When I first went to leave a review after completing the audio for The Funeral by Helen H.. Durrant I had trouble locating the title and had to use the ISBN number. That is when I learned that there is alternate title and that it is also known as "The Other Alice." Personally, I think that title was much more fitting. The Funeral is a super quick, psychological thriller. The main character Alice, is living in secrecy, using a false name until she is invited to a funeral and the catch is, she doesn't know the identity of the deceased - she quickly realized that the deceased was using her name. Obviously, the person who invited her knows that Alice is not who she says she is and knows her true identity and that's where the twists begin.

I was given the privilege to listen to the audiobook, which is narrated by Sarah Durham, in advance of the release date - thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio. Of course, this is my honest review. I think Sarah Dunham does an exceptional job narrating the story, her voice fits the characters perfectly and the pacing kept you engaged.

You ever get an anonymous funeral invite and think, “Yeah, let’s see where this goes”? No? Because you have common sense? Well, not our girl. Helen H. Durrant’s “The Funeral” kicks off with Donna Slade (real name Alice Anderson, because of course it is) standing graveside, surrounded by rich strangers in designer sunglasses, realizing the woman being buried… is her. Or at least, the name on the coffin is. And she hasn’t used that name in three years.

If you’re already thinking, “That sounds like a trap,” congratulations! You are more self-aware than the protagonist.

Donna’s been hiding from a shady past involving loan sharks and desperation — but instead of running from this wildly suspicious identity mix-up, like literally any sane person would, she accepts a job from a grieving couple at the funeral, and moves into their house like she’s starring in “Behind Her Eyes,” making decisions with the emotional logic of “You,” and the survival instincts of someone who thinks “Big Little Lies” was a how-to manual.

Max and Tara Marsden, the too-perfect couple who offer her this nightmare-on-a-silver-platter job, are radiating more red flags than a Soviet parade. Their daughter Hannah has the personality stability of a shaken soda can, and the whole house feels like one extended psychological trap with throw pillows and a wine fridge. Everyone has secrets. Everyone is acting weird. And Donna’s like, “Sure, I’ll just live here and see how it goes.”

The first act has strong energy — mystery, paranoia, a very “Gone Girl” meets “The Housemaid” vibe. You’re suspicious of everyone. And it’s delicious. But once the funeral flowers start to wilt, so does the plot logic. Around the halfway mark, the pacing dips, characters start making choices that feel more “writer’s room” than real life, and the tension that was once razor-sharp gets a little frayed around the edges.

It’s not that the story falls apart — it just never quite pulls itself together. You can feel the potential for something truly mind-bending, but instead, we get an entertaining mess that never fully earns its own drama. This is one of those books where you keep turning pages, even while thinking, “Okay, but none of this would happen.” And that’s fine! But it’s also why it lands at a solid-but-not-stunning 3 stars.

That said, if you can shut down the logic center of your brain and let the identity-swapping, gaslight-the-gaslighter energy wash over you, it’s fun. Donna isn’t passive — she talks back, asks questions, and doesn’t just roll over when the creepy rich people start circling. There’s betrayal, murder, and enough moral ambiguity to fill a second grave. You might guess the twist early, but getting there still has bite.

If you’re here for realism or layered character arcs, this one’s probably not your vibe. But if you want a short, messy psychological thriller full of unreliable narrators, missing identities, and terrible decisions made in very expensive houses — “The Funeral” will absolutely scratch the itch. This is a solid 3 stars — not because the plot is airtight (it’s not), but because it’s messy, dramatic, and undeniably entertaining. And full credit to Sarah Durham, whose narration injects just the right amount of tension, suspicion, and “what the hell is happening” energy to keep things moving even when the story occasionally trips over its own twists. If the plot is a little wobbly, the performance helps hold it together.

Whodunity Award: For Least Logical Job Acceptance in the History of Fictional Employment

Appreciate the early listen, NetGalley and Bookouture Audio — nothing like a little murder mystery in my ears to kick off the day.

This audiobook wasn’t for me.

I found myself hoping there was more involved with the funeral itself. Being that the title of the book was “The Funeral”, I expected it to be the main focus. Some of the “twists” were odd and felt too hard to believe. It didn’t make a whole lot of sense but somehow it wrapped everything up.

The characters all sucked and behaved bizarrely with seemingly no explanation and the dialogue was odd.

