R.I.P.

by Nigel Williams

Retired bank manager George Pearmain is, apparently, dead. According to the behaviour of everyone around him, it would seem that he is no more. Not only that, but his mother has also passed away too - and on the eve of her 99th year, poor dear. Not only that, it could be that they were both murdered. He feels fine otherwise.
As George's family gather for the birthday-celebration-that-never-was, he hovers around the house, watching and listening, entirely unseen. As a result, he makes all sorts of discoveries about himself, his wife Esmeralda and his supposedly happy family.
Screamingly funny and strange, it asks the question: What if you could bear witness to your own demise?

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 2, 2015

Reviews

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read some dreadful reviews of this book but you know what? They were all taking it too seriously.

George Pearmain wakes up the morning after his mother's 99th birthday party to find himself dead. To make matters worse his mother has been murdered, or so it seems. Williams is a master of black comedy. He clearly enjoys having a good laugh while he's writing. Not many books make me laugh out loud but on a couple of occasions I did, particularly during the funeral. I know that sounds sick but it really is funny. Basically this is a murder mystery which descends into farce towards the end but there are also occasional glimmers of more serious thinking about death in general.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. I needed something lighthearted for a change. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because it really became too silly towards the end. Well okay, the premise of the whole book is silly but there is good daft and bad daft. This is most definitely good daft!

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny and irreverent. Loved this!

[Nick Davies · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two and a half. Despite the 'deceased narrator' trope having been done to death before (so to speak), this dark comedy stroke mystery had enough intrigue to pique my interest, and sufficient wit to keep me going, just. However, towards the end it dawned on me that this was a book of almost exclusively unpleasant characters (the malapropisming cockney cleaner/carer particularly so, but several other dysfunctional family members coming close second) and the plot of a man finding himself dead and trying to work out who did it.. well it on reflection was a little tedious.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

It only gets three stars for the odd witticism (the trouble with banks is that they're too interested in money) and occasional laugh out loud moment. In between, after a promising start, the passages about the family are really boring. And half way through it becomes too silly for words. At least it's a quick read.

[Nigel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although often veering towards smugness and self-satisfaction, this is a typically outrageous and over -the -top black comedy from Nigel Williams set in upper middle-class Putney and populated by a cast of scheming outspoken colourful characters.

[Jane Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was actually the hardback edition I read.
The joke wore thin quite early on. Not my humour and, after the initial premise, not very entertaining.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, that's a record. It's taken me over twelve weeks to read this book - except that it didn't really. Because for at least eight of those weeks I wasn't reading at all and the rest of the time it was snails's pace. Somehow, and unlike other people who have read reams, I haven't found the lockdown conducive to concentrating on a book at all - which is bizarre. Having got about 2/3 of the way through initially I finally managed to come back to this and finish it in a few days. Must now keep up the attack!

The book? Well, difficult to judge really. It seemed like quite good fun with some interesting characters but without the continuity of the daily read it all became a bit flat. That's not Nigel Williams' fault whatsoever

[Lara A · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's the morning after a heavy night before and retired bank manager George Pearmain wakes up with a problem more serious than a hangover. He's dead, so is his mother and neither has died from natural causes.

R.I.P is a ghostly murder mystery featuring a cast of characters who could be friends of Alan Partridge. This is an engaging read despite it being tonally all over the place, as it swings from mocking modern celebrities, dark thoughts on family jealously, to some quite heartfelt reflections on the joys of spending your life with one person.

The murder mystery aspect is a little drawn out and not particularly mysterious, but the musings on sibling rivalry and having a front-row seat to your demise are entertaining enough.

[Tereza Basařová · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book randomly at the library because the cover caught my eye; I read a few lines and I was hooked. I read the book pretty quickly and I liked it quite a bit - it was pretty morbid and cynical but sometimes also very sweet. Even though it's about death, it's not a heavy book, and if you enjoy English humour, chances are you'll like it!

[Ell · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. ‘RIP’ is often repetitive, which makes it, at times, an annoying read. Nonetheless, it is a book that does not take itself too seriously, and is therefore thoroughly entertaining and provides some laugh-out-loud moments.

[Jay · Rating 1 out of 5]

"hillarious" was one review I had a few laughs but def not hillarious. It was racist in some parts, George just rambled on and on. A lot of sexual references that weren't to do with the storyline. I only carried on reading it to see "whodunnit"

[georginagem · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite constant references to Putney I did not find it funny at all so stopped reading. Tom Gauld artwork better than the book

[Oksana Wilkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant!

Brilliant, witty and very sharp novel. Makes one think about life and death and seeing it from different perspective. !

[Cara Patel]

I didn’t really like the narrator of this one. I didn’t really find it funny.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is the average standard i expect in every book i read - the jokes and its comedic timing made me laugh, the plot was fun and the story was easy to follow~

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one.

[Michael Ritchie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Occasionally long-winded, but genuinely funny and a great mystery.

[Ying · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story started of quite draggy, and I thought I wouldn't like this book judging from the first half of part one within the book.

I was proven wrong, this story will bring you through the mysteries within the Pearmain family with some amount of good humour

[Jill Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Newly retired bank manager, George Pearmain, woke up on the morning of the celebration of his mother Jessica's 99th birthday, dead. He was dead in his bed, and coincidentally, downstairs, his mother was also found dead on the kitchen floor. And so begins British author Nigel Williams' newest black comedy, "R.I.P". Most of Williams' novels take place in Putney, a prosperous London suburb located southwest of the city. (Filled with executive types and their families, Putney was also the scene of one of Williams' funniest novels, "Unfaithfully Yours".) George and Esmeralda Pearmain have raised two sons in Putney and have had a reasonably happy marriage, at least until George's sudden death.

But not only is George's death untimely, it also doesn't cause George to go where ever you go when you go. George is still around; invisible to the living, he hovers above the police and family as both his death and his mother's are being investigated. He sees the family as they tiptoe around the two deaths, which increase by one as George's batty sister is found dead. Her death by hanging is considered a suicide. But as much as the three deaths are mourned, much more interest is being paid to Jessica Pearmain's will and missing codicil. That codicil is worth both finding...and then destroying as the guilty party is basically named in it. The characters - both dead and alive - are, for the most part, vain, petty, dotty, as well as evil and dastardly. Oh, and there's a dead dog who makes the scene.

Part of Williams' novel is a mystery - who's knocking the family off, but the other part is a family love story. George Pearmain only begins to truly recognise how much he loved and valued his wife after he's unable to express those sentiments to her. Nigel Williams' witty novel is not for every reader.Both his characters and plots are dark...but darkly funny. I love his work.

[Alison Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

George is discovered dead in bed the morning of his mother's 99th birthday party. She is also dead, and they may both have been murdered. There are glaring inconsistencies in this story as, despite the various deaths throughout, only George seems to be conscious enough to do anything about discovering the culprit(s). His unseen observations of his different family members, friends and acquaintances are extremely funny, and he discovers all sorts of things that he never knew when he was alive. This is a silly, light read, but great fun.

[Helen Woods · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read and funny in places. Also found it quite moving as it examines the mundanity of relationships we're comfortable in. George's love for Esmerelda is a stronger thing than he realised while he was alive.

[Bookwormthings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started really well, then I went off it. Perhaps it's just I don't care enough about the sexual habits of suburbia. Don't not read it, but it didn't really feel like anything new from his other stuff.

[Paul Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

nice set up with great characterisations. ran out of steam a little towards the end but I still enjoyed it.

[Diana Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was OK easy reading..I kind of knew who did it at the first few chapters..