But now the company’s system has him listed as dead. And the company can’t fire a dead person. The ensuing fallout forces him to realize that life may be actually worth living.
As Bud awaits his fate at work, his life hangs in the balance. Given another shot by his boss and encouraged by his best friend, Tim, a worldly and wise former art dealer, Bud starts to attend the wakes and funerals of strangers to learn how to live.
Thurber Prize-winner and NYTimes bestselling author John Kenney tells a funny, touching story about life and death, about the search for meaning, about finding and never letting go of the preciousness of life.
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First published April 1, 2025
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April 18, 2025
4.5-5⭐️ Obituary writer, Bud Stanley, is a man afraid to live. But when he drunkenly pens his obituary one evening, the newspaper that already has him in its crosshairs for poor performance suddenly cannot fire him. After all, you simply cannot fire a dead person. Using this glitch as an opportunity of a lifetime, Bud begins to visit the funerals of strangers in hopes of learning how to really live.
“‘𝘏𝘦𝘳� 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦…𝘢𝘭� 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴, 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵?”�
While I’m not usually a fan of satirical novels laced with dark humor, it is very hard not to find Bud, his whacky situation, and the characters that surround him all insanely charming. This character-rich novel focuses on just what it means to truly live, and to live truly, even in the face of hardship and adversity. It also showcases the beauty of unlikely friendships and how out of our grief, something wholly new and unexpected can grow.
🎧 As I am apt to do, I am reading this one with both my eyes and ears. Narrator Sean Patrick Hopkins plays up the satirical nature beautifully, and I have found myself chuckling more than once. But more so, he strengthens the emotional connection between the reader and the characters. For this reason, I highly recommend reading this one with your ears. And at only seven plus hours, this is a very quick listen.
I’ll end by saying that this is one of those books that is worthy of the time it takes to tab and notate. I’d like to leave you with the one quote that completely blew me away and left me with tears in my eyes.
“𝘖𝘶� 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴, 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘫𝘰𝘣. 𝘞𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵-𝘪𝘧𝘴…𝘞𝘩𝘰𝘭� 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘭 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥𝘴, 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘩, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘶𝘯𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘶𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘨 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘔𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺, 𝘔𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘒𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘹 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘰, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴' 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯. 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.�
Read if you like:
▪️character-driven stories
▪️satirical novels
▪️emotional reads
▪️quirky and relatable characters
▪️dark comedy
▪️slow burn
▪️unique books
▪️I Hope This Email Finds You Well
Thank you to Zibby Publishing and Libro.fm for the advanced copies.
“‘𝘏𝘦𝘳� 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦…𝘢𝘭� 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴, 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵?”�
While I’m not usually a fan of satirical novels laced with dark humor, it is very hard not to find Bud, his whacky situation, and the characters that surround him all insanely charming. This character-rich novel focuses on just what it means to truly live, and to live truly, even in the face of hardship and adversity. It also showcases the beauty of unlikely friendships and how out of our grief, something wholly new and unexpected can grow.
🎧 As I am apt to do, I am reading this one with both my eyes and ears. Narrator Sean Patrick Hopkins plays up the satirical nature beautifully, and I have found myself chuckling more than once. But more so, he strengthens the emotional connection between the reader and the characters. For this reason, I highly recommend reading this one with your ears. And at only seven plus hours, this is a very quick listen.
I’ll end by saying that this is one of those books that is worthy of the time it takes to tab and notate. I’d like to leave you with the one quote that completely blew me away and left me with tears in my eyes.
“𝘖𝘶� 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴, 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘫𝘰𝘣. 𝘞𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵-𝘪𝘧𝘴…𝘞𝘩𝘰𝘭� 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘭 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥𝘴, 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘩, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘶𝘯𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘶𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘨 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘔𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺, 𝘔𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘒𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘹 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘰, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴' 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯. 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.�
Read if you like:
▪️character-driven stories
▪️satirical novels
▪️emotional reads
▪️quirky and relatable characters
▪️dark comedy
▪️slow burn
▪️unique books
▪️I Hope This Email Finds You Well
Thank you to Zibby Publishing and Libro.fm for the advanced copies.
February 26, 2025
I received this ARC from the publisher, Zibby Publishing -- so, thanks Zibby! I always laugh when people say that they are providing the review voluntarily as if the publishers generally have henchmen with garottes standing behind ARC readers until they click "post." If that does usually happen, I attest that no garottes were used in encouraging this review. I did get a few lovely emails from a Zibby employee named Sarah Fradkin when I had some issues with the PDF, and I think she should get a bonus.
This is the kind of book I usually avoid like the plague. It is more than a little syrupy and "life-affirming", but I still liked it a whole lot. Some of my affection may be time-specific. I find myself thirsty for anything that affirms the existence of decency amidst this daily parade of coarseness and the death of empathy. Some of the good feeling might be place-specific. When I first moved to New York in 1986 (I know!) I lived basically where this book took place. I lived a few blocks away in Boerum Hill but my BFF (then and still) lived on a block that seems to be the very Cobble Hill block where the book is centered. I ate several times a week at Sal's Pizza on Court St. (RIP) and drank wine on my front stoop with my neighbors. Brooklyn is a really good place to live, and that area is particularly lovely. Kenney writes beautifully about Brooklyn, and nicely about Manhattan as well. He especially gets the love affair between those of us who arrived in NYC as adults and to whom the city gave lives and experiences we never imagined possible. All of that is relevant to the central story, but also, this helps make for a funny and touching book that is a pleasure to read.
I understood Bud well. I share a few things in common with Bud, and I feel like I know most of his friends (other than Tim, who was too perfect.) Kenney is funny, but he also knows and acknowledges the costs of using humor and sarcasm as defenses. He gives us a relatable view of grief, over the deaths and estrangements of friends and family, yes, but also over the loss of a marriage, and of a seemingly inevitable future life. He frequently gets too cute for my tastes. Making Bud an obituary writer seemed gratuitous. Making the potential love interest a manic pixie dream girl with a history of suicidal ideation was unfortunate. The adorable quirky and wise kid next door could have stood some toning down. Still, I liked this. It had a Jonathan Trooper/Matt Haig feel to me, but I liked it better than I like work by those two writers. All of these writers offer central characters who are sad sacks. Kenney though gives us an interesting nuanced sad sack (which I never see in the work of those other writers) and, as already mentioned, Kenney lets us see how deploying humor to avoid vulnerability comes at the cost of real connection. Also worth mentioning, this is a celebration of male friendship, real friendship with real conversations about real things, not let's grab a beer and watch the game friendship. This sort of friendship among men is underrepresented in media of all sorts, and it was a pleasure to see not just in the central bromance between Bud and Tim, but also between Bud, Howard, and Tuan.
