Death by Roses
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4.5 • 4 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
For the first time in nearly thirty years of marriage, Art McElroy Sr. buys his headstrong, disapproving wife a dozen yellow roses. Hours later he discovers her lifeless body seated on the toilet. Mae Rose McElroy's sudden death leaves a void in her family and in the entire Midwestern farming community of Fairview. It's a void Mae Rose will attempt to fill, herself, from the hereafter by meddling directly in earthly affairs.
Mae Rose's meddling leads to her spiritual expulsion from heaven, and she winds up in the body of Mary Lee Broadmoor (Scary Mary), a crusty writer and director of exquisite horror movies. Mary Lee refuses to succumb to stage-4 pancreatic cancer until she gets one final shot at an elusive Oscar. Like Mae Rose, who argues with God for a return to earth, Mary Lee pleads, from her Hollywood deathbed, for more time to complete her work, as her hospice nurse, Gertie Morgan, looks on.
The two women's spirits work together, and Mae Rose provides her host with a new script idea: a love story, based on her life! The script earns Mary Lee her coveted Academy Award, but the movie's release shocks and disturbs Mae Rose's family. They set out to find, and confront, the woman who has somehow co-opted, and publicly revealed, their personal tragedy.
Along the way, new love emerges as the reader meets a caste of crazy, eccentric, but highly memorable characters. Death by Roses suggests that relationships don't end at death, but continue until their ultimate purpose is achieved. The universe has every resource at its disposal to get the job done. It also has an amazing sense of humor
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A catchy premise and entertaining characters mostly outweigh the unpolished writing of Probst s debut. When smalltown housewife and busybody Mae Rose dies ignominiously on the toilet, killed by a lifetime of rage against her husband and just about everyone else, she s set up to learn a heavenly lesson in forgiveness and being careful what you wish for. Mary Lee is a famous horror-movie writer, terrible mother, and outrageously difficult cancer patient with a burning desire to finally win an Oscar before she kicks the bucket. Nearly dead, she is revived when Mae Rose s spirit joins hers in Mary Lee s body, leading to hilarious situations and an unlikely yet oddly believable connection between their family members. As their families, friends, frenemies, and others circle like curious vultures, the two women cobble together one life between them, irrevocably changing both their destinies. Humorous and flowing despite awkward prose, this should elicit giggles all the way through.
Customer Reviews
Death By Roses
A truly delightful book with many surprises and twists. An amazing book for the first time author. Loved it throughout!!!!!
a spin on the “what happens when I am gone” question
A funny and unique mix that explores the afterlife and the choices made while alive, Vivian Probst uses multiple points of view, time jumps and a touch of possession to tell her story.
Mae Rose is, at best, a “difficult’ woman: selfish, a bit unconcerned with others, strong willed and possessed of an acerbic wit that is at times funny or flat, but usually imbued with a solid point. Her relationship with her husband is most assuredly one of love, but tempered with the offhanded callousness so common in long-term acquaintances, while no great overt attempts are made to disparage one another, the moments of true tenderness are few and far between. Taking a chance, Art buys a dozen yellow roses for the first time in their marriage, as a ‘just because’ gift for Mae Rose, but hours later she dies in a pique, a la Elvis upon the commode.
Here is where the twists start: Mae Rose is given the ‘rules’ and they are clear. No Meddling. Her personality is incapable of following directions, and she is expelled, to find herself in the body of Mary Lee – a horror film writer and director who is refusing to give in to her illness without one more shot at the Oscar. Another driven, headstrong and opinionated woman that is attempting to make fate and the world bend to her will, Mae Rose’s expulsion thrusts her into Mary Lee, and the two need to coexist and even cooperate.
The unique exploration of afterlife, Mae Rose’s arguments with God to allow her return to the earthly plain, and the last opportunity for the two women to learn and realize what is important keeps readers on their toes following each twist. Multiple points of view appear to narrate the strory: Mae Rose, Mary Lee, Mae’s widower Art, Mary’s nurse Gertie: all of which add a layer to the story, but with some choppy transitions and voices that aren’t always particularly distinctive, could be confusing if you aren’t following closely. Some moments border on farcical, while others hold surprising depth, layered in nuances that explore ‘life lessons’ as they just as easily portray the fractured nature of ties to family and friends, there are plenty of moments that are laugh out loud funny, yet still carry that ring of truth that cause further introspection from the reader.
An interesting story that presents a spin on the “what happens when I am gone” question that many have: not approached from the more pious view, but a view that is human and all that encompasses: selfish, stubborn, heedless and close-mouthed, even as the true hearts of both Mae and Mary are ultimately revealed.
I received a paperback copy of the title from Media Muscle / Book Trib for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.