Thank you to the publisher and OTRPR for the #gifted copy and Spotify Audiobooks for the gifted ALC via NetGalley narrated by a compelling cast of narrators!

This book dives right into the final moments of Tag and Amanda along with their two-year old, Ethan, trapped in a plane that begins its crash from 35k feet above. Nobody survives except for young Ethan. Tag and Matthew who were best friends agreed with each other that Matthew and his wife, Nicole, would become Ethan’s legal guardians. Nobody expected this would turn to reality and now Matthew and Nicole are struggling to raise a young boy in addition to their own daughter, while also battling their own inner demons.

Tag and Amanda while dead from our world, are sentient in Second Plane— an afterworld of sorts for those who have left Earth. Second Plane comes with “texts” or instructions on how to be a good resident while also being given free will. The key to being a good resident on Second Plane, is to let go of attachments from Prior Plane (our world), which is exactly what Amanda is NOT able to do as she thinks Ethan is not being properly cared for by his legal guardians. So she devises a plan to kill Ethan so he could join her in Second Plane, and the only means to do so, would be to possess a living human being and commit murder. Tag is very much against this plan but is powerless to stop her.

Even though the story dwells with afterlife, it’s neither preachy nor religious, and instead focuses on human attachments, especially parental bonding— both genetic and acquired. We get to see a starkly different definition of parental love between Tag and Amanda, as well as others. Of note, is also how others, including children, step up to caretaking in dire situations, when you least expect it. 💋The final act was CHEF’S KISS.💋One of the most unique books I have ever read!

This was a weird concept of a book. Though interesting, I don't think this was a horror book. More of a paranormal thriller. Though some parts were more intense than others, it didn't deliver the intensity I wanted. There are a lot of characters and different POV's, it felt bloated and overdone. It felt boring at times to listen to their feelings and wants/desires, thoughts, etc. It lost the momentum. But also, the concept just threw me off. I guess because I went in blind (I did read the synopsis once, but forgot about it later).

With that said, audiobook having a full cast sometimes works sometimes doesn't (for me personally). This time, it kind of did. I liked the different voices. But I did get distracted and sometimes confused on who was talking. It's a personal downfall for me, and maybe it would work better if I just read a physical copy, and kept track of POVs that way. But I did like the narrators, and their work.

#ad much love for my advance copy @crookedlanebooks #partner
& @otrpr #partner for the tour spot
AUDIO FROM: @tlcbooktours #partner
& @spotify for the ALC

🆆🅷🅰🆃 🆃🅷🅴 🅳🅴🅰🅳 🅲🅰🅽 🅳🅾
< @peterrosch >
ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ɴᴏᴡ
✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

A unique and compelling thriller that I binged in one sitting. When a plane crashes and there’s only one survivor - a young boy - he’s sent to live with friends of the family. But his parents who passed are always watching the boy. And when they start to see things they don’t like the mother is desperate to come up with a plan to save him.

Even if that means she has to somehow kiII the boy to get him to the other side to be with her. Her last goodbye needs to count. This was a unique ghost story that didn’t feel like a ghost story. I mean obviously it is, but it didn’t feel that way to me. Amanda’s - the mother - grief felt tangible throughout and the story grips your heart.

🎧: Also listened to the audio while following along and fully enjoyed the audio of this one. With the different narrators it makes for an easy and superb listening experience. Zura Johnson, Gary Tiedemann, Piper Goodeve, Kenneth Fuentes, Krystal Hammond, Daniel Henning, and Gabriel Vaughan did a phenomenal collaboration.

Definitely enjoyed this book. The multiple viewpoints offered a full story about life, motherhood, the struggles of life, responsibilities, death, desperation, and so much more. A solid read.

The writing is excellent and keeps you entertained throughout. Compelling in every sense. “The Text” bits at the end of each chapter during Part One were so fun and added an edge to this story. Just fabulous. The Third Plane! 👀

I really enjoyed the paranormal aspects of this book. I found it easy to keep the multiple different POV separate, and they were all interesting and important at different times. I liked a couple better in the beginning but after some events halfway through it flipped which ones I preferred. I loved the way in which the afterlife was explained and how the experience was unique. There was a lot of detail and world-building that went into it. Some things felt a little drawn out because of that but I still enjoyed it. It was a little dark at times and the suspense especially towards the last half kept me hooked and wondering who was going to come out on top.

Thank you @otrpr @crookedlanebooks @peterrosch for the gifted copy.

DNF. Unfortunately I could not get through this audio. This is the first time this has happened. It did not engage me at all. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity. Thank you.

This was too slow moving and repetitive for me. Within the first 20 minutes the MC said "margin of error" so many times I lost count, for example. I get that he was under pressure and felt stress and anxious but there are a plethora of other ways to convey that to avoid repetitiveness. I love psyche thrillers and especially the rare "told from heaven" books so this was right up my alley. The premise was great--the dead parents trying to claim their son vs. the new parents on earth but the slow pace and repetitive nature resulted in my boredom and not finishing the book. Sorry!

I'm not even sure where to begin with this one...