If you are looking for an emotional read that celebrates human connection and generosity with humor and without guarantees for happily ever after this is a great choice.
This is the kind of book I usually avoid like the plague. It is more than a little syrupy and "life-affirming", but I still liked it a whole lot. Some of my affection may be time-specific. I find myself thirsty for anything that affirms the existence of decency amidst this daily parade of coarseness and the death of empathy. Some of the good feeling might be place-specific. When I first moved to New York in 1986 (I know!) I lived basically where this book took place. I lived a few blocks away in Boerum Hill but my BFF (then and still) lived on a block that seems to be the very Cobble Hill block where the book is centered. I ate several times a week at Sal's Pizza on Court St. (RIP) and drank wine on my front stoop with my neighbors. Brooklyn is a really good place to live, and that area is particularly lovely. Kenney writes beautifully about Brooklyn, and nicely about Manhattan as well. He especially gets the love affair between those of us who arrived in NYC as adults and to whom the city gave lives and experiences we never imagined possible. All of that is relevant to the central story, but also, this helps make for a funny and touching book that is a pleasure to read.
I understood Bud well. I share a few things in common with Bud, and I feel like I know most of his friends (other than Tim, who was too perfect.) Kenney is funny, but he also knows and acknowledges the costs of using humor and sarcasm as defenses. He gives us a relatable view of grief, over the deaths and estrangements of friends and family, yes, but also over the loss of a marriage, and of a seemingly inevitable future life. He frequently gets too cute for my tastes. Making Bud an obituary writer seemed gratuitous. Making the potential love interest a manic pixie dream girl with a history of suicidal ideation was unfortunate. The adorable quirky and wise kid next door could have stood some toning down. Still, I liked this. It had a Jonathan Trooper/Matt Haig feel to me, but I liked it better than I like work by those two writers. All of these writers offer central characters who are sad sacks. Kenney though gives us an interesting nuanced sad sack (which I never see in the work of those other writers) and, as already mentioned, Kenney lets us see how deploying humor to avoid vulnerability comes at the cost of real connection. Also worth mentioning, this is a celebration of male friendship, real friendship with real conversations about real things, not let's grab a beer and watch the game friendship. This sort of friendship among men is underrepresented in media of all sorts, and it was a pleasure to see not just in the central bromance between Bud and Tim, but also between Bud, Howard, and Tuan.
If you are looking for an emotional read that celebrates human connection and generosity with humor and without guarantees for happily ever after this is a great choice.
January 23, 2025
Protagonist Bud Stanley, an obituary writer, is my kind of guy—funny, funny, funny, even as he's so depressed and removed from his life that were he not so funny, you wouldn't want to be anywhere near him.
And author John Kenney is my kind of writer—a pro.
The story of sad sack Bud, who sabotages his life with a really dumb but hilarious "mistake," is perfectly paced between humor and almost lyrical passages—I say "almost" because "lyrical" often connotes a self-conscious effort and there is none of that here. The narrative flows. The humor erupts just at the right time for relief but there is no showing off or manipulation in the writing. And the observations come so organically that you could miss them if you weren't slurping this up with appreciation for every carefully chosen word:
Not since E. B. White's Here Is New York (which Kenney obliquely references by an early explanation of New York City that echoes White's) have I read my city so honestly portrayed.
The book is full of life and death—and since that's all there is, it's about everything. It's moving without being sentimental, funny without guile, an absolute joy to read.
***
I requested an ARC of this book after I read a Shouts and Murmurs piece by Kenney in the New Yorker and I had a collision of jealousy (that magazine has been turning me down for 50 years), admiration, and eventually larceny.
Larceny because once you drop jealousy, there is in Kenney's work an ocean of inspiration and structural and character brilliance to nip and transform into whatever it becomes in your muse's hands.
A note at the beginning of the e-ARC says that it was made from the writer's original manuscript. This is a daring and dangerous thing for a publisher to do. It can [and has] result[ed] in a galley with so many glitches and structural problems (that hopefully will be ironed out by an invisible editor's magic) that I think no ethical reviewer should publish anything about it. But in the case of Kenney's work, even through formatting problems, the writing is so good that it is easy to intuit where line and paragraph breaks should be. The story flows, the characters are full and consistent, and the structure is rock solid.
And author John Kenney is my kind of writer—a pro.
The story of sad sack Bud, who sabotages his life with a really dumb but hilarious "mistake," is perfectly paced between humor and almost lyrical passages—I say "almost" because "lyrical" often connotes a self-conscious effort and there is none of that here. The narrative flows. The humor erupts just at the right time for relief but there is no showing off or manipulation in the writing. And the observations come so organically that you could miss them if you weren't slurping this up with appreciation for every carefully chosen word:
A kind of theatre, a play, this unending parade of humanity. Pio Peruvian food next to Jalisco Tacos next to China House next to El Viejo Puerto Rican Café next to Famous Original Ray's Pizza next to Fat Albert and Hollywood Discount Furniture. It made no sense. The history of the world is tribes banding together behind large walls, going to war against one another, rejecting other religions, other ways of life. And yet here, on these crowded streets, the world came together. A bit of Spanish overheard here, a bit of Mandarin over there. Farsi, Yiddish, Italian. And yet somehow it worked. Food was ordered, diapers were bought, a flange was sold from a picture someone brought to a hardware store, neither person sharing a language. A neighborhood, a city, held together by a kind of societal duct tape, a New York shoulder shrug, a who-am-I-to-judge? [page NA]
Not since E. B. White's Here Is New York (which Kenney obliquely references by an early explanation of New York City that echoes White's) have I read my city so honestly portrayed.
