The Opposite of Lonely by Doug Johnstone

EVEN DEATH NEEDS COMPANY...

The Skelf women are recovering from the cataclysmic events that nearly claimed their lives. Their funeral-director and private- investigation businesses are back on track, and their cases are as perplexing as ever.

Matriarch Dorothy looks into a suspicious fire at a travellers’ site, and takes a grieving, homeless man under her wing. Daughter Jenny is searching for her missing sister-in-law, who disappeared in tragic circumstances, while grand-daughter Hannah is asked to investigate increasingly dangerous conspiracy theorists, who are targeting a retired female astronaut ... putting her own life at risk.

With a body lost at sea, funerals for those with no one to mourn them, reports of strange happenings in outer space, a funeral crasher with a painful secret, and a violent attack on one of the family, The Skelfs face their most personal – and perilous – cases yet. Doing things their way may cost them everything...

About the author

Doug Johnstone is the author of sixteen novels, many of which have been bestsellers. The Space Between Us was chosen for BBC Two’s Between the Covers, while Black Hearts and The Big Chill were longlisted for the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year. Three of his books – A Dark Matter, Breakers and The Jump – have been shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize. Doug has taught creative writing or been writer in residence at universities, schools, writing retreats, festivals, prisons and a funeral home. He’s also been an arts journalist for 25 years. He is a songwriter and musician with six albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, a band of crime writers. He’s also co-founder of the Scotland Writers Football Club and lives in Edinburgh with his family.

Review

‘The Opposite of Lonely’ is the fifth book in the fantastic Skelf series and I loved everything about it! Although, this is part of a series you can read it as a standalone. However I do recommend reading it from the start of this has become one of my favourite series of all time!

When I see that white padded envelope arriving on the doormat my heart skips as beat as I know it contains the next instalment of the Skelf series! I instantly want to run and devour it, but part of me holds back as I want to try and savour these characters and if there is an unread book it means there is something to look forward to. However, I normally just shove my tbr pile to the side and start reading. Once again I devoured this book as I have done the previous four and then felt bereft when it was over. That time I get to spend with the Skelf is precious and lovely, it's like returning to a group of old friends each and every time.

This series is something special. I was in a local Waterstones with a friend recently and showed her the series and of course, made her buy the first book ‘A Dark Matter’ and described the premise - three generations of women running a funeral parlour/detective agency in Edinburgh. It struck me again that this is such a unique combination and there really is nothing else out there on the market quite like it. Trust me I read a lot of crime fiction and run an online indie bookshop that specialises in crime fiction and there really is nothing else like this series! Plus, on top of the basic premise we get discussions on astrophysics, examinations of the ‘big’ questions, a discussion of marginalised groups in society and whether you should really meet your heroes oh and the topic of green funerals! This is just in this book alone.

The book opens with Dorothy presiding over a funeral on Cramond Island. The deceased was a member of an alternative community based nearby and they are celebrating his life with music and other things…yes the Skelfs funerals are not always normal! There is a dramatic exit and the body doesn't end up where it should be! Dorothy becomes involved with the community and when one of their trailers is set alight she is determined to figure out what has happened. Jenny meanwhile, with an new inner sence of calm has been tasked with finding a family member, one she really doesn't want to reunite with. Hannah is given the opportunity to meet one of her heroes - the first Scottish woman in space. But she soon learns that Kiraty is been targeted online and is tasked with finding out who is behind it!

The main theme that runs through this book is the marginalisation of people and how this affects their lives. Dorothy is dealing with an alternative community, Hannah is searching for answers to keyboard warriors attacking a prominent figure. But the story that touched me the most was the ‘funeral crasher’. His grief and lack of power in a horrible situation really touched me and Doug managed to convey such empathy in his writing.

I really could carry on reading about the Skelfs forever. There is magic in these books and I love reading them. Roll on book six!

Let me know if you pick this one up!