The narrator was great, and I listened at 2x.

This book wasn’t for me despite my initial interest in the premise. I will however read/listen to more by this author.

I really liked the setup here. The concept was cool and unusual and the opening bits grabbed me straightaway. Unfortunately, things devolved rather quickly for me and I started losing the threads and was never able to regain them. It felt melodramatic and convoluted - unnecessarily so - in a way that confused me rather than intrigued me. This one wasn't a good fit for me...

I gave this audio 4 stars due to the slow-burn suspense. I really enjoyed playing detective with the FMC. Not too many characters so it was pretty easy to follow. Unlike other mysteries where there’s a plethora of characters that makes the novel hard to follow. It was definitely a rollercoaster and a wild ride throughout the story.
The Narrator, Sarah Durham, has a soothing voice that has the perfect tones of when to show emotions. This was my first time reading/listening to a novel by author Helen H Durrant and I look forward to more!

I loved the premise of this. What do you do if you get an invitation to a funeral and you don't even know who the funeral is for? Even worse, once you're there, what do you think when you find out the deceased has the name you stopped using when you went into hiding?
I completely understand why she went -- clearly, someone found out who she was, and this was a way to try to keep control of the situation. This is a twisty thriller with family secrets and what for me was a satisfying ending, where I didn't have questions that still needed answers, but it was still open for more adventures. Thanks to NetGalley, I got to listen to the audiobook. which made the experience better overall, although it was harder to understand when the reader was trying to be dramatic.

The Funeral, on audio, was a Netgalley arc listed as mystery & thriller. I would also add the words - slow burn. The ending was good, mostly, however I struggled through all of this, trying to care.

The premise alone, I'm not exaggerating, was so unbelievable (and I'm a big sci fi fan who can easily accept space-y stuff), I just could not care about the FMC, Donna/Alice. She receives an anonymous invitation to a funeral for an unnamed person and SHE GOES. I may be a horrible person, but I try to figure out ways to avoid things like funerals and baby showers even when I am friends with the honoree AND KNOW WHO THEY ARE. Icing on the cake is these strangers at the strange person's funeral immediately offer her a job with housing (no word on salary or benefits), and voila, she takes it.

Now the hard part of reviewing this Helen H. Durrant novel is sussing out was the narration or the writing the reason I could not connect with a single one of the unlikeable characters in the book. I actually double checked that there was a named person speaking versus a computer generated voice because all of it felt flat. Monotone. Unless bitterness was injected, aligning with my dislike of the characters.

Did it kill me to read it? Nope. Would I read it again? Nope. Should you read it? Sure, if the premise is one you can accept I would recommend a paper copy, sunscreen and a day at the beach.

This was a whirlwind of a novel! Untrustworthy characters and a plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed the unravelling of the story and I didn’t guess the ending. Great book!

This was an enjoyable enough psychological thriller, but I couldn’t stop wondering why on earth are you there, if you’re in hiding why the hell have you turned up at a funeral following an anonymous invitation. Why have you hung around when the funeral is for your namesake and for Christ sake why have you accepted the dead woman’s job and an abode in a house where everything seemed all wrong.

If you can lay aside all of these questions and just go with it on the assumption that anything is possible you’ll probably enjoy the story that plays out as the pieces are joined together to get to the truth.
Every character appears to be unreliable, and while u usually enjoy an unreliable narrator, it’s a bit tricky to immerse yourself when none are reliable.
This was fairly short and the pace picked up midway and I did enjoy it in the end.

I enjoyed Sarah Durhams narration and it helped keep my interest.

I’ve rounded this up from 2.75 to 3 🌟

My thanks to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ALC 🎧

The narrators for this book weren’t my all time favorites but that didn’t keep me from wanting to keep reading!

The book was amazing, it kept me guessing the entire time and I couldn’t put it down! I just couldn’t figure it out and with all the twists and turns it was even harder but better!! Truly amazing read! Can’t wait for the next one! The ending was not what I was expecting at all!!!

The Funeral by Helen H. Durrant

The premise was intriguing but I found it hard to feel engaged with the story as the characters were so unlikable; none were redeeming.

The ending was a cliffhanger which makes me think there may be a part 2. If not, I think an epilogue would be fantastic!