The book is full of life and death—and since that's all there is, it's about everything. It's moving without being sentimental, funny without guile, an absolute joy to read.
***
I requested an ARC of this book after I read a Shouts and Murmurs piece by Kenney in the New Yorker and I had a collision of jealousy (that magazine has been turning me down for 50 years), admiration, and eventually larceny.
Larceny because once you drop jealousy, there is in Kenney's work an ocean of inspiration and structural and character brilliance to nip and transform into whatever it becomes in your muse's hands.
A note at the beginning of the e-ARC says that it was made from the writer's original manuscript. This is a daring and dangerous thing for a publisher to do. It can [and has] result[ed] in a galley with so many glitches and structural problems (that hopefully will be ironed out by an invisible editor's magic) that I think no ethical reviewer should publish anything about it. But in the case of Kenney's work, even through formatting problems, the writing is so good that it is easy to intuit where line and paragraph breaks should be. The story flows, the characters are full and consistent, and the structure is rock solid.
April 2, 2025
A dozen years ago, John Kenney’s debut novel, “Truth in Advertising,� began with an anecdote about a high school kid who concocted a paraplegic Vietnam vet and passed him off as the hero of his term paper for modern history. Fittingly, that fraudulent young man went on to become a depressed advertising writer.
In Kenney’s new novel, “I See You’ve Called in Dead,� the body drops just a few feet away, at a slightly different angle. This time around, the narrator, Bud Stanley, is a depressed obituary writer at the world’s largest wire service, and the hero he invents is himself.
One cold night, while circling the drain that’s become his life, Bud writes his own ludicrously spectacular obituary under the headline, “Bud Stanley, 44, former Mr. Universe, failed porn star, and mediocre obituary writer, is dead.� After noting that Mr. Stanley was killed in a hot-air balloon crash, he highlights his accomplishments as one of Gladys Knight’s original Pips, the first man to perform open-heart surgery on himself, the inventor of toothpaste and a member of the Jamaican bobsled team. It’s just a lark, a morbid way to get drunk on his own fermented despair. But then � oops � he accidentally publishes his little gag on the wire service, which sends the fake obituary to news organizations around the globe.
That’s a genuinely funny premise, though it chills the already withered heart of any journalist to see how quickly a career can be cremated in a moment of carelessness or rage. Naturally, Bud’s employer is furious. What he’s done might be a felony. His editor likes him � pities him � but this juvenile prank puts Bud beyond salvation. “You know what the crime of it was?� his editor asks. “It wasn’t a very good obit.�
An investigation is launched; he’s suspended without pay. Kenney gets off some easy shots at the usual HR inanity. He’s so cool with the retorts that he never even messes up his hair. As Bud takes one more walk through the newsroom, his officemate notes, “You look well for a dead man.�
Versions of that witty line recur across these pages like gravestones in Mount Auburn Cemetery � the rich variety somehow redeeming the repetition. Which is fortunate because there’s....
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
In Kenney’s new novel, “I See You’ve Called in Dead,� the body drops just a few feet away, at a slightly different angle. This time around, the narrator, Bud Stanley, is a depressed obituary writer at the world’s largest wire service, and the hero he invents is himself.
One cold night, while circling the drain that’s become his life, Bud writes his own ludicrously spectacular obituary under the headline, “Bud Stanley, 44, former Mr. Universe, failed porn star, and mediocre obituary writer, is dead.� After noting that Mr. Stanley was killed in a hot-air balloon crash, he highlights his accomplishments as one of Gladys Knight’s original Pips, the first man to perform open-heart surgery on himself, the inventor of toothpaste and a member of the Jamaican bobsled team. It’s just a lark, a morbid way to get drunk on his own fermented despair. But then � oops � he accidentally publishes his little gag on the wire service, which sends the fake obituary to news organizations around the globe.
That’s a genuinely funny premise, though it chills the already withered heart of any journalist to see how quickly a career can be cremated in a moment of carelessness or rage. Naturally, Bud’s employer is furious. What he’s done might be a felony. His editor likes him � pities him � but this juvenile prank puts Bud beyond salvation. “You know what the crime of it was?� his editor asks. “It wasn’t a very good obit.�
An investigation is launched; he’s suspended without pay. Kenney gets off some easy shots at the usual HR inanity. He’s so cool with the retorts that he never even messes up his hair. As Bud takes one more walk through the newsroom, his officemate notes, “You look well for a dead man.�
Versions of that witty line recur across these pages like gravestones in Mount Auburn Cemetery � the rich variety somehow redeeming the repetition. Which is fortunate because there’s....
To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
September 17, 2024
This is one of those books that I’m going to tell people about until they either read it or stop asking me what I’ve read lately. I loved it.
I had heard it was funny, and a story about an obituary writer who accidentally publishes his own obituary� I was hopeful that it would be funny enough that I smirked a few times or at least thought to myself that something was funny, but I actually made the noises of laughing out loud repeatedly throughout this book.
And it was also an emotional, engrossing narrative about recognizing life as it happens everyday, filled with a magnetic cast of characters that warms the soul.
I’d recommend this to folks who enjoy Matt Haig or Marianne Cronin.
I had heard it was funny, and a story about an obituary writer who accidentally publishes his own obituary� I was hopeful that it would be funny enough that I smirked a few times or at least thought to myself that something was funny, but I actually made the noises of laughing out loud repeatedly throughout this book.
And it was also an emotional, engrossing narrative about recognizing life as it happens everyday, filled with a magnetic cast of characters that warms the soul.
I’d recommend this to folks who enjoy Matt Haig or Marianne Cronin.
April 20, 2025
An interesting story about a journalist going through an introspective phase.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
Stream of consciousness
Dark Humor
Introspective look at life
Friendship
Slow Burn
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
Stream of consciousness
Dark Humor
Introspective look at life
Friendship
Slow Burn
April 10, 2025
I didn't expect to fall for the book as completely as I did. I knew I'd like it because of the whip-smart satirical voice of the main character, but around them mid-way point, it hit me that I wasn't going to be okay until I knew Bud would be okay.
