The Dead Fathers Club

Andrew Dennis is undeniably the star of THE DEAD FATHERS CLUB, a novel reminiscent of HAMLET. The 12-year-old is perfectly cast as Philip Noble, a boy who talks to his father's ghost and does not like what he hears. Dennis's voice is high-pitched and very British, sounding almost effeminate, but it quickly grows on the listener. Judicious editing could have limited the number of dialogue tags, which are sometimes annoying, but since the work is unabridged, the bad comes with the good. Dennis performs with a skill beyond his years. He makes the complicated story work. As in HAMLET, a murdered man begs his young son to avenge his death by killing his killer, the boy's uncle, before he marries the boy's mother. Dennis's delivery makes us accept the story of young Philip, who is confused, even angered, by his father's demand. This is a novel written for adults, but sophisticated YA readers may enjoy it. M.S. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

Starred review from November 13, 2006
Haig (The Last Family in England
) creatively reanimates themes from Hamlet
with an 11-year-old British protagonist who is commissioned to avenge his father's murder. After Philip Noble passes his hand through his father's flickering spirit at the funeral, Dad reveals the truth: it was conniving auto mechanic Uncle Alan who orchestrated the automobile "accident" that claimed his life, and Philip must kill Uncle Alan by dead Dad's next birthday—barely 11 weeks away—or he'll be consumed forever by the Terrors. Time is fleeting, however, as repugnant Uncle Alan has already begun to put the moves on Philip's mother and has taken over the family pub's operations. In animated, adolescent prose, Philip, goaded on by his father's ghost, plots his uncle's murder. Besides the time-sensitive obligation, Philip must also contend with the slings and arrows of adolescent life: friends, girls, meddling schoolteachers, bullies and peer pressure. The plucky hero impressively navigates the gloomy, pungent waters of retribution, death and guilt, and Haig does an enviable job of leavening a sad premise through the words and actions of a charming, resilient young man.

March 26, 2007
Something of a Hamlet for the 21st century, this audiobook presents Philip Noble, an 11-year-old boy whose father recently died in a car accident. But when his father returns as a ghost demanding revenge for his death, Philip must decide whether or not his Uncle Allan murdered his father. While grappling with the idea of murder, Philip must contend with all the typical stresses of adolescence including romance and bullys. HighBridge Audio's decision to cast 11-year-old Andrew Dennis to read this novel pays off. His youthful voice adds authenticity and his narrative skills fully envelope the first-person perspective of Philip. He also ably distinguishes additional characters. His most impressive feat is the level of emotion and intensity he maintains through many of the scenes. Several times, Haig repeats a word or phrase more than five times. In the text, this works because readers can skim, but listeners must hear each one. However, Dennis infuses different emphasis for each repeated word, making it work. Simultaneous release with the Viking hardcover (Reviews, Nov. 13).