Death and Other Occupational Hazards follows Death, who decides to take a sabbatical on Earth, but her holiday is interrupted when someone starts killing peoples who are not part of the Plan.

Veronika Dapunt wrote such a fun and exciting book. Death aka Delara was an amazing character, bringing a new spin on the character of Death.

With unexplained deaths happening that aren’t on the list, we see Death take it upon herself to solve the mystery. Alongside her sister Life and a parasitologist Marco, Delara needs to work out if it’s the work of Satan himself or someone else on Earth.

4/5 book. I love magical realism and this was 100% up my street.

3.5 stars

Death being burnt out and feeling undervalued, decides to go on a sabbatical to makeover her image with humans only to uncover a murder mystery - a death that wasn't in the divine plan

I enjoyed the humorous aspects of how ridiculous humans and our habits are, how perplexing it is to death. The corporate names for Jesus and Satan, and how the boss likes admin

What I struggled with was the lack of relationship between death and anyone (other than a beagle, although relatable). How that was a motivation for her

The relationship felt a little out of place too

I was expecting a fun spin on a murder mystery, there was much more existential debate than I expected

This was right up my street. A fabulous concept and an absolute joy to read. A real treat, very funny and beautifully bonkers.
Highly recommend.

Great concept! love that Death is female and pretty annoyed with depictions of her as skeletal and in a black cloak so when unexpected deaths start to occur right in front of her nose as she takes a sabbatical as a human she has to act.
The story gallops along with equal doses of humour and really poor crime solving skills!

What a fun and refreshing read! For a debut novel, Veronika Dapunt has truly delivered.

This book is witty, engaging, and full of character. The story feels fresh, with a compelling female lead who brings intelligence, relatability , and a touch of glamour (no black, of course). The murder mystery aspect keeps you on your toes, making it a real page-turner.

I’m already looking forward to reading more from Dapunt!

I had a such a fun time reading Death and Other Occupational Hazards. It is silly, witty and whimsical. It doesn't take itself too seriously and is just as much a comedy as it is a fantasy. It was easy to read and sink into, so my time reading it went past very quickly. Whilst the core of the story is about Death's sabbatical on earth, and her commentary on what it's like to be human, this is facilitated by an interesting mystery. Delara has to figure out who is killing people she's certain aren't meant to be dead yet? How is someone causing death that Death herself can't predict?

Recommended for people looking for a comedic, lighthearted fantasy.

An unusual story but I enjoyed every single moment. Death, Life, God all together following The Plan but I'm glad that Death is herself once more, look out for the flowery dress!

First thing's first, I think it's important to let readers know that this book deals with the death of a dog and does have some descriptions (though not super detailed) of animal cruelty. They are done tastefully and there are reasons for all of the above but it was still quite jarring when reading what is essentially a fairly cosy murder mystery. There is a happy ending, but I definitely found it quite shocking, especially the death.

Beyond that, this is a fun and funny read. The idea of Death having been around so long but still not understanding basic human things like how to dress for certain situations or eating food made the character quite endearing. There is a naivety to Death that I absolutely loved and was so at odds with most depictions out there.

I did find the "mystery" fairly predicable but it was still done well. I wasn't expecting the ending, however, which was beautifully bitter sweet.

The various immortal beings who pop up and the way they're dealt with often made me laugh out loud. It was respectful of different cultures and religions while still poking good fun, which I appreciate.

I really enjoyed this book but could absolutely have done without the negative animal bits.

This was enjoyable! I didn’t expect the comedy aspect of a book with Death as the main character. While there is a serious side to it, I found the novel otherwise humorously clever.

Death is feeling worn out and asks the Boss for a sabbatical. He sends her to London as a young woman. Death, now called Delara, meets with her sister Life, who helps her get a job as a paralegal. Delara loves to wear outrageous outfits. The banter between Delara and Life is hilariously amusing.

Suddenly there are “unplanned” deaths. Delara knows there are no unplanned deaths; everything is planned and plotted out with schedules to be adhered to. Delara must investigate, and the novel becomes a murder mystery. Death and Other Occupational Hazzards is a fun, witty, delightful read.

Thank you to Random House UK and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Death and Other Occupational Hazards
Author: Veronika Dapunt
Pages: 384
Rating: 5/5
Spice/Romance level: ❤️

This was such a quirky unique read. Death is a strong knows her own mind female, who loves daisy heeled shoes, heart sunglasses and feather boas. She decides that she needs to take a sabbatical. However, she discovers unplanned deaths and starts to investigate.

This was hilarious. A book containing miscommunication tropes, fabulous fashion, devoted dogs, love Vs duty. And I definitely wish the news was produced by death!!!

