THE GOODBYE GIRLS

In this dark comedy, a disgraced journalist–turned–funeral planner gets more than she bargained for.

Aislin Fitzgerald never thought she’d be moving back to her hometown at age 30. Since leaving for college, she’s barely even visited the tiny Canadian burg, preferring her life as a successful, big-city reporter in Vancouver. But when Aislin takes things a step too far and publicly exposes her roommate’s abusive relationship, she finds every personal and professional bridge burned—and a return to her childhood bedroom in a house with her pet turtle, Secretariat, and her cantankerous grandmother Letty the only viable alternative. Letty raised Aislin after her parents died. Now 74 years old and widowed, Letty finds that her main hobby is attending the various funerals of friends and foes alike, a habit Aislin isn’t sure what to make of. When Aislin reconnects with Sarah, her former best friend and an ex–wedding organizer who’s now a single mother, the two decide to start their own business: planning funerals. With their combined skill set, along with the catering services of local cafe owner Jill Bentley and the town’s high number of older folks, Aislin and Sarah figure it’s a win-win. (“I see franchise potential,” Sarah asserts.) But their first client is the charming10-Gauge, a member of a biker gang called the Timber Dogs, who’s looking to celebrate the checkered life of fellow member Twiggy, whose death likely wasn’t an accident. Can Aislin manage a potentially dangerous situation in the name of a brand-new career? Domvile’s plot and characters are engaging and unique—most literary heroes don’t have pet turtles and plan funerals for motorcyclists. Letty is a funny but nuanced supporting player with an arc that defies the sassy older woman stereotype. And Letty’s love interest, Otto Lawless, provides comic relief as a former funeral home owner looking for a healthy dose of adventure in his second act. Unfortunately, Aislin doesn’t appear to learn or grow as the story progresses. While her stubbornness can be appealing, her tendencies not to listen to her loved ones and respect their wishes persist throughout the book even as Aislin begins to succeed.

An enjoyable career tale with an underdeveloped protagonist.