I want you to love this book as much as I did, reading it. Every word feels as though it were crafted for pleasure. Each description. Each turn of phrase. And each snarky come back by the main characters, a dead fox named Clare, and a dead badger named Gingersnipes (I read the whole book thinking her name was Gingersnaps.) Oh, and the narrator, we can’t forget the narrator, who warns us that it is about to get scary, or gruesome, or just about anything that is about to happen.

Clare helps souls of animals pass onto the four realms of eternity. They are Pain, Pleasure, Progress and Peace. She was told that she could either usher souls, or she could go to Pain, which she didn’t want to do.

When Gingersnipes shows up, Clare can’t figure out where to send her, and so she hangs around, and asks questions. So many questions.
Clare, for example, wants to go out, to figure out something.

“Where are you going?”
“Somewhere”
“To do what?”
“Something”
“You’re going somewhere to see someone about something?”
“Precisely” Clare said, hurrying off.
“Okay, but next time, don't prattle on about needless details!” Gingersnipes called after him. “It’s exhausting.”


This is instead a story of death, but also love. I know that sounds saccharine, but it works. And it is fun to read, so most of the audience won’t notice. There is no great moral here, other than to treat others as you would want to be treated.

Really, if I could give it ten stars, I would. And even though I have read the ARC, I still have it on my pre-order list. It is that good.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published on the 25th of February 2025.

I really enjoyed how good Aubrey Hartman wrote this, it had that element that I was looking for and thought it was a beautifully done story. It had a unique concept and thought it was a great children's book in showing moving on. I enjoyed the journey and was glad I got to read this.

Another winner from the author of The Lion of Lark Hayes Manor. A unique and intriguing story about a fox whose job is to usher lost souls into various realms of the afterlife. It was a unique take on what the afterlife may look like and really made one think about how the choices we make during our lifetimes may affect our afterlife. Clare, the undead fox and usher of souls, is aided by the least likely of allies to discover his true worth and purpose. Gingersnipes was one of my favorite characters as underneath her silly exterior she was wise and just the animal Clare needed in his life.

Deadwood Forest is a place of an everlasting fall - a season that is not quite dead, and yet still living. Clare lives in the Deadwood Forest, and is an undead fox. Clare was hit by a car a long time ago, and given two choices, to either go to the Afterlife or help be an Usher with other souls, chose the option of Usher. One day, a badger named Gingersnipes, appears on Clare's doorstep. Clare tries to help the badger into the Afterlife, but Gingersnipes cannot go. But this is not how things are supposed to go, and so the balance of life and death gets muddled. To try to fix this, they try to find Hesterfowl, a grouse who has visions and saw trouble ahead for Deadwood Forest. Once they do find Hesterfowl, Clare learns that part of that vision encompasses the fate of Clare himself.

This book packs quite an emotional punch. It is about grief and loss, and saying goodbye. Because of that, it is also a teaching book, as well. The themes are accessible for many age groups, and the entertainment factor makes this a quick, page-turning read. Also, I absolutely adored the cover of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.