Imagine writing books with so many different jobs, themes, and ideas. That’s exactly how it feels to pick up a book by Lily Chu in the best way.
While Lily Chu’s backlist might not be extensive, all of her books focus on different ideas and topics. Each plot feels even more interesting than the last, and frankly, it always gets me excited to see what she’s coming up with next.
With a title like Drop Dead though, there were already a few ideas swimming in my head. Even so, the book ended up being so much different from what I ever could have imagined. While her titles are usually pretty simple, the book within is much more complex and gives you a lot to think about.
Thankfully, I got an early review copy from Sourcebooks Casablanca, who publish print copies of Chu’s books. If you saw this book on Audible already, then you’re not seeing things. This book was previously an Audible original/exclusive, but you can now grab the paperback, too.
Drop Dead is a fun story about mistakes, friendship, and life.
Drop Dead starts off with a colossal mistake, and I don’t use that term lightly. Our main character, Nadine, is an obituary writer who ends up accidentally reporting someone had died. However, the twist is that Miss Dot Voline is very much alive and well. From there, it becomes a whirlwind for Nadine. She ends up getting demoted and starts to question herself which is understandable.
To try to make things better, she goes to Dot’s house to try to apologize and ends up running into her former rival, Wesley. From there, it turns into a game in which the two try to gain Dot’s favor which at first seems unlikely. Eventually, Dot allows them to come inside and learn more about her. The only condition is that they can’t publish the story until after she’s dead.
In the midst of talking to her and trying to do their own research, Dot ends up dying, and from there, it’s a race against time for the two to learn about Dot’s life and the secrets she’s been keeping. Unfortunately, her nephew wants to sell the house, and they don’t have much time to look through Dot’s belongings and find what they need. Cue these two becoming unlikely roommates.
If Drop Dead sounds like it has a lot going on, it does. Regardless, Lily Chu makes you come to know and love these characters, especially Dot. Her death was such a huge part of the story, and it ends up affecting the main leads so deeply. The book is still hopeful as Nadine and Wes end up falling for each other. Chu talks so openly about death, and it feels so refreshing, as most books don’t even want to touch a topic like that.
For those who have read Chu before, you’ll know she gives some commentary on families, their relationships, and how it affects the main characters. At times, this was hard to read but it showed why Wes and Nadine worked so well. They had so much to unpack, but they were motivated and wanted to do it together. While the romance wasn’t necessarily the central focus, it was a solid addition to the story.
Whether you’ve read Lily Chu’s books in the past or this is your first, you won’t be able to put it down. Her writing is so fun and easy to get into. Plus, these books are set in Canada, which feels like a rarity these days. Either way, Drop Dead feels like it’s going to be in many a beach bag this summer.
Drop Dead by Lily Chu is out now, where books are sold.