The Dead Fathers Club

Eleven-year-old Philip Noble has a big problem. His dad has appeared to him as a member of the Dead Fathers Club, a club for "ghost dads" whose murders are unavenged. His father's road accident, it turns out, was no accident at all. Uncle Alan is responsible for his dad's death, and if Philip doesn't succeed in killing his uncle before his dad's birthday, just ten weeks away, his dad's spirit will never rest. So begins Philip's quest to avenge his dad and to save his mum from the greasy clutches of Uncle Alan, who seems intent on taking his dad's place in their lives. But Philip finds himself both uneasy of his mission and distrustful of the ghost that claims to be his father. Plus, he's distracted by Leah Polonius, the gorgeous daughter of Uncle Alan's Bible-bashing business partner. What's a young lad to do? The Dead Fathers Club gives more than a nod towards Hamlet. Hilarious and unpredictable, The Dead Father's Club is full of poignant insights into the strange workings of the world as seen through the eyes of a child.

From Publishers Weekly

Something of a Hamlet for the 21st century, this audiobook presents Philip Noble, an 11-year-old boy whose father recently died in a car accident. But when his father returns as a ghost demanding revenge for his death, Philip must decide whether or not his Uncle Allan murdered his father. While grappling with the idea of murder, Philip must contend with all the typical stresses of adolescence including romance and bullys. HighBridge Audio's decision to cast 11-year-old Andrew Dennis to read this novel pays off. His youthful voice adds authenticity and his narrative skills fully envelope the first-person perspective of Philip. He also ably distinguishes additional characters. His most impressive feat is the level of emotion and intensity he maintains through many of the scenes. Several times, Haig repeats a word or phrase more than five times. In the text, this works because readers can skim, but listeners must hear each one. However, Dennis infuses different emphasis for each repeated word, making it work. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Daily Mail

Humorous and original. This is one of those crossover books like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

From AudioFile

Andrew Dennis is undeniably the star of THE DEAD FATHERS CLUB, a novel reminiscent of HAMLET. The 12-year-old is perfectly cast as Philip Noble, a boy who talks to his father's ghost and does not like what he hears. Dennis's voice is high-pitched and very British, sounding almost effeminate, but it quickly grows on the listener. Judicious editing could have limited the number of dialogue tags, which are sometimes annoying, but since the work is unabridged, the bad comes with the good. Dennis performs with a skill beyond his years. He makes the complicated story work. As in HAMLET, a murdered man begs his young son to avenge his death by killing his killer, the boy's uncle, before he marries the boy's mother. Dennis's delivery makes us accept the story of young Philip, who is confused, even angered, by his father's demand. This is a novel written for adults, but sophisticated YA readers may enjoy it. M.S. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About the Author

ANDREW DENNIS is a winner of the BBC Audiobooks' "Young Voice of Bath" competition. He was 12 when he recorded The Dead Fathers Club. He lives outside of Bath, England.MATT HAIG lives in Leeds, England. His writing has appeared in the Guardian, the Sunday Times, the Independent, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Face.

Reviews

News