"You'd Look Better As A Ghost": A Serial Killer Story About Grief

Originally published in the UK in 2023 and released in the US in 2024, I first discovered You’d Look Better As A Ghost in an email from Penguin Books. I haven’t read many serial killer protagonists in fiction that I’ve liked, but the novel struck me with its clever title and cover. Plus, the idea a part-time murderer going to a grief support group sounded like a fun read.

Plot Summary

After her father’s funeral, Claire receives an email. Her entry in an art competition has been shortlisted, but the sender, Lucas, messaged the wrong person. The mistake leads to Claire track down Lucas at a bar. However, Claire doesn’t know someone is watching her. After killing Lucas, Claire attends a weekly bereavement support group where she suspects one of the members is her blackmailer who knows about her murderous hobby.

“Why are they talking about nothingness like it’s a bad thing? For me, nothingness is a perfect state. My mind flicks back to the nothingness I felt when killing Lucas. If only I knew then what I know now, I think I would have enjoyed that nothingness even more.” — Joanna Wallace, You’d Look Better As A Ghost

Review

You’d Look Better As A Ghost is one of the best books I’ve read this year. For a debut author, Wallace’s writing is fantastic and you could tell she had a deep understanding of her protagonist. Claire is such a compelling and hilarious narrator. I could listen to her commentate about anything. I loved her deadpan wit and honest observations about the absurdities of “ordinary people.”

Because this book is labeled as a thriller, I thought it’d be more plot-heavy, but it has a depth of characterization I’d find in literary fiction. That said, You’d Look Better As A Ghost is a mix of genres. In addition to being character-driven, it’s a dark comedy with thriller elements.

Serial killers, especially if they’re the protagonist, can be kind of one-dimensional if not written well. Most of the time “sociopath” is supposed to explain their motivation and their murders are their whole personality.

In contrast, Claire is refreshing and someone to root for. There aren’t too many women serial killer stories and I kept comparing her to Maeve from CJ Leede’s horror novel Maeve Fly, which was lighter on the humor and bigger on the gore. Both novels presented well-crafted characters who were human beings first who happen to have homicidal tendencies.

Claire’s loneliness and sense of alienation from others and the world felt relatable. She sees the world differently, in particular with the small speculative element of seeing people as ghosts. The occasional flashbacks of her childhood helped humanize her, showing how much she loved her father while being hated by her mother. She also shows the capacity to empathize with others who are grieving. Finally, she’s not afraid to voice honest thoughts we’ve likely had about other people, but aren’t socially acceptable to admit.

As for the other characters, I enjoyed the colorful personalities from the grief group. They all felt like real people and provided a lot of entertainment in their banter. Wallace’s way of characterizing them through their quirks like their outfit choices or behaviors made for plenty of humor.

I like it when authors draw from their own experiences to inform a book. That passion and raw emotion show in You’d Look Better As A Ghost, especially in how it explores grief. For Wallace, she was inspired by her father’s diagnosis of early-onset dementia and subsequent death. Channeling her rage into writing and enjoying Claire’s darkness and humor brought her comfort. It’s a reminder there are many ways to process grief.

“Utterly spellbound, I’m beginning to realize I’ve never given grief the respect it deserves. Drawing no distinction between strong, weak, rich or poor, it plows through everyone’s lives the same, leaving identical mounds of emotional debris behind.” — Joanna Wallace, You’d Look Better As A Ghost

In terms of the plot, it stems from Claire’s mistake in not planning a kill. This leads to more absurd situations filled with surprising and humorous twists. As for the whodunit element, Wallace kept me guessing the identity of the blackmailer. When it’s all revealed, the story comes full circle.

As a whole, You’d Look Better As A Ghost was a delightfully hilarious read and if there are ever plans for a sequel, I’d love to read it. If you’re looking for a dark comedy thriller, I highly recommend Wallace’s debut.

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Originally published on Medium