Spotlight on: A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Cheating Death

About the book:

from the publisher

Imagine a world where the collection of souls is secretly part of the corporate machine and even grim reapers get vacation time, and you have the concept behind Maxie Dara’s feel-good SCYTHE mystery series that Kirkus Reviews calls “one to watch.” In this lively second installment, a risk-averse Grim Reaper becomes her adrenaline-fueled twin brother’s reluctant keeper when a file outlining his impending death lands on her desk.

In A GRIM REAPER’S GUIDE TO CHEATING DEATH (Berkley Trade Paperback Original; on sale December 2, 2025), ever since the death of her parents, modern day Grim Reaper Nora Bird has been obsessed with avoiding risk, and what better place to learn how to stay safe than the company whose business it is to collect the souls of the deceased?

When Nora stumbles upon the file of her twin brother Charlie, who she hasn’t spoken to in over six months, she goes against her cautious nature and races to her brother with the stolen file in tow. Despite his skepticism, Nora convinces him (along with his chatty parrot Jessica) to join her on an impromptu road trip to evade Charlie’s determined killer and S.C.Y.T.H.E, whose mission of collecting souls has been disrupted by Charlie’s continued existence. The only problem? Every time Nora manages to save her brother from his mysterious killer, another cause of death appears on his file.

But when their journey leads them to the small town of Virgo Bay, home to their late father’s estranged family, they uncover an even greater mystery that will have them questioning everything they thought they knew about life, death, and the newfound family they have discovered. Nora will have to use everything she’s ever learned to keep her brother safe and unmask the killer, but as she connects with her larger-than-life brother and the family she never knew, Nora realizes her desire to cheat death could be keeping her from enjoying the best parts of life.

With this latest installment, Maxie Dara masterfully delivers a heartfelt story that celebrates sibling bonds and how life’s greatest adventures are worth a little risk.

The author:

Maxie Dara is a writer and actor from Ontario, Canada. She has been a freelance journalist focusing on the local arts and culture scene for more than five years, with bylines in publications such as Hamilton Magazine and Beyond James, among others. She is also a two-time award-winning playwright, taking home the Best of Fringe award at the 2017 Hamilton Fringe Festival for the musical comedy This Is Not a Musical: The Musical! and the 2020 Torpedo Prize for her play Alone Together, a pandemic drama. Maxie knew she wanted to be a writer at the age of seven, when she first fell in love with the written word. She also wanted to be a mermaid but has mostly focused on the writing side of things.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Witty…A long list of suspects, a dark sense of humor, and surprisingly weighty meditations on mortality carry the day. It’s a killer good time.” –Publishers Weekly

“A funny and charming exploration of growth, overcoming fears, and the lengths family will go to protect loved ones.” — Library Journal

“Continues exploring this imagining of death’s bureaucracy with a wry tone and will appeal to readers who like a bitter bite with their sweetness.” — Booklist


Praise for A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer-First in the series

“I’d follow this grim reaper anywhere. Wildly creative and impossible to put down, sure to induce both belly laughs and tears, A Grim Reaper’s Guide To Catching A Killer is full of heart and soul(s).”—Laura Hankin, author of One-Star Romance

“Witty, moving, and with a mystery that’ll keep you turning pages late into the night, Dara’s debut is a creative, laugh-out-loud novel about the business of death, and what it can teach us about family, love, and the best parts of being alive.”—Claudia Lux, author of Sign Here

“I was hooked right away by the inventive premise of Maxie Dara’s A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer, but it was the relationships that really did me in. I loved watching Kathy bond with Conner, a dead teenager, and work through her relationship with recent-almost-ex-husband Simon, all set against the backdrop of a surprisingly corporate job in human soul logistics. Funny and warm and full of little moments that kept me guessing, A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer is a delightfully fresh mystery!”—Alicia Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers

“Fun and lighthearted despite the presence of death, the characters are relatable and funny, and the paranormal aspects are balanced with the ordinariness of Kathy’s messy life. The ending fleshes out this creative premise and sets the book up for the next in a heartwarming series.”–Booklist

“This debut paranormal mystery offers humor, love, and a strong cast of characters who form a found family.”–Library Journal (starred review)

My comments:

This book is the second in a series. It feels like a less traditional mystery title but may well appeal to those who are looking for a more quirky read.

Many thanks to Berkley for the opportunity to be a part of this blog tour.

This title is published on 02 December 2025