Title: Under the Whispering Door

Author: TJ Klune

When a reaper comes to collect Wallace Price from his own funeral, Wallace suspects he really might be dead.

Instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes him to a small village. On the outskirts, off the path through the woods, tucked between mountains, is a particular tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the tea shop’s owner to locals and the ferryman to souls who need to cross over.

But Wallace isn’t ready to abandon the life he barely lived. With Hugo’s help he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life.

When the Manager, a curious and powerful being, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace one week to cross over, Wallace sets about living a lifetime in seven days.

By turns heartwarming and heartbreaking, this absorbing tale of grief and hope is told with TJ Klune’s signature warmth, humor, and extraordinary empathy.

This book cements for me that this author is a genius. This book was beyond amazing.

Wallace, a workaholic with no life, no friends and no partner, dies, and gets taken to a place to cross over. But what a place! A cute little tea shop where Hugo basically lives a double life, a tea seller/mixologist and also a ferryman who helps to deliver people to the other side.

Along with Hugo there’s Mei, Nelson and happy, cute doggie called Apollo. Wallace has to find out the person he was and who really he should be.

The story is centered round the tea shop and it bought out a strange sensation for me. I don’t even like tea (how un-British of me) but this book makes me want to try again to savour all the flavours!!!

‘The first time you share tea, you are a stranger, The second time you share tea, you are an honored guest,
The third time you share tea, you become family.’

This story was so much. So, so much. It was whimsical, quaint, deep, powerful, heartwarming and heartbreaking and like HOTCS, teaches us the meaning of found family, all sprinkled with a dusting of happiness. 

I felt so connected to this story and these characters that me, dead inside woman, had a few tears at the epilogue!