The Funeral by Helen H. Durrant is packed with tension, secrets, and a sense of creeping dread that builds with every chapter. The mysterious funeral invitation, the shocking name on the gravestone, and the unraveling of a long-buried identity all make for a truly addictive read. Who stole Alice's identiy?And why? Secrets unfold at the perfect pace, and you never quite know who to trust. An absolutely compelling psychological thriller.

Thank you Helen H. Durrant, Bookouture Audio, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

It is best to go into this story believing anything will happen, even though it might be farfetched (and it really gets crazy!). I do believe the other title this book used to be (The Other Alice) was more fitting but it all starts at the mysterious funeral that Donna/Alice is invited to so it works okay. Now be prepared for a wild ride into the depths of a totally batty family with bipolar tendencies, secrets, outright lies, and even pigs in the backyard. Though Donna also has her share of crazy and secrets too (case in point she is on the run from a loan shark). I do like how she stood up for herself, even as other characters tried to beat her down into submission. Donna was still not someone I liked very much (I actually did not like any of the characters) and some of her decisions were quite iffy, even if it finally got her to the answers she was looking for in the other Alice that died in an "accident" and revealed even more surprising things. There are lots of twists and plot lines heading off into the totally whacky part of space and be warned that it ends with a very big cliffhanger that definitely suggests there will be a next book.

The narrator did a great job with this crazy thriller and really brought the characters to life. It kept me listening so I could see where this would end up and how many bodies would be uncovered and see who had the biggest secrets and what they would do to keep it hidden. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen to this audiobook for review.

Oh my days this was a ride! I thoroughly enjoyed this messy quick listen, scrap me thinking they should've stuck with the initial title but yes the funeral scene is only mentioned in the beginning then everything  starts to unravel-- as a reader I'm not too critical towards titles and taglines but some people are so it's worth mentioning-- anyway with that aside, this was such an intriguing story despite the unravelling being a tad slow for my liking I couldn't pause the audio till I found out what happens with Donna

Wasn’t sure what to expect, the summery of this book really drew me in and I wanted to see where it would take me, and it definitely took me on a twisty ride!
Some of it I felt like it dragged out a bit but overall it kept me intrigued to keep going and figure out how it would play out. It gave me some vibes of a Frieda McFadden book, who I love!
I listened on audio and the narrator was absolutely wonderful and made it easy to listen.

A tricky little psychological thriller, The Funeral is really "unputdownable"

Alice is living under an assumed name, and today- she attends a funeral and sees that very name on the deceased. Clearly someone knows that Alice is hiding, but now she is rather stuck. Taken in by the family she meets at the funeral, this book will take you on twists and turns.

A good story that keeps you on your toes!

Just wrapped up The Funeral by Helen H. Durrant and… I’m still trying to untangle how I feel about it. It kicks off with a mysterious funeral invitation that completely hooks you — who died, and why was she invited?

From there, things get unsettling fast. The vibe is tense and suspicious, especially with Hannah, the creepy daughter who had me side-eyeing every page she was on. Everyone in this story feels a bit off — no one is fully honest, and I genuinely didn’t know who to trust. That kept me reading, but also made it hard to fully connect with anyone.

It’s a solid read if you like twisty, unreliable narratives. Not a standout for me, but a decent, eerie thriller that kept me guessing.

3.5 star thriller read for me. I enjoyed the story line but the characters were all so odd it was hard to connect and like any of them. Loved the twists and turns of the book.

I find myself in limbo on how I feel about this book. Absolutely love the storyline in theory and how the book begins. Part of me wanted the invitation and funeral itself to play out more. The appeal was there but the execution lacked. Mildly seems like I you are dropped into the middle of a movie or starting on season 2 of a series. Felt it was missing details and storyline early on.

Not quite what I expected, but a fun ride!

Premise: Alice receives an anonymous invitation to a funeral and when she attends she realizes she’s the woman being buried - or, rather, the victim was living under her old (real) identity. She goes undercover with the dead woman’s acquaintances to try to figure out what on earth is going on.

From the description I expected more of a Mr & Mrs Smith anonymous assignments situation, somehow related to regularly crashing funerals… that’s not this book at all. Pick this up for:

- messy family dynamics
- found family
- the banal lives of psychopaths
- long lost secrets coming to light

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Sarah Durham. She’s lovely to listen to and delivered a really dynamic, enchanting read. I highly recommend this format for the book!

Thanks, NetGalley and Bookouture Audio, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.