So fun and so funny. I love the podcast so this was a no brainer. This read like I was listening to a podcast and I loved every second of it.

A fun(eral) look at all things death, famous last words, deathbed confessions, you know, that sort of thing. Stems from a podcast that I’m not familiar with, but I don’t know a ton of podcasts. The book was cute, but very short, only 145 pages, and I would definitely feel like I hadn’t gotten my money’s worth if I paid, say, $24 for it.

Oh, and in my ARC, FRANKENSTEIN is credited to Percy Shelley. Percy. Ladies, the struggle will never, never end.

Informative and hilarious, though not for the faint of heart or readers afraid of dying. I read a lot of books about death but, even if some of the information here wasn’t new to me, I still learned a lot (funeral clowns? If there is one thing worse than death, it’s clowns!). I loved the relatable tone in which the authors write, as it sounds like having a conversation with knowledgeable friends. Not everyone will appreciate the tone, though. Anyone who sees the solemnity of funerals might even be offended. People with a twisted sense of humor will appreciate how the authors take the sting out of something so sad by seeing the humorous side. I recently lost my beloved Dad and humor helps me cope. Spencer Henry and Madison Reyes with their gallows humor made my day.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/PENGUIN GROUP Dutton | Plume.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

This book was certainly very fun to read. Listeners of the podcast will LOVE this book.

The book goes over pretty much everything about death. Some of the facts included were not ones that I knew! I always enjoy learning new things. I wish there were more obituaries in the book, but I obviously understand that they use those for their podcast.

In all, an interesting and fun read.

This was such a fun read! It’s a light hearted take on a serious subject that we all face, death. I loved the trivia points about different celebrities and famous figures. The science was explained well and easy to digest. It does help to go into the book knowing it’s not a typical nonfiction book that you’d read straight though, but is more of a “chapter at a time” book. The humor was there and definitely was reflective of the podcast it’s based on.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story! It delved into what happens to the body after we pass away, exploring death rituals across religious, cultural, and historical contexts. The section on funeral foods was particularly intriguing, complete with the beloved potluck favorite: funeral potato recipe. Additionally, I discovered fascinating details about famous individuals’ final outfits and inmates last meals before execution. Overall, the difficult topic of death was handled with sensitivity, making it both informative and palatable.

If you enjoy the podcast, you will love this book. If you have never heard of the podcast but have even the slightest interest in this subject, you will enjoy this book. Spencer Henry and Madison Reyes do an excellent job of sharing the facts about death in an honest straight-forward manner. I learned a lot reading this book. I’m totally looking at my death in a new light. Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP for the ARC.

What a fun read. Love the podcast, so this was just a little extra look into their work and research. Easy read.

Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this advanced reader's copy. This book was hilarious. Definitely for the right audience, of course, but this book is about morbid ways some people have died. Some are absolutely horrible, and some are downright ridiculous. There are many ways to view death, but we all are going there so we might as well think about how we are going to go out.

This book uses lighthearted comment and humor to cover a pretty serious topic — death. Easy to read and full of some things I never really thought about or considered when it comes to death, I thought the authors did a great job. The stories were captivating and the book was easy to read and fast-paced. My only issue is that it’s basically a retelling of the stories, facts, and content of their podcast, so if you’re an avid listener of Obitchuary, this book won’t provide you with anything new.

It's fun to make light of death because it's the one thing it makes sense for everyone to be at least a little afraid of. This book is particularly fun because of the wide range of death-related topics, which ranged from the ick -- biological processes are gross! to last meals of death row inmates the mundane. I think my favorites were the obituaries that really tried to show what the people were like, even when they were terrible. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

Who knew reading about death could be so much fun? Chalked full of morbid humor, ghastly obituaries, and the world’s weirdest funeral requests, this book is a fun and informative read about funerary traditions around the world and through the centuries.

Maybe you’ve listened to “Obitchuary”, the podcast by Spencer Henry and Madison Reyes. They’re switching up the medium by publishing this “big hot book of death” and bringing you up to speed with some of the craziest will wishes. Like, did you know some people request their bodies to be modeled for their funeral? Or have you heard about grave dolls?

I found this book to be really fun and informative, and the writing style is relaxed… kind of like you’re reading the script to a podcast (it’s not written in script form). To be honest, I’ve never listened to the actual podcast before reading, and I really want to now. I think to some degree a lot of us have a fascination with the macabre, and exploring the different ways people prefer to be remembered and honored shows just how many options you really have.