I loved how the book was gentle where it needed to be giving you time to process the heavy, and the uplifting humour that walked you through the plot. The characters were strong and likeable. Satan even had a Lucifer vibe about him!

It was cleverly written. I did guess the outcome but it was still an enjoyable fun read!

I definitely would recommend this go on your preorders if you want a light-hearted, fun, dark empowering read that makes you appreciate the world, your friends and yourself that little bit more.


You'll love this book if you like
- comedy fantasy
- unique take on death
- comedy murder mysteries
- dark comedy
- good boy doggos
- strong female characters
- sisterhood

Death and Other Occupational Hazards by Veronika Dapunt is a whimsical, witty and thoroughly entertaining mash-up of fantasy, comedy and mystery that offers a delightful twist on the classic figure of Death. Far from the stereotypical skeletal figure with a scythe, Death here is a woman simply doing her job—and she’s very good at it.

When Death decides to take a break from her eternal duties and experience life on Earth, things quickly spiral out of control. Someone is causing deaths that weren’t on her list, and it’s up to her to uncover the truth before it's too late. Along the way, she must navigate family drama with her sanctimonious sister, Life, and deal with the growing attraction to a charming parasitologist who might know more than he lets on.

Dapunt’s Death is a refreshing take on the character: bright, quirky and endearingly human, with a fondness for garishly patterned clothes and a deep appreciation for nature. As she embarks on a murder investigation while working as a paralegal in a criminal law firm, the pace is fun and fast, with a perfect blend of humour and suspense. The plot twists are unexpected, and Death’s sharp, sarcastic voice will stay with you long after the last page.

Death and Other Occupational Hazards is a clever, light-hearted read that perfectly balances fantasy, mystery and romance, offering a refreshing take on the figure of Death and a truly unique adventure.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

A unique story that is well written and entertaining.
A really enjoyed the premise that death goes on holiday to London. Her sister, Life tries to protect her.
Unplanned deaths are not allowed but death investigates them during her time as a human.
Love, loyalty and betrayal are all mixed in.
A fun and light-hearted read.

Sometimes even Death herself needs a break—which is how she ends up on sabbatical, posing as a paralegal in the heart of London, leaving the Temp to take care of her usual duties. Unfortunately, things don’t go quite to plan, when she discovers a death has taken place that was distinctly Unplanned. Can Death find out who’s behind the Unplanned death before it’s too late?

A genre-bending debut novel that combines comedy, fantasy and murder mystery (along with a dash of romance) in a show of relentless creativity, ’Death and Other Occupational Hazards’ is full of humour and heart and is a joy to read.

From the very first page, the voice—and its dark humour—had me hooked, and the fast pace whisked me through the story, with the short (but not too short) chapters driving me forward with that ‘just one more chapter, just one more chapter’ feeling. I often found time slipping away from me, I was so immersed in the story.

That said, the romance felt perhaps a little forced and it didn’t really work for me, but the way it was resolved was perfect for the story, and this won me over in the end. I particularly liked the focus on sisterly love in the story and that this didn’t come second to the romantic relationship, as is the case in so many other books. As for the rest of the ending…it felt a little convoluted and contrived, and like more than a few other details of the novel, it felt like it would fall apart with too much probing. This is definitely a book suited to readers who are willing to go with the flow and not ask too many questions or think about it too deeply.

The only real negatives for me were the portrayal of the mental health unit and the patients (which I felt resorted to stereotypes), the suicide coercion, and the animal harm/death. But, these points aside, overall ‘Death and Other Occupational Hazards’ was a fun read, and I look forward to seeing more from Veronika Dapunt in the future!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Veronika Dapunt and the publisher for the ARC. My review will be posted on Instagram, Amazon UK, GoodReads and The StoryGraph closer to the book’s publication date.

This is quite an unusual and quirky read, a mash-up of lots of different subgenres rolled into one. Death and Other Occupational Hazards is a piece of magical realism mixed with a thriller and a comedy, with the grim reaper taking a sabbatical from her work until she learns that unplanned deaths have been occurring on her patch.

In all honesty, I loved the premise but the execution fell a bit flat for me. I could see this story panning out either as a farce with Death figuring out how to act human, or as a witty game of 4D chess against other powerful and mythical beings residing on Earth. What we got kind of fell somewhere in the middle, being somewhat humorous but not laugh-out-loud, and a little complicated without the depth of a master scheme. My main gripe is in how these great powerful beings had limitations placed upon them regarding how they can act on Earth, which felt like it was for plot reasons aside from anything else.

