Laurie Blount, the ‘enfant terrible’ of the West End, the voice of a generation, a shining star. Also: dead.
Very, very dead.
Reeling from being left behind, Laurie’s husband Jo, best friend Vivi, and goddaughter Rosy must step out from grief’s shadow and face life without him. But scattered chapters of Laurie’s unpublished memoirs ensure that while he may be gone, he’ll never leave them. Waspish, wicked, and witty, Laurie’s confessions reveal another side to him nobody really knew, or would admit to knowing. But can the words of a dead man be trusted?
Laurie’s grieving loved ones are about to discover that comedy and tragedy are the same mistakes, made under different lighting. If Jo, Vivi, and Rosy are ever to find peace in the future, they might need to confront Laurie’s past.
PRAISE FOR JUSTIN MYERS
‘Funny, kind, insightful book, about those who get left behind’ Russell T Davies
‘The Fake-Up is everything I want from a rom com. It’s warm, funny and whip smart. I feel like I know all the characters, they just leap off the page. I couldn’t put it down’ Laura Kay, author of THE SPLIT
‘Justin Myers has done it again – a brilliantly funny reimagining of the romcom, full of helter-skelter twists’ Adam Kay, author of THIS IS GOING TO HURT
‘Myers uses his razor keen eye for observation, dialogue and character to the wittiest effect’ Evening Standard
Very, very dead.
Reeling from being left behind, Laurie’s husband Jo, best friend Vivi, and goddaughter Rosy must step out from grief’s shadow and face life without him. But scattered chapters of Laurie’s unpublished memoirs ensure that while he may be gone, he’ll never leave them. Waspish, wicked, and witty, Laurie’s confessions reveal another side to him nobody really knew, or would admit to knowing. But can the words of a dead man be trusted?
Laurie’s grieving loved ones are about to discover that comedy and tragedy are the same mistakes, made under different lighting. If Jo, Vivi, and Rosy are ever to find peace in the future, they might need to confront Laurie’s past.
PRAISE FOR JUSTIN MYERS
‘Funny, kind, insightful book, about those who get left behind’ Russell T Davies
‘The Fake-Up is everything I want from a rom com. It’s warm, funny and whip smart. I feel like I know all the characters, they just leap off the page. I couldn’t put it down’ Laura Kay, author of THE SPLIT
‘Justin Myers has done it again – a brilliantly funny reimagining of the romcom, full of helter-skelter twists’ Adam Kay, author of THIS IS GOING TO HURT
‘Myers uses his razor keen eye for observation, dialogue and character to the wittiest effect’ Evening Standard
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Reviews
I'm a longtime fan of Justin's writing, full of wit, perception and acute emotional honesty. He remains the only person I know who can casually break your heart in the detail of an Instagram caption. The Glorious Dead is his best novel yet, demonstrating he's one of the most exciting writers around. Immensely clever and moving, dark and mature, a reflection on loss, on our compartmentalised selves, delivered in a gripping mystery
The Glorious Dead is deliciously dark, witty and devastatingly astute. It is a novel filled with idle gossip, life-ruining rumours, the shady underbelly of our lives that we know we shouldn't be engaging in but is impossible to resist. Myers writes his characters masterfully, his controlled and precise storytelling leading us down a path that feels more dangerous and thrilling with each step. What might we discover about ourselves, or worse, about the people closest to us? I didn't want it to end
A rarity, a novel so achingly beautiful but which packs the mightiest of punches. Prepare to have your heart ripped out and trampled upon. Full to the brim with pain, longing, regret, love and fresh hope, this is a masterfully told story
I wolfed down this brilliant book. If I wasn't laughing it was only because I was gasping at the twists. Intricately plotted with gloriously grotesque characters who have stuck with me ever since
When all the world's a stage, it can feel like everyone is playing a part. Justin Myer's The Glorious Dead delivers a propulsive and Oscar worthy performance, richly inhabited by a loveable and superbly flawed cast. Told from the cliff-edge of grief, this is a novel that leans over and looks down at the abyss, whilst never losing its footing
When all the world's a stage, it can feel like everyone is playing a part. Justin Myer's The Glorious Dead delivers a propulsive and Oscar worthy performance, richly inhabited by a loveable and superbly flawed cast. Told from the cliff-edge of grief, this is a novel that leans over and looks down at the abyss, whilst never losing its footing.
Myers does it again - crafting a moving mediation on art, love, loss and what it means to be happy in a world that has passed you by. The dialogue is deliciously catty. The prose precise and beautiful. You'll wish Laurie Blount was your friend. Until you very much don't
The Glorious Dead somehow manages to be both funny and devastating at the same time. With sharp wit and poignance alike, Justin Myers has written a moving meditation on how to live after loss in what is his best work yet
The whole thing is a masterclass in writing - and if Justin taught that class, I would be first in the queue to attend. He draws characters better than probably anyone else, and I know I'm going to be thinking about Laurie, Jo and Vivi for a long time to come. I was already a massive fan of Justin's writing, and now I'm officially a creep.
Witty, acerbic and waspish. There's a lot of Justin Myers in Laurie Blount. And that's a very good thing indeed
A deliciously dark departure for Justin Myers, full of twists and turns and plenty of laughs, too. So much fun. I devoured it
The juiciest story, exquisitely written, totally engrossing, mysterious and crammed with emotional intelligence. And all laced with Myers's trademark wit. A solid gold, five star smash
This novel defied my expectations in all the best ways. So brilliant on grief, friendships and relationships, and, of course, with Myers's warm wit. A hugely satisfying read.
A compulsive but deeply poignant chronicle of grief, relationships and ambition - all set against the bright lights and artifice of the West End. Sharply observed and brilliantly constructed, with characters and voices I won't forget.
Absolutely hilarious and beautifully emotional. It's such a clever, warm exploration of grief and what we leave behind that made me laugh the whole way through. I loved all of these wonderfully terrible people.
Pacy and riveting, Myers had me at the edge of my seat as I raced through this very unique book. The emotions are visceral, devastating and deeply personal. They will crawl under your skin, and yet remain highly relatable, making this a book that should be required reading for generations to come. In plain words, a masterpiece.