Open, honest narratives about death are really hard to write, but John Kenney deals with the subject with a wonderful mix of morose humor and heart. Tim has to be the BEST character with a physical disability that I've ever encountered. I loved every scene with him and every scene with Bud's young neighbor.
I listened to this one on audio thanks to @libro.fm. The performance was perfect and I highly recommend this book to everyone.
Open, honest narratives about death are really hard to write, but John Kenney deals with the subject with a wonderful mix of morose humor and heart. Tim has to be the BEST character with a physical disability that I've ever encountered. I loved every scene with him and every scene with Bud's young neighbor.
I listened to this one on audio thanks to @libro.fm. The performance was perfect and I highly recommend this book to everyone.
April 23, 2025
4.25 stars � A hilariously awkward dive into death, grief, and learning to actually live
I See You’ve Called in Dead follows a wonderfully endearing disaster of a human who stumbles into the oddest job imaginable: writing obituaries� and being absolutely terrible at it. He’s that guy you just know has amazing stories if he could only figure out how to tell them without tripping over his own feet � but somehow, that’s what makes him so weirdly likable.
The tone is exactly what I needed: not too heavy, not trying too hard to be deep. It walks that perfect line between heartfelt and self deprecating humor. The banter is sharp, the dialogue is packed with awkward charm, and instead of dumping loads of backstory, the author breathes life into every character through voice and personality.
At its core, the book is really about someone working in the business of death who has to figure out how to start living. There’s grief in here � not the loud kind, but the kind that hides in the background, that subtle disengagement we all feel when we’re afraid of really connecting or being hurt. But don’t worry � it’s never overly cerebral. The book delivers emotional weight through quirky, real moments rather than long introspective monologues.
If you love dark humor, socially awkward protagonists, and stories that sneak up on your heart, give this one a shot.
Thanks to Zibby Publishing for an ARC of this book.
I See You’ve Called in Dead follows a wonderfully endearing disaster of a human who stumbles into the oddest job imaginable: writing obituaries� and being absolutely terrible at it. He’s that guy you just know has amazing stories if he could only figure out how to tell them without tripping over his own feet � but somehow, that’s what makes him so weirdly likable.
The tone is exactly what I needed: not too heavy, not trying too hard to be deep. It walks that perfect line between heartfelt and self deprecating humor. The banter is sharp, the dialogue is packed with awkward charm, and instead of dumping loads of backstory, the author breathes life into every character through voice and personality.
At its core, the book is really about someone working in the business of death who has to figure out how to start living. There’s grief in here � not the loud kind, but the kind that hides in the background, that subtle disengagement we all feel when we’re afraid of really connecting or being hurt. But don’t worry � it’s never overly cerebral. The book delivers emotional weight through quirky, real moments rather than long introspective monologues.
If you love dark humor, socially awkward protagonists, and stories that sneak up on your heart, give this one a shot.
Thanks to Zibby Publishing for an ARC of this book.
January 12, 2025
I See You’ve Called in Dead
What a read! This was a breath of fresh air. Funny, relatable, and deep all at the same time.
Loved it! Full video review on my socials!!
What a read! This was a breath of fresh air. Funny, relatable, and deep all at the same time.
Loved it! Full video review on my socials!!
April 8, 2025
What an incredibly unique story! 🤩
Thank you, Zibby Publishing, for the gifted copy of I See You’ve Called in Dead {partner}
Genre: Fiction
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 4.1.2025
Pages: 304
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆
“Aren’t we all more than our resume? Aren’t we more than the college we attended and the places we’ve worked? Aren’t we a million things that are so subtle and nuanced that most people never see them or experience them?�
It gave me major Backman vibes, where you don’t just get to know the main character but also fall in love with the supporting cast. Death of the Author was full of wonderfully flawed, relatable humans, and I found myself connecting with so many of them—yes, even the side characters! They helped remind the MC (and me) what it truly means to live and face the realities of death.
The story started off a bit slow for my taste, and I wasn’t sure about the MMC at first, but by the end, I was completely hooked. There were definitely tears but also plenty of laughs, making it the perfect balance of emotion. It was exactly the book I didn’t know I needed.
Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆�
The audiobook is narrated by Sean Patrick Hopkins, who also narrated A Good Girls Guide to Murder, Happiness Falls, The Astrology House, and The Days I Loved You Most. I think Hopkins was the perfect choice to narrate I See You’ve Called in Dead, as it seemed to fit exactly how I imagined the MMC’s voice. Thank you, @librofm, for the gifted copy!
Read if you enjoy:
🤭 Dry, Witty Humor
🫶🏼 Lovable Supporting Characters
📖 Slow Paced Stories
👏🏼 Character Development
I recommend reading I See You Called in Dead if you’re looking for a heartfelt read to help you see things in a new light.
______
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Thank you, Zibby Publishing, for the gifted copy of I See You’ve Called in Dead {partner}
Genre: Fiction
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 4.1.2025
Pages: 304
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆
“Aren’t we all more than our resume? Aren’t we more than the college we attended and the places we’ve worked? Aren’t we a million things that are so subtle and nuanced that most people never see them or experience them?�
It gave me major Backman vibes, where you don’t just get to know the main character but also fall in love with the supporting cast. Death of the Author was full of wonderfully flawed, relatable humans, and I found myself connecting with so many of them—yes, even the side characters! They helped remind the MC (and me) what it truly means to live and face the realities of death.
The story started off a bit slow for my taste, and I wasn’t sure about the MMC at first, but by the end, I was completely hooked. There were definitely tears but also plenty of laughs, making it the perfect balance of emotion. It was exactly the book I didn’t know I needed.
Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆�
The audiobook is narrated by Sean Patrick Hopkins, who also narrated A Good Girls Guide to Murder, Happiness Falls, The Astrology House, and The Days I Loved You Most. I think Hopkins was the perfect choice to narrate I See You’ve Called in Dead, as it seemed to fit exactly how I imagined the MMC’s voice. Thank you, @librofm, for the gifted copy!
Read if you enjoy:
🤭 Dry, Witty Humor
🫶🏼 Lovable Supporting Characters
📖 Slow Paced Stories
👏🏼 Character Development
I recommend reading I See You Called in Dead if you’re looking for a heartfelt read to help you see things in a new light.
