The Opposite of Lonely by Doug Johnstone

A body lost at sea, arson, murder, astronauts, wind phones, communal funerals and conspiracy theories … This can ONLY mean one thing! The Skelfs are back, and things are as tense, unnerving and warmly funny as ever…

The Opposite of Lonely is the hugely anticipated fifth instalment in the unforgettable, critically acclaimed Skelfs series, featuring three generations of women in the Skelf family: funeral directors and part-time private investigators…

I'm delighted to welcome you to my review of The Opposite of Lonely by Doug Johnstone as part of the blog tour. Huge thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part and to the publisher for my review copy. I have since bought my own paperback copy to complete the set (so far).

The Blurb

EVEN DEATH NEEDS COMPANY…

The Skelf women are recovering from the cataclysmic events that nearly claimed their lives. Their funeral-director and private investigation businesses are back on track, and their cases are as perplexing as ever.

Matriarch Dorothy looks into a suspicious fire at a travellers’ site, and takes a grieving, homeless man under her wing. Daughter Jenny is searching for her missing sister-in-law, who disappeared in tragic circumstances, while grand-daughter Hannah is asked to investigate increasingly dangerous conspiracy theorists, who are targeting a retired female astronaut … putting her own life at risk.

With a body lost at sea, funerals for those with no one to mourn them, reports of strange happenings in outer space, a funeral crasher with a painful secret, and a violent attack on one of the family, the Skelfs face their most personal – and perilous – cases yet. Doing things their way may cost them everything.

The Opposite of Lonely is published by Orenda Books and came out on 14th September 2023.

My Review

I LOVE this series! I had got a little behind so read the fourth book, Black Hearts, just before starting this one so that I was up to date. Each of the books can be read as a standalone but, as with any series, I feel you'll get a richer reading experience of you read from the beginning and in order. 

For anyone unfamiliar with the series, the Skelf women comprise of matriarch Dorothy, daughter Jenny and granddaughter Hannah. Together they run a funeral directing business alongside a private investigating one, following the death of Dorothy's husband Jim. Black Hearts saw the women go through some terrible ordeals but things are more settled at the beginning of this book. Jenny, particularly, is noticeably calmer and happier.  But, of course, things don't stay like that for long. A funeral for a member of the traveller community goes awry, Jenny has to revisit a difficult time and Hannah gets to meet a really inspiring woman, and subsequently takes on a case for her. In all of this, they are supported by their close network - Archie and Indy, Hannah's wife, who both work on the funeral side of things, policeman Thomas, Dorothy's partner, and new in this book, Brodie. And all are involved in a terrifying denouement...

I love Dorothy! She is the funkiest septuagenarian you could meet, playing drums as she does with The Multiverse, a multi-generational, multicultural band. They cover tracks by bands I've never heard of because I'm not hip and Dorothy is. As is author Doug Johnstone. And she has a lover fifteen years her junior! Go Dorothy! But more than that, she is the heart of this family and the heart of their story. Mainly involved in the funeral side of the business, she is full of compassion and understanding. It's evident with everyone she meets, every conversation she has. A good example is Brodie, who Hannah meets at a funeral. He's a wee bit lost and living out of his car, but Dorothy sees potential in him and helps him start to turn things around. 

It's great to see more of Archie in these more recent books, another waif that Dorothy took under her wing a long time back. He's always been there, stoic and dependable, but it's lovely to see his friendship with Jenny, and the happiness that brings each of them. Jenny has been the woman I've always struggled most to connect with, but found it easier in this book. To be fair she's been through some pretty awful stuff in previous books, and although she needs to confront at least the memories of it in this book, she is more comfortable with where she's at now, which helps her respond to things in a much more measured way. And it's  lovely to see a new character joining the fold in Brodie. Johnstone writes this grieving young man with such care and gentleness, it's beautiful. 

I must mention the wind phone because it's one of my favourite things in this story, and proves very popular with others too. Gifted by a grateful client in the previous book, it is a white telephone box, where the phone line is cut, and it is for people to talk to their loved ones who have passed on. It comes from Japanese culture but gets plenty of use in this wee corner of Edinburgh. Such a lovely idea. 

There is a LOT to unpack in this novel. Doug Johnstone is not a man to waste words and every single one here serves a purpose. As well as the body lost at sea, we have an arson attack and more, prejudice against the traveller community, Jenny coming full circle with her story arc whilst dealing with a missing person case, discussion of big themes for Hannah and her astronaut case, unhelpful policemen, green funerals and the future of the Skelfs's business, threats and violence. A big theme running through this for me was abuse - physical abuse, sexual abuse, abuse of trust and abuse of power and confronting all of that. It's powerful stuff. 

For all I've said above, and The Opposite of Lonely is about all of those things, at the heart of this book, and this whole series, is connection, family, community, respect, care and love. Yes, there is death and grief, danger and violence, but there is also beauty and joy, and it all comes back to these three women, their strength and bond, and to the family they have created around them. Connections, community and love. A beautiful book, absolutely loved it, so glad there will be more to come. 

The Author

Doug Johnstone is the author of sixteen novels, many of which have been bestsellers. The Space Between Us was chosen for BBC Two’s Between the Covers, while Black Hearts and The Big Chill were longlisted for the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year. Three of his books – A Dark Matter, Breakers and The Jump – have been shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize. Doug has taught creative writing or been writer in residence at universities, schools, writing retreats, festivals, prisons and a funeral home. He’s also been an arts journalist for 25 years. He is a songwriter and musician with six albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, a band of crime writers. He’s also co-founder of the Scotland Writers Football Club and lives in Edinburgh with his family.