This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce 
Obituary writer Nick Donoghue’s life changes when he is involved in a train crash. While most of the passengers receive horrific or even life-threatening injuries, Nick walks away with very minor cuts and bruises. Nick insists he is fine and quickly returns to work at the newspaper, but beneath the surface he is falling apart. Plagued by disturbing dreams and writer’s block, Nick finally admits that all is not well and accepts the use of his friend’s holiday home in Cornwall.
Despite the crumbling wreck of a house that Nick finds himself staying in, Nick begins to relax again once he is away from the stresses of his everyday life and his nightmares abate. And then Nick meets Sasha, a local woman he finds himself falling in love with.
It took me a little while to really get into The Obituary Writer, but I was drawn in once Nick’s dreams began to take hold. The dreams were an intriguing part of the plot and I found the unfolding events interesting and wondered what would happen next. Unfortunately, the book then moved onto part two and it was a bit like starting from scratch. There was still the character of Nick, but it felt like a completely different book to the first part, which was a shame as I’d been really enjoying it.
Nick isn’t a character I could always sympathise with but, on the whole, I enjoyed his story, even if it wasn’t always a joyful tale. I did feel for him as his dreams seemed to suffocate him, leeching the life from him, however I didn’t always back the way he behaved towards those around him.
7/10
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