Horror ✔️
Thriller ✔️
Fiction ✔️
Raw Emotions ✔️✔️✔️
The Living Dead ??? ✔️✔️✔️

Tag, Amanda and Ethan are on a plane... going on vacation.
They never arrive because the plane crashes... and everyone dies. Except for one little boy, Ethan.
He is 2 years old. He now has zero parents.

He goes to live with his parent's friends, Matthew and Nicole, and their young daughter Emily.
But, they have their own problems...

Emily ends up being more of a Mom figure than Nicole to start with, which is amazing, as she is just a kid.

BUT, this isn't even the crazy stuff. It's what happens from where Tag and Amanda are that will really blow your mind and make you re-think the definition of C R A Z Y !!!! 🤯

3 🌟🌟🌟 for me!

I'm going to 🛑 S T O P 🛑 right here!
If you want more you can pick this one up now, as it was just released yesterday, 8/26/25!!

#WhatTheDeadCanDo by @PeterRosch and narrated nicely by a full cast: @ZuraJohnson, @GaryTiedemann, @PiperGoodeve, @KennethFuentes, @KrystalHammond, @DanielHenning and @GabrielVaughan.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #SpotifyAudiobooks for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

This was a unique take on the ghost story genre. Ethan is the only survivor of a plane crash. His parents have transitioned to the next plane (the afterlife). I did an immersive read/listen for this one. Boy did that make a difference, the "Text of The Dead" provides rules and guidance to the new arrivals (Tag and Amanda). The written word is excellent but spoken word takes this to the next level. You can feel the atmospheric and tenseness of the next plane as Amanda has plans for Ethan. The ending was spot on, Rosch did a great job of bringing everything together.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for ARC and Spotify Audiobooks for the ALC. 

The Narrators, Zura Johnson, Gary Tiedemann, Piper Goodeve, Kenneth Fuentes, Krystal Hammond, Daniel Henning, and Gabriel Vaughan did a superb job of bring this book to life.

"Under a cacophony of passenger screams and last pleas to various gods, he repeated, "I love you, I love you," while staring at what was visible of the left wing through the window."

Two year old, Ethan, is the only survivor of a plane crash and goes to live with his parent's best friends, Matthew and Nicole. Ethan's parents, Tag and Amanda, find themselves in the afterlife. With a strict set of rules to follow, they helplessly watch Ethan struggle to adapt to his new life. Amanda becomes obsessed with visiting him and wants to take him back with her - to the afterlife. Tag wants to protect his child from this fate, and the battle begins.

I inhaled this. I hung on every word, every chapter, every gut-wrenching emotion between the pages. As a mom with a kid the same age as Ethan, this book shook me to my core. I've talked briefly about my struggles with anxiety, and one of my common triggers is me dying in an abrupt way. This book is that nightmare come to life. I can't even think about it. Amanda was essentially watching her son grieve and forget her through a glass wall. Each tear he cried, each time his new guardians messed up, each time, he hit a new milestone without her.

The cover says "thriller," yet I argue ghost story. Utterly original. Effortlessly engaging and, while even being a ghost story, relatable. I love it when a book has small similarities or themes of other books I already love. I caught glimpses of Monstrilio with the depths of Amanda's grief over the loss of her child. There are snippets of Come Closer through Aiden's perspective and his confusion over what's happening to him. And, of course, Beetlejuice and Under the Whispering Door with living in the in-between of life and death alongside rules to follow. I recognize how many different books I listed, but I adore them all, and this is a high compliment.

This review feels sporadic, and I'm writing it at midnight when I should be asleep.
TLDR - read this book. An exceptional surprise.

Fantastically dark! This book had me reeling. As a mother of a child with an intellectual disability, this hit me hard. How it would be to die and watch my son be raised by people I chose, only to find that they are the worst and he might not be safe?!?!? Ahhhhhhh! Would I go as far as Amanda? No!!!!!!!

There is a whole lot to take away from this book. I was raised by an alcoholic mother, so parts of this book were intense for me, personally. I felt this book so deeply.

I highly recommend this, while I still hated so many of the characters. This is one you’ll have trouble putting down. The narration is fantastic by this large cast!

I’ve seen people say it but now I need to say it myself. What did I just read?! Well, listen to. I started off reading WHAT THE DEAD CAN DO and then switched to audio. It was WILD.

You’ve got two parents who have died in a plane crash, a son that survived, aa mom who wants to kill her son that he can join her on the other side and a dad that is determined to stop her. She was willing to any length possible to reunite with her son, no matter what or who was in her way. She was INSANE. But was she really? I mean….. maybe but I think we’re all a little crazy when it comes to our kids.

The book features “texts” that are essentially the rules that people on the other side have to follow. These texts were a character themselves because they played such a huge part in this book.

You do have to suspend ALL disbelief for this book but it’ was very well written. This is a must read for thriller and horror lovers that like the possession vibe!

