Set in Newark, Britain, The Dead Father’s Club follows the plight of narrator Philip Noble. This is an amazing and imaginative update of Hamlet, as seen through the eyes of an 11-year-old boy. Phillip is like any other boy his age – except that he sees his father’s ghost, who appears explaining that he was murdered by his brother, Uncle Alan. His father then charges his young son to avenge his death.

All the while, Philip tries to manage school, first love, bullies, and his own lack of self-confidence. Not only must Phillip deal with the panic attacks he suffers and mandated meetings with a school counselor, but when Uncle Alan makes clear his designs on his mother, a distraught and horrified Phillip must decide how to grapple with the situation.

Matt Haig’s debut novel in the U.S. leaves us with the satisfaction of having read a good novel. Haig does a fabulous job of exploring the psyche of an eleven-year-old boy. He takes serious situations and makes them come across with humor and a full range of other emotions. The Dead Fathers Club is a refreshing and modern tale of grief and revenge - and also a definite must-read.