______
Follow me on Instagram:
Follow me on ŷ:/chaptersofc...
Follow me on StoryGraph:
January 26, 2025
Touted as “The Office meets Six Feet Under�, this tells the story of Bud Stanley, a divorced, middle aged, lonely, on the down slide writer of obituaries who, one drunken night, writes and files his own obituary, greatly exaggerating his accomplishments. His newspaper wants to fire him but is prevented from doing so because the company’s computer has him listed as dead, and they can’t fire a dead man. Dismissed pending a hearing, Bud learns some life lessons from both the living and the dead.
I had to think a bit about how I felt about this read and then realized how much I really liked it. Well written by a Thurber prize winning author, there are witty lines, laugh out loud moments, and profound observations. It is also poignant and at times sad, but, ultimately, an affirmation of life. I also loved Kenney’s vignettes of life in New York City.
Thanks to #NetGalley and @ZibbyPublishing for the DRC.
I had to think a bit about how I felt about this read and then realized how much I really liked it. Well written by a Thurber prize winning author, there are witty lines, laugh out loud moments, and profound observations. It is also poignant and at times sad, but, ultimately, an affirmation of life. I also loved Kenney’s vignettes of life in New York City.
Thanks to #NetGalley and @ZibbyPublishing for the DRC.
April 7, 2025
I See You’ve Called in Dead by John Kenney. Thanks to @zibbybooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bud Stanley writes obituaries as his job until he gets drunk one night and accidently publishes his own obit, which causes chaos in his life.
I loved the dry witty humor of this one, which of course you can tell from the title is also dark humor. I also enjoyed that this is a coming of age tale for an older individual. We are never too young to grow! This one is not only funny but also emotional and meaningful.
“You are an obituary writer who does not understand the first thing about life. Wake up.�
I See You’ve Called in Dead is available now.
Bud Stanley writes obituaries as his job until he gets drunk one night and accidently publishes his own obit, which causes chaos in his life.
I loved the dry witty humor of this one, which of course you can tell from the title is also dark humor. I also enjoyed that this is a coming of age tale for an older individual. We are never too young to grow! This one is not only funny but also emotional and meaningful.
“You are an obituary writer who does not understand the first thing about life. Wake up.�
I See You’ve Called in Dead is available now.
April 14, 2025
“Life prevails. How strange and wondrous. In the midst of death, life prevails, calls to us, begs us, says ‘come, please, don’t you dare waste this precious gift.’�
I absolutely loved this one!
Bud Stanley, a divorced obituary writer, is feeling unmoored and depressed when he accidentally (and drunkenly) writes and publishes his own obituary.
Put on leave by his company for the offense, Bud begins to attend the funerals and wakes of strangers.
Along with his unlikely friends: a cultured man with paraplegia, a quirky, Lorelei Gilmore-esque woman, and an earnest 8-year-old neighbor, Bud confronts his past and purpose.
I laughed out loud several times while listening to this, and got teary-eyes quite a few times as well. This book would make for an amazing book club discussion!!
I absolutely loved this one!
Bud Stanley, a divorced obituary writer, is feeling unmoored and depressed when he accidentally (and drunkenly) writes and publishes his own obituary.
Put on leave by his company for the offense, Bud begins to attend the funerals and wakes of strangers.
Along with his unlikely friends: a cultured man with paraplegia, a quirky, Lorelei Gilmore-esque woman, and an earnest 8-year-old neighbor, Bud confronts his past and purpose.
I laughed out loud several times while listening to this, and got teary-eyes quite a few times as well. This book would make for an amazing book club discussion!!
April 19, 2025
Have you ever had a moment when you realize you can see a situation clearly, like you’re seeing it from a distance even though you’re totally absorbed by it? You’re still in it, it’s still affecting you, but somehow you’re able to step back and see the bigger picture, and you know you’re seeing it with the right lens, even if just for a moment. This book invites you to step into that space of awareness and perspective, and I am thankful for that little gem of a reminder, courtesy of a very good book.
April 13, 2025
Rounded up from a 4.5. Loved the writing & the narration was spot on. A story everyone can learn from.
April 15, 2025
i prob would’ve enjoyed this more if i didn’t find out it wasn’t a memoir halfway through .
April 23, 2025
I picked up this book because the title was clever.
The writing is also very clever.
And deeply, deeply profound.
This is a book that will stay with me and that I will share with everyone I know.
The writing is also very clever.
And deeply, deeply profound.
This is a book that will stay with me and that I will share with everyone I know.
January 22, 2025
The best novel I've read in quite a while is both hilarious and heartbreaking. Bud's self-deprecating nature, and the serious problems it causes him, is superbly described by the author. Supporting characters, especially Clara, Tim, and Tuan, are well developed. I found myself smiling and chuckling when I wasn't holding back tears for the characters who quickly wormed their way into my heart.
April 22, 2025
Decided I wanted to read “a humorous and witty� book, so I landed on this one. Can you imagine a newspaper obituary writer accidentally(in a drunken tired state) pressing send on his very own obituary? Bud is sarcastic by nature , but as repercussions pour in on his life,or death, he tries to manage the fallout. He starts to explore death and attends random funerals, trying to see what death is really all about. Is it about death or the accumulation of a lived life. All of a sudden the story becomes a powerful insight into the meaning of life.
This book touched my soul. I, myself, had someone write an obit for my brother. It was full of things that never occurred and inaccuracies, so that anyone who read it and knew him was asking who is this person. After reading this, I know for sure that everyone should write their own story. I’m already composing in my head as I write this. Second, the character named Tim really spoke volumes. His insight into living a life with a broken body hit me right in the gut.
At times, it was slow and laid back, and then the punch it delivered was incredible. Too many people go through life without ever really living it. Grief stops us on so many levels and in so many different ways. Well deserved 5*; it’s hard to believe this was fiction.
“One advantage for the dead is that they never have to read your writing.�
“You can’t get these details wrong. This is history for family and friends, a thing they will print and laminate, save and pass down.�
“Because when half your body is dead, you don’t live a long, happy life.�
This book touched my soul. I, myself, had someone write an obit for my brother. It was full of things that never occurred and inaccuracies, so that anyone who read it and knew him was asking who is this person. After reading this, I know for sure that everyone should write their own story. I’m already composing in my head as I write this. Second, the character named Tim really spoke volumes. His insight into living a life with a broken body hit me right in the gut.