Title: What the Dead Can do
Author: Peter Rosch
Format: 🎧
Narrators: Zura Johnson, Gary Tiedemann, Piper Goodeve, Kenneth Fuenter, Krystal Hammond, Daniel Henning and Gabriel Vaughan
Publisher: Spotify Audiobooks
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Audiobook Pub Date: August 26, 2025
My Rating: 2.6 Stars
Pages: 336

Story has many characters and there are also many audio performers who help with identify who is who.
Characters; Tag, Amanda, Matthew, Nicole, Ethan, and Aida

There is a horrible plane crash that has only one survivor - two-year-old Ethan- who is now labeled ‘The Miracle Child’ as 184 passengers plus 7 Crew members all died.
Tag and Matthew have been family friends for years and Tag named Matthew and his wife Nicole guardians of Ethan. They are parents of Emily a preteen daughter.
Tag and Amanda view or ‘observe’ from the afterlife. Amanda is having a difficult time leaving Ethan. When she ‘visits’ Ethan she also looks in on the rest of the family. She is not happy when she observes Nicole- pasted out on the sofa.
(True it did not take me long to figure out that she is a foul mouth, unlikeable alcoholic mess.)
Amanda is also worried that Nicole’s public life may jeopardize their child’s safety. Amanda and Tag left some funds for Ethan’s care and they know Nicole and Matthew may be having some financial difficulties.

Nicole knows the press wants a ‘scoop’ on the miracle child. Matthew has been trying to keep the press away. However, Nicole sees a way of making some money.
Amanda and Tag fear Ethan s fate is at stake and there just might be a deadly battle between his deceased parents and his Guardians.
As Tag and Amanda wanted to protect Ethan whatever it takes.

In the meantime, Emily is trying to form a bond with her baby brother. She prepared breakfast for him but he isn’t much of an eaters and talks about his dead Mommy and dead Daddy. Emily tries to soften his loss.
I did like Emily and caring for Ethan helped to soften her prickly attitude.

Story kept me curious but not a fan of the cursing- it got annoying – true always harder on me when I hear it than when I read it.
I read a lot of thrillers and this indeed was different.-perhaps unique.
However, there was nothing enjoyable in this for me to want to read more.

Perhaps this was not a good one to read first by this author.

However, I did have a laugh-out situation.
I was listening in my car -when I hear a message. ‘Ms. Schultz, May I have a moment of your time?’
I almost drove off the road. I have it set for text only so why was I getting a voice message? LOL It was the audiobook - a reporter asking for Mr. Schultz aka Matthew and not my phone asking for me...

I do want to thank NetGalley and Spotify Audio for this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for August 26, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Spotify Audiobooks for the gifted audio-book ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

Read this if you like: Multiple POVs, multiple narrators, slow burn, Beetlejuice like

Wow. This is such an interesting read. The plot is sad, thoughtful, and thrilling. It has a but of similarities of Beetlejuice but breaks away. There were many characters to follow, which was a little hard at times but easier with multiple narrators. The audiobook was great. I highly recommend it.

What the Dead Can Do is an interesting, unique book. The story was intricately plotted and bent my mind as I tried to get a grip on what was going on. I listened to the audiobook version, but it became a bit confusing during the last quarter of the book. I think reading the book would be easier to understand than listening to the audio. Rosch's writing was, for the most part, well done.

This book was an absolute ride!

It poses the question, do parents always know what it best for their children when they are too crowded by emotions. I loved have the multi- POV aspect. It allowed me to get the full story & see where each characters mind was.

The narrators did a phenomenal job for each character which helped add to the personality written in the book.

4.5 stars!

I'm new to this author, of course! I was immediately drawn in by the cover, as you know if you follow my reviews. I love book covers that tell a story because I rarely read the blurb.

A commercial flight crashes, leaving two-year-old Ethan as the only survivor, taken in by family friends Matthew and Nicole. From the afterlife, his parents, Tag and Amanda, witness Nicole’s struggles and the public's obsession, which jeopardize Ethan's safety. Amanda's grief turns into an obsession to reclaim her son, even contemplating harm. As she learns to possess the living, Tag must protect Ethan at all costs, risking his own reunion with his family.

In this novel, we dive into several points of view that weave the story together seamlessly. We encounter Tag, Amanda, Matthew, Nicole, Ethan, and Aidan. While that might seem like a lot of characters, I found it easy to keep track of each one thanks to the author’s skillful writing. Some characters are endearing, while others are less so, but that contrast adds depth to the narrative.

This book is dark and chilling, and I appreciated the horror elements that unify the plot. It offers a fascinating perspective on what happens when a journey to the afterlife takes a wrong turn, exploring the depths of human nature and its darker sides.

I was lucky enough to have both the eBook and the audiobook, which made my overall experience fantastic! The narrators brought the story to life from the very beginning with their engaging performances. I'm convinced that even if you aren't usually a fan of multiple characters, this listening experience exceeded my expectations. The choice of narrators was spot on!

This read is perfect for anyone who enjoys dark, fast-paced, and hard-to-explain occurrences that intertwine with a mother's love and determination. I'm thrilled I received this copy, because I loved it! I can't recommend it enough to anyone looking for an engaging narrative that pulls you into the inexplicable.

Thank you, Spotify Audiobooks and Crooked Lane Books, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.