Caffeinated Reviewer | Death and Other Occupational Hazards by Veronika Dapunt
24th Feb
Narrated by Chiara Goldsmith, Death and Other Occupational Hazards by Veronika Dapunt shares a murder-mystery where Death, who is on sabbatical on Earth, discovers an unauthorized death and investigates. The tale that unfolded was smart, funny, and served with a side of romance.
Death and Other Occupational Hazards
by Veronika Dapunt
Narrator: Chiara Goldsmith
Length: ‎9 hours and 14 minutes
Genres: Fantasy
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible | Libro.fm *affiliate
Rating: 
Narration: 4.5 cups Speed: 1.45x
For fans of Sign Here and Benjamin Stevenson comes a darkly comedic, genre-bending mystery following a female-personified Death who must investigate a string of unplanned murders before the whole world is thrown into chaos.
Her job is to die for. Literally.
When most people think of Death, they picture a skeleton in a black potato sack. Maybe with a scythe. Truth is, she’s just a woman doing a job, and she’s very good at it. Still, even Death needs a break. But when she finally takes some time off to live on earth, things start to go terribly wrong. Someone is killing people not on her list (well, not yet anyway) and it’s up to her to find the killer before it’s too late.To make matters worse, her sanctimonious sister Life – whom Death hasn’t gotten along with in millennia – won’t stop blaming her for the unplanned deaths . . . and then there’s the slight problem of the charming (and sexy) parasitologist she can’t quite trust.
But she’ll be fine, right?After all, who better to investigate a murder than Death herself?
Death, also known as Delara, isn’t exactly thrilled by humans’ depiction of her. Sure, there is the whole black cape and scythe thing, but she is so much more than that. She loves bright colors; she is kind and has a strong sense of responsibility. What she needs is a break. And so it is arranged for Death to go on a sabbatical. Her sister, Life, arranged all the details from the flat she will live in to the job she will have while on Earth.
The tale that unfolds brings mystery, unexpected romance, and dips into the bonds of sisterhood. Death lives in a flat in London, and from the outset, I loved our quirky Grim Reaper.
So Delara (Death) begins a job as a temporary paralegal at a small firm. She arrived for her first day of work dressed in flamboyant clothing, and I giggled at the response. But she is very knowledgeable and soon impresses her co-workers. As she works, she discovers an unauthorized death and investigates. She’ll call on her sister, Life, the boss upstairs, and interview other familiar characters. She also interviews an Italian parasitologist named Marco, whom she isn’t sure if she can trust but definitely wants to.
The story blends many genres and delivers dark humor and mystery with strong fantasy elements that kept me engaged. I loved both the earthly and heavenly side characters, which kept things interesting. The first point of view of Death was refreshing and well done. The mystery delivered danger and twists while the romance served on the side, and the bonds of sisterhood enhanced the storyline.
For a debut author, this story was refreshing. The author made good use of the setting, religious perspective and provided a fresh look at well-known characters. She delivered snarky dialogue even as she included scenes that rip at the heart (i.e. death of an animal). The mystery and pacing were well done, as was the blending of genres.
Chiara Goldsmith narrates. This new to me narrator captured Death and the many characters, from their personalities to their emotions.
About Veronika Dapunt
Veronika Dapunt is a British-Austrian author. Her debut novel, Death and Other Occupational Hazards, was a runner-up for the 2023 Comedy Women in Print Prize. She has always had a love of the darkly comic and the absurd, quite possibly the reason why her first career was in law. Veronika holds a degree from the University of Oxford and currently lives in London with an opinionated mini-schnauzer called Cosette.
About Chiara Goldsmith
Chiara Goldsmith is a versatile voice actor and narrator, best known as the voice of Fia in the video game Elden Ring.
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat.