At times, it was slow and laid back, and then the punch it delivered was incredible. Too many people go through life without ever really living it. Grief stops us on so many levels and in so many different ways. Well deserved 5*; it’s hard to believe this was fiction.
“One advantage for the dead is that they never have to read your writing.�
“You can’t get these details wrong. This is history for family and friends, a thing they will print and laminate, save and pass down.�
“Because when half your body is dead, you don’t live a long, happy life.�
April 22, 2025
IN MY TOP FIVE FOR 2025
It's rare that I laugh AND cry through a book. Much less a book about grief. And it's many forms: the death of a friendship, the slow death of a marriage, the death of a good friend, a relative. John Kenney's humor is sharp and dark and sarcastic and shows up at unexpected times in this book. But it works. How many times did I read a passage just to re-read it to make sure I read what I read? Countless times. Sometimes the humor shouldn't be in there but after you read it, you realize it fits beautifully.
The book has soft, hard and quiet edges. All unexpected through the entirety of the book. It's about living - and how it's our only job to live a good life. To love as much and as often as we can take it. To allow to be loved. And to show love unto others who, at times, don't know how to love themselves. All lessons I have learned very late in life.
This book easily slipped into my top five for the year and it's only April.
I highly recommend this as a book club book. Oh, I promise you the book club conversations will be very enlightening and enjoyable.
It's rare that I laugh AND cry through a book. Much less a book about grief. And it's many forms: the death of a friendship, the slow death of a marriage, the death of a good friend, a relative. John Kenney's humor is sharp and dark and sarcastic and shows up at unexpected times in this book. But it works. How many times did I read a passage just to re-read it to make sure I read what I read? Countless times. Sometimes the humor shouldn't be in there but after you read it, you realize it fits beautifully.
The book has soft, hard and quiet edges. All unexpected through the entirety of the book. It's about living - and how it's our only job to live a good life. To love as much and as often as we can take it. To allow to be loved. And to show love unto others who, at times, don't know how to love themselves. All lessons I have learned very late in life.
This book easily slipped into my top five for the year and it's only April.
I highly recommend this as a book club book. Oh, I promise you the book club conversations will be very enlightening and enjoyable.
April 24, 2025
Sarcastically funny and gut wrenching
April 5, 2025
Bud is a divorced middle age obituary writer. Who one night has to much to drink and accidentally publishes his own clever and not at all true obituary. Which is a huge No-No and is put on suspension until further notice.
This book was absolutely everything I was hoping it would be and more. Humorous with thought provoking moments about life, loss, and friendship. A reminder that we are all not promised tomorrow in a very tongue in cheek delivery. You will fall in love with the characters & NY setting. This one is going to stick with me for a while. And I’ll be looking forward to another release by John Kenney
One of my favorite novels is Speech Team by Tim Murphy and I could not help but feel those same vibes I felt while reading this one.
Thank you Zibby Publishing
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This book was absolutely everything I was hoping it would be and more. Humorous with thought provoking moments about life, loss, and friendship. A reminder that we are all not promised tomorrow in a very tongue in cheek delivery. You will fall in love with the characters & NY setting. This one is going to stick with me for a while. And I’ll be looking forward to another release by John Kenney
One of my favorite novels is Speech Team by Tim Murphy and I could not help but feel those same vibes I felt while reading this one.
Thank you Zibby Publishing
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April 6, 2025
I loved this book so much. I felt such a connection with all of the very human and lovable characters. I loved the wit� and the pain, the growth and reflection. I highly recommend. I will be thinking about this for a long time.
January 28, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
I SEE YOU’VE CALLED IN DEAD by John Kenney
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌿What It’s About
A coming-of-middle-age tale about having a second chance to write your life’s story.
🌿My Thoughts
✨In the opening pages, we meet Bud, a middle-aged obituary writer, who is a bit of a lovable loser. He’s just struck out on a blind date when the woman he’s meeting brings her ex-boyfriend along to tell him the date is off. Ouch. After drinking off his humiliation, he goes home and writes � and accidentally publishes � his rather hilarious and entirely false in every way obituary.
� At its heart, this is the story of an obituary writer who doesn’t understand the meaning of life. It’s got heart, humor, depth, love, loss and all the things that make for good reading. In these pages, you’ll find a tale of what it means to love the miracle of just being alive.
✨It’s a love letter to New York City with all its nuances and cadences and hidden, tucked away corners. You can’t turn the last page of this book without having a new appreciation for the Empire City.
✨I fell in love with the charming cast of characters, and I couldn’t help but look at life a little differently when I finished � Kleenex in hand.
♡“Maybe we’re all obituary writers. And our job is to write the best story we can now.�
(used with permission)
🌿Read if you like:
✨Hܳǰ
✨Laughter through tears
✨Neurodivergent rep
✨Mental health rep
✨Disability rep
✨NYC settings
I highly recommend this one, friends.
My thanks to @zibbypublishing and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.
I SEE YOU’VE CALLED IN DEAD by John Kenney
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌿What It’s About
A coming-of-middle-age tale about having a second chance to write your life’s story.
🌿My Thoughts
✨In the opening pages, we meet Bud, a middle-aged obituary writer, who is a bit of a lovable loser. He’s just struck out on a blind date when the woman he’s meeting brings her ex-boyfriend along to tell him the date is off. Ouch. After drinking off his humiliation, he goes home and writes � and accidentally publishes � his rather hilarious and entirely false in every way obituary.
� At its heart, this is the story of an obituary writer who doesn’t understand the meaning of life. It’s got heart, humor, depth, love, loss and all the things that make for good reading. In these pages, you’ll find a tale of what it means to love the miracle of just being alive.
✨It’s a love letter to New York City with all its nuances and cadences and hidden, tucked away corners. You can’t turn the last page of this book without having a new appreciation for the Empire City.
✨I fell in love with the charming cast of characters, and I couldn’t help but look at life a little differently when I finished � Kleenex in hand.
