A great read. Light hearted foe the most part but thought provoking and extremely moving at the end.
Death is taking a sabatical leaving a temp in charge. Death's sister Life is loved by Humans but Death is feared.
Death collects souls when they die taking them onwards and always knows when they will occur.
During the sabatical however someone dies that Death herself was not aware off and therefore not part of the Boss's ultimate plan for creation.
The Boss seems distracted, so it is down to Death in her human form, to determine who is behind the unexplained death and to what purpose.
I was very moved towards the end of this novel, for what to us all, is inevitable the other side of the coin that is life.

I honestly wasn't sure what to expect when I picked this up. I had heard a few people talking about it - but I was attracted solely by the cover, which looked as though it would be amusing.

It definitely was. Using a combination of Greek, Christian, and Norse myths we have Death, the grim reaper, the fourth horseman (or woman in this instance), the Pale Rider. However, right now all she wants is a sabbatical. While travelling across the river with some souls she hears one talking about how someone had taken a sabbatical and returned refreshed and ready to continue their job. Feeling a little burnt out from all the dying, Death decides to persuade her Boss (God) that it's time for her to have a sabbatical. Seemingly reluctant, he finally agrees and sends her sister, Life, to take her to dreary London in a mortal body.

While in London, Death comes across an 'Unplanned Death', someone who's death was not part of the order. Knowing that it's not right, she sets about investigating. And this is what gets her into trouble, leads her to discover something very important about her own time on earth, and make some human, and canine, friends. I loved Grum, Marco and Abbie. I found Death's observations about the world her Boss and sister created...and discovering that they called Jesus the Human Communications Department was quite amusing.

Definitely an enjoyable read, and one I think that anyone who enjoyed the works of Terry Pratchett will find intriguing.

An unusual premise leads to a very good story.
The ancient Greeks believed that the gods had power over everything. In this book, there is a similar system with a hierarchy similar to that in present-day corporations. Overseen by The Boss (God),we have Vice President of Pandemonium and Perdition (Sayan) and his bother The Human Communications Director (Jesus), and sister Life and Death. Death requests a short sabbatical to live as a human, and this is granted with the Temp standing in for her. While on Earth, she discovers something that could lead to the destruction of everything on the planet. It all takes place in the present day.
This book clearly requires readers to accept the above premise. If they can, they are offered a story that is tense and fast moving, which despite the subject matter contains a lot of humour. There are also some quite gory bits.

This was a really funny book, with an excellent main character. Death is funny and sharp and oddly sweet in her way. I loved her relationship with Life. The ‘cameos’ from biblical characters were a riot

loved this book! the pacing was great and it was a dark, witty read. definitely recommend to those that would read a comedic fantasy!

I absolutely loved this book it was dark, funny and witty. The pacing was fantastic. The end with Garm had me sobbing.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book as it’s about life and death themselves but it turned out to be a great read! I loved how it played with what humans assume the creator and death are to make a brilliant read. It had funny moments, tense moments and everything in between.

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.