The Dead Fathers Club - Softcover

Haig, Matt

3.24

7,382 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0224076132 ISBN 13: 9780224076135

Publisher: Jonathan Cape Ltd, 2006

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Eleven-year-old Philip Noble has a big problem. It all begins when his dad, who has been killed in a road accident, appears as a bloodstained ghost at his own funeral, and introduces Philip to the Dead Fathers Club. The Dead Fathers Club are ghosts of dads in Newark who gather near the bottle banks outside the Nobles' pub. Philip learns the truth about ghosts: the only people who end up ghosts are murdered. He has to get revenge for his dad's murder by killing the murderer, his dad's brother, Uncle Alan. If he doesn't succeed in killing his uncle before his dad's birthday, just ten weeks away, his dad's spirit will never rest and he will always suffer the Terrors. 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. As Uncle Alan moves into the pub, Philip arms himself with weapons pilfered from the school chemistry cupboard, and attempts to carry out his father's relentless demands. But, things keep distracting him. Leah for a start - the gorgeous daughter of Alan's Bible-bashing business partner, Mr Polonius. And can Philip trust the ghost? The No Time before the Terrors take permanent hold is running out and when the moment comes to act, Philip finds himself hurtling towards disaster. Just as Matt Haig's acclaimed first novel, "The Last Family in England", was a brilliant reworking of Henry IV Part 1, with dogs in the major roles, so "The Dead Fathers Club" gives more than a nod towards "Hamlet". Hilariously funny, it is full of poignant insights into the strange workings of the world seen through the eyes of a child.

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Review:

"so surprising and strange that it vaults into a realm of its own" -- The Guardian

'Humorous and original. This is one of those crossover books like The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time' -- Carla McKay, Daily Mail

'Touching, quirky and macabre.' -- S Magazine, Sunday Express

Kept me in a state of tension throughout -- Bookseller

Utterly compelling to its unpredictable climax -- Eve

full of poignant insights and literary in jokes, plus the author does a nice line in grim hilarity -- Easy Living

From the Publisher:

A brilliant new novel from the acclaimed author of The Last Family in England

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