There were a few unexpected and excellent elements of the story though, particularly the sibling rivalry between Death and her sister, Life. Their complicated but ultimately loving relationship was a really nice touch to the story, and I thought the compassionate and empathetic side to Death’s character was a wonderful and wholly unexpected angle to take. The whole corporate structure which Life and Death work inside was very entertaining, and I would have loved to see this pantheon expanded to see other mythical figures and deities from around the world included too.

In this book, death is portrayed differently—a vulnerable, flawed woman just doing her best. It makes death feel less terrifying than we usually think of it.
I really enjoyed was how this book shifted my perspective on death. Personally, I’ve never been afraid of death itself, though the idea of dying is another story. Fear of death tends to stem from the unknown—what comes after, if anything—but this story presents death in a softer, more peaceful light, offering a sense of calm and the possibility of a beautiful afterlife. While it’s a fun, light-hearted read, the book sneaks in some deeper, philosophical moments that I wasn’t expecting.

There’s a large cast, but the main focus is on Death, her sister Life, and Marco, a charming parasitologist. We also hear from Death’s superior (likely God) and the Devil. But at its core, this is Death’s story. The relationship between Death and Life is an interesting one, sometimes feeling like your typical sibling dynamic, which brings a fun layer to the plot.

At first, the romance seemed a little forced and unnecessary, but by the end, I actually felt it added depth to the story. Marco turned out to be one of my favoUrite characters, and the way he interacts with Death is absolutely brilliant.

This book mixes fantasy, murder mystery, comedy, and a bit of romance. At times, I wondered if it might be trying to do too much, but Veronika manages to strike the right balance. It really shouldn’t work on paper, but somehow, it totally does

I had read some quite intense books before this but it sound really fun, and even though it resolves around death, it looked quite funny and light-hearted.

It is narrated by death and she is instantly likeable. I loved this side of death. We all know the typical stories, images of death as a morbid, evil character dressed in a black down. But with this book, death is more of a vulnerable, flaws woman who is just trying her best. And it makes death not seem as frightening as we generally perceive it.

I also liked how it made me think of death. I have never actually been scared of death - dying, yes, but death, not so much. But the general feeling towards death in humans is fear, because none of us know what it entails, what happens to us, is there another life after this one. But this book gave us a more tender side to death, it is more peaceful and calming, and just sees like there is a beautiful afterlife coming. And so whilst it is a light-hearted, fun story, it does have these sort of philosophical moments that makes you think, which I wasn't expecting.

There are lots of characters, but our main players are, of course, Death, and her sister Life, and the dashing parasitologist Marco. We also get bits from Death's boss (God, one assumes) and the Devil. But this is really Death's story. Life is a great foil to her and it's a great exploration of their relationship which at times just seems like the everyday sibling relationship which was fun.

I did feel the romance was a bit unnecessary to begin with, a bit forced. But having finished it, overall I'd say it definitely added an extra depth, and Marco became one of my favourite characters, and his interactions with Death are fabulous.

It is a mixture of fantasy, murder mystery, comedy, and a touch of romance. At times I worried it might have felt too much but I think Veronika has found the right balance overall. On paper it shouldn't work but it really does.

Whilst I came to this book for a bit of light-hearted fun, I came to really enjoy the mystery element of it, and it had me rushing through the pages to find out what happened. I read it in less than 24 hours, it was so addictive, and if you're after a funny, light-hearted, but sometimes serious, book about love, life, and death, then definitely pick this up, I would highly recommend it.

Quirky and fun, but I found there was too much pontification and I it was confusing at times. I think this is a book that some will love and some won't enjoy as much.

fun and made choices I was not expecting, in the best way possible. an easy going read that still had an emotional impact on me, a tough balance to find!

I expected this to be a funny, witty novel based on the premise but it is also an insightful commentary on human behaviour and society.

This novel has a similar vibe to the show ‘The Good Place’. Filled with quirky moments as Death tries to get used to all that living on Earth entails, this story is perfect if you’re looking for something to make you smile. The mystery element had me hooked; I needed to know what was going to happen.

I also enjoyed the more softer philosophical moments as Life and Death shared their experiences.

Thank you, Random House for sending this arc. I’m forever grateful.

Thank you to Random House UK and NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I requested Death and Other Occupational Hazards on a complete whim, usually preferring to stick to the fantasy genre. I was pleasantly surprised by this book, and found myself eagerly turning the pages to find out what happened.

I enjoyed the novelty of Death taking a holiday from billions of years of work, with only a single day off. Unfortunately, while trying to navigate new relationships, fit in with humans, and repair the bond with her sister, Death finds herself having to solve the mystery of someone posing as her and reaping Unplanned Deaths.

Fans of the works of the late Sir Terry Pratchett, especially Good Omens, will enjoy this book.