♡“Maybe we’re all obituary writers. And our job is to write the best story we can now.�
(used with permission)
🌿Read if you like:
✨Hܳǰ
✨Laughter through tears
✨Neurodivergent rep
✨Mental health rep
✨Disability rep
✨NYC settings
I highly recommend this one, friends.
My thanks to @zibbypublishing and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.
April 9, 2025
Thank you Zibby Publishing for my #gifted ARC and thank you Libro.fm and Zibby Media for my #gifted listening copy! #ZibbyBooksAmbassador #ZibbyBooks #ZibbyMedia #librofm #ISeeYouveCalledInDead #JohnKenney #SeanPatrickHopkins
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐈 𝐒𝐞𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐯� 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐲
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐬
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 - 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐰!
𝟓�
This book was everything! I fell in love with Bud Stanley from the start. If you loved show The Office, I think you will enjoy this book, as the humor is very similar. John Kenney has created the most hilarious yet heartwarming story about life and I cannot recommend this one enough.
Bud Stanley, an obituary writer, is recently divorced. After a blind date gone wrong, he has too much to drink and ends up signing into his work database and publishing his own obituary. Now, his newspaper wants to fire him, but he’s listed as dead, and they can’t fire a dead person. While waiting to find out what’s going to happen at work, Bud attends the wakes and funerals of strangers to learn how to live.
This book had me laughing and reflecting and then I was crying towards the end. What a beautiful book! Never did I expect to feel such strong emotions when I picked up this book, but I am so glad I read this one!
📰Witty Humor
📰Amazing Supporting Characters
📰dzԲ-Ǵ-Ѿ--DZ
📰Second Chances
📰Hilarious & Heartwarming
📰Must Read Literary Fiction
🎧I alternated between the physical book and the audiobook, which was narrated by the talented Sean Patrick Hopkins. I thought the audiobook was absolutely phenomenal and I loved my time listening. I’ve listened to this narrator many times before and this just seemed like such a perfect fit for this book. I highly recommend this one on audio!
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐈 𝐒𝐞𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐯� 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐲
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐬
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 - 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐰!
𝟓�
This book was everything! I fell in love with Bud Stanley from the start. If you loved show The Office, I think you will enjoy this book, as the humor is very similar. John Kenney has created the most hilarious yet heartwarming story about life and I cannot recommend this one enough.
Bud Stanley, an obituary writer, is recently divorced. After a blind date gone wrong, he has too much to drink and ends up signing into his work database and publishing his own obituary. Now, his newspaper wants to fire him, but he’s listed as dead, and they can’t fire a dead person. While waiting to find out what’s going to happen at work, Bud attends the wakes and funerals of strangers to learn how to live.
This book had me laughing and reflecting and then I was crying towards the end. What a beautiful book! Never did I expect to feel such strong emotions when I picked up this book, but I am so glad I read this one!
📰Witty Humor
📰Amazing Supporting Characters
📰dzԲ-Ǵ-Ѿ--DZ
📰Second Chances
📰Hilarious & Heartwarming
📰Must Read Literary Fiction
🎧I alternated between the physical book and the audiobook, which was narrated by the talented Sean Patrick Hopkins. I thought the audiobook was absolutely phenomenal and I loved my time listening. I’ve listened to this narrator many times before and this just seemed like such a perfect fit for this book. I highly recommend this one on audio!
January 7, 2025
ARC review
Bud is a middle-aged, divorced obit writer who goes on a spectacularly bad blind date, gets drunk, and publishes his own wildly sensationalised obituary. His inevitable suspension from work causes him to have plenty of free time to meet new people, connect deeper with a faithful friend, and reflect on life and death.
I See You’ve Called in Dead is a beautiful example of literary fiction. Bud as a protagonist is endearing and easy to empathise with. The world is filled with realistic characters, good and bad. The author had taken a mundane career and industry that most people wouldn’t think about for most of their life, and built a whole life influenced by it. What I loved the most about this book is you’re promised a funny my-life-is-falling-apart narrative (which you get, don’t get me wrong) and suddenly you’ll be SOBBING. Through Bud, the author invokes deep reflection about how we as a collective and individuals treat death and the fear of being forgotten. I also enjoyed the characters being older than their 20’s like a lot of lit fic I read.
This book is perfect for those who read to feel connected to characters and reflect on their own emotions. The author expertly explores grief, of those who have died and those who have left us, and reminds us that it’s never too late to change your path.
Bud is a middle-aged, divorced obit writer who goes on a spectacularly bad blind date, gets drunk, and publishes his own wildly sensationalised obituary. His inevitable suspension from work causes him to have plenty of free time to meet new people, connect deeper with a faithful friend, and reflect on life and death.
I See You’ve Called in Dead is a beautiful example of literary fiction. Bud as a protagonist is endearing and easy to empathise with. The world is filled with realistic characters, good and bad. The author had taken a mundane career and industry that most people wouldn’t think about for most of their life, and built a whole life influenced by it. What I loved the most about this book is you’re promised a funny my-life-is-falling-apart narrative (which you get, don’t get me wrong) and suddenly you’ll be SOBBING. Through Bud, the author invokes deep reflection about how we as a collective and individuals treat death and the fear of being forgotten. I also enjoyed the characters being older than their 20’s like a lot of lit fic I read.
This book is perfect for those who read to feel connected to characters and reflect on their own emotions. The author expertly explores grief, of those who have died and those who have left us, and reminds us that it’s never too late to change your path.
January 20, 2025
I wanted to like this book more than I did. I really enjoy books that explore grief and loss and death, so I requested this after reading the synopsis because I had a feeling I would love it. And it started off so strong. I was laughing out loud SO much in the beginning. However, the middle lost me. So much of the story feels like a stream of consciousness and I found the writing style to be quite chaotic. I really enjoyed the ending and the wrap up of Bud’s journey and lessons learned, but the path there wasn’t it for me. There were moments that worked, but on the whole I feel like the flow of the story could have used some finesse. I do think, given the narrator’s unique voice and humor, that this will work for a very specific reader looking for a sort of no-nonsense dark humor/depressed take on death and dying.
Thank you so much, Zibby Books and NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Thank you so much, Zibby Books and NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.