At the end of every chapter, you’re given a look at someone’s obituary (and they are not always positive). Let’s just say... the tea was spilling. Plus, you’re given little insights into some celebrities alleged last words and how they wanted to be buried (or not). Basically, it’s a lot of fun little facts you can share around the dinner table– though you might want to wait until the food is digested.

While I really enjoyed this, I think that some parts might have been a little over-explained, which made it feel like it slowed down the pace. However, I will also note that it does mention in the beginning how this is meant to be a book that can be opened to any page and read.

I highly recommend this book, even if you’re just a tad curious about what happens on earth while your soul explores the afterlife. It might even inspire you to start planning ahead!

Thank you NetGalley and Plume for lending me an e-galley of this novel in exchange for an honest review

I love how this book brought levity to a topic that is either not talked about often or is seen as too sad. There were very uplifting stories right beside stories about how people exposed their parents for being terrible people through their obituaries.

I also liked the interspersed information about death; it really took the mystery out of the unknown and answered questions that many people are too afraid to ask.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I will start with the disclaimer that I have not listened to the podcast. But I promise that has nothing to do with my review. I just feel like it's fair to mention, as that's probably a large number of their readers.

ANYWAY, this was a fun read, morbid and still delightful. I was disappointed though when I started noticing some things that felt flippant and incorrect. Hear me out.
- When talking briefly about Carl Tanzler and his... proclivity for necrophilia, they referred to Maria Elena as "his side piece" whom he was in love with. I feel like this implies that they had some sort of relationship, when as far as I've ever read it was a very one-sided infatuation.
-"Percy Shelley, the brilliant mind behind Frankenstein and husband of Mary Shelley..." Ok. So this brought me down a small rabbit hole on the debated authorship of Frankenstein that I was completely unaware of. But like, maybe either don't give Percy credit for Mary's novel without some kind of citation on the debate OR perhaps just don't bring it up at all because it isn't confirmed or relevant? (Also, of course history is trying to take a woman's accomplishment and reassign it.) Later in the book, the authors mention Mary Shelly again, this time as the author of Frankenstein.
-"Scott Peterson's warehouse... where it turned out the crime had been committed." Another act of vague tea spilling that has no citation. Look, I'm not saying this one isn't correct, but I've never heard about any evidence in the warehouse bathroom or a confession about the bathroom, nor could I find it today. If that exists, please share. Otherwise, I just don't super trust what's being said based on the previous things said above.

Maybe these things seem small and don't merit 3 stars instead of 5. But I feel like 1) These are just the ones I actively caught and thought about and 2) it breaks trust in the material. I don't want to have to fact-check everything in a book that presumably has editors.

Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc of this book!

Meet death, and all its variables/stages. Meet “after death” which of course is the most serious of bits. Or is it.

This book…death but make her funny.

This is like a book full of death related fun-facts. A quick and easy read that's filled with some obits, some celebrity facts, some death adjacent customs of past and present. I think probably best read in short stints -- definitely gives me some new interesting tidbits to share at parties!

I do not listen to the authors' podcast but might need to start.

Obitchuary answers all my questions about death I never thought about asking. I now know there’s such things as professional mourners, funeral strippers, living funerals and the option of being buried atop your favorite motorcycle. I agree with other reviewers who said this would make a great coffee table book. It was a great read that makes the heavy subject of death entertaining and a little less morbid. Obitchuary is broken into 4 parts: 1- The end is just the beginning. 2- You can’t handle the truth. 3- F#cked. And 4- Till death do us part (and maybe not even then). Very fun and very informative. * Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Reyes and Henry offer a glance into some of the oddest stories in history, uncovering the mysteries surrounding death through everything from sensational deathbed confessions to unusual souvenirs produced from remains.

However, "Obitchuary" is more than just a shock tactic; it's a contemplative look at what mortality tells about our humanity. Reyes and Henry demystify taboo subjects and inspire readers to face their own mortality with humor and wisdom through sad insights and funny anecdotes.

For everyone interested in the darker side of life, "Obitchuary" is a must-read—it's shocking, grotesque, and poignant. Long after you've turned the last page, this book's blend of wit, wisdom, and compassion will have you smiling, gasping, and thinking about the mysteries of life and death.

Engaging, accessible, and entertaining. A recommended purchase for collections where death-related nonfic is popular.

This is such a fun coffee table book. As someone who works in and around / reads a lot about death, a lot of this information felt very common sense but I can see how others would find it intriguing. Overall, I really liked it.