April 1, 2025
(2.5 / 5)
After a failed blind date, obituary writer Bud Stanley gets drunk and publishes an outlandish, completely fictional obituary…for himself. The company he works for suspends him and then finds out they can’t fire him, because the system thinks he’s dead. Meanwhile, Bud starts to attend funerals of strangers, prompted by an intriguing young woman who suggests that it might help him learn how to live.
I requested this book on NetGalley because it was listed as humor/satire. Between that and the premise, I thought it would be somewhat lighthearted (or at least darkly humorous) and involve a lot more of what would happen in a situation where his job wanted to fire him but couldn’t. Neither of these things is true. There are a few witty or snarky comments here and there, and I did note at least one scene with satire, but overall, the book is mostly slow and depressing. And his job is so in the background that he only goes there a few times throughout the book. I know that I am the absolutely wrong audience for this, though, so I am not going to spend a lot of time describing what I didn’t like about it. Bud is reeling from a nasty divorce (his wife cheated on him in a particularly bad way), which explains his mental state. However, he’s surrounded by pretty good friends who are giving him some great advice. Yet he mostly just floats through life, not really taking charge at all. His mom died when he was a teenager, which is also something he doesn’t seem to have fully processed and dealt with, even though he went to therapy for a while. Maybe he stopped too soon.
The book is full of introspection and discussion about deep topics, during which Bud often responds flippantly and makes me want to smack him. There’s also a lot of description, which I tended to skim. Overall, the book is about someone halfheartedly trying to find the meaning to life, so if that interests you, you might like this book a lot more than I did. I know, though, that looking for the meaning of life without God (not that there’s never any mention of God in this book, but He certainly isn’t seen as the answer to Bud’s problems) is completely pointless. And, though there were a few decent moments, “pointless� pretty well sums up how this book felt to me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Zibby Publishing for providing me a copy of this book to review.
After a failed blind date, obituary writer Bud Stanley gets drunk and publishes an outlandish, completely fictional obituary…for himself. The company he works for suspends him and then finds out they can’t fire him, because the system thinks he’s dead. Meanwhile, Bud starts to attend funerals of strangers, prompted by an intriguing young woman who suggests that it might help him learn how to live.
I requested this book on NetGalley because it was listed as humor/satire. Between that and the premise, I thought it would be somewhat lighthearted (or at least darkly humorous) and involve a lot more of what would happen in a situation where his job wanted to fire him but couldn’t. Neither of these things is true. There are a few witty or snarky comments here and there, and I did note at least one scene with satire, but overall, the book is mostly slow and depressing. And his job is so in the background that he only goes there a few times throughout the book. I know that I am the absolutely wrong audience for this, though, so I am not going to spend a lot of time describing what I didn’t like about it. Bud is reeling from a nasty divorce (his wife cheated on him in a particularly bad way), which explains his mental state. However, he’s surrounded by pretty good friends who are giving him some great advice. Yet he mostly just floats through life, not really taking charge at all. His mom died when he was a teenager, which is also something he doesn’t seem to have fully processed and dealt with, even though he went to therapy for a while. Maybe he stopped too soon.
The book is full of introspection and discussion about deep topics, during which Bud often responds flippantly and makes me want to smack him. There’s also a lot of description, which I tended to skim. Overall, the book is about someone halfheartedly trying to find the meaning to life, so if that interests you, you might like this book a lot more than I did. I know, though, that looking for the meaning of life without God (not that there’s never any mention of God in this book, but He certainly isn’t seen as the answer to Bud’s problems) is completely pointless. And, though there were a few decent moments, “pointless� pretty well sums up how this book felt to me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Zibby Publishing for providing me a copy of this book to review.
April 7, 2025
Read Completed 4/7/25 | 2.5 stars | Book #49 of 2025
This just wasn't the book for me, but not a bad read. It's one of those contemporary novels where it doesn't really have a plot and just kind of meanders all around a topic. I picked it up because I was hoping for humor, and there definitely was some, but more just the level of a smirk and not an all out laugh.
After finishing, I don't really have much to say about it. I just wasn't engaged and it was fairly boring, but I know it's just not my personal taste. You have to be engaged with the topic and the essence of the story to be interested and I just wasn't. Not the right time, not the right mood, but I can see why it hits for others. The book is VERY introspective, which is fine, but I was hoping for just a bit more plot to keep the momentum moving as well. I wanted to see more his interactions with work and more *events* to keep the a reader like me hooked. I guess I'm just not the right audience and/or this was just the wrong time for me to pick this up.
This just wasn't the book for me, but not a bad read. It's one of those contemporary novels where it doesn't really have a plot and just kind of meanders all around a topic. I picked it up because I was hoping for humor, and there definitely was some, but more just the level of a smirk and not an all out laugh.
After finishing, I don't really have much to say about it. I just wasn't engaged and it was fairly boring, but I know it's just not my personal taste. You have to be engaged with the topic and the essence of the story to be interested and I just wasn't. Not the right time, not the right mood, but I can see why it hits for others. The book is VERY introspective, which is fine, but I was hoping for just a bit more plot to keep the momentum moving as well. I wanted to see more his interactions with work and more *events* to keep the a reader like me hooked. I guess I'm just not the right audience and/or this was just the wrong time for me to pick this up.
April 19, 2025
I See You’ve Called in Dead is simultaneously hilarious, dark, philosophical, heartbreaking, and uplifting. The character development is so well-done and the characters are believable and flawed, but beautiful. The dialogue and the friendships the author develops are so well done.
The protagonist, Bud is an obituary author who is going through some things in his life and has a meltdown. He ends up writing his own obituary and publishing it and his life just keeps spiraling.
He begins attending wakes and funerals and along the way (with the help of his amazing friends), he learns to live.
This is not an action-packed book. It is not spicy. It is humorous and deep and lovely, and I loved it.
The protagonist, Bud is an obituary author who is going through some things in his life and has a meltdown. He ends up writing his own obituary and publishing it and his life just keeps spiraling.
He begins attending wakes and funerals and along the way (with the help of his amazing friends), he learns to live.
This is not an action-packed book. It is not spicy. It is humorous and deep and lovely, and I loved it.
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