Isabella's Not Dead

By: Beth Morrey

Narrated by: Gemma Whelan

A hilarious and thought-provoking murder mystery about the death of a friendship, and one woman’s quest to track down the best friend who disappeared, for fans of Where'd You Go, Bernadette.

Isabella’s NOT dead.

That’s what Gwen tells anyone who asks about the friend who ghosted them all fifteen years ago. But if Isabella’s not dead, then where is she? And why did she leave, just when Gwen needed her most?


Freshly fifty-three, out of a job, and with children who are starting to fly the nest, Gwen decides to turn detective. Setting out to solve the mystery, Gwen embarks on an adventure across England—then across Europe—that will test her marriage and put her on a collision course with reluctant acquaintances, a mother-in-law best described as eccentric, and a rabbit hole full of clues. But Isabella’s not the only one who’s lost.

A tale of deep, frayed friendship, fractured memories, and skewed perspectives, Isabella’s Not Dead is the story of one woman’s quest to reclaim her best friend—and herself.

Critic reviews

"Smart, funny and life-affirming, Isabella's Not Dead is a beautifully written, hugely relatable story about friendship, family and finding oneself once the kids have flown the nest. Beth has such a sharp eye for the comedy of everyday life, I devoured the book in two sittings. An utter joy!" —Freya Sampson, USA Today bestselling author of The Last Library

“Isabella's Not Dead by Beth Morrey is a darkly funny novel about friendship, reinvention, and the strange limbo of midlife... Morrey's wise writing is laced with a wry humor that captures the absurdities of aging, marriage, and memory... But what truly sets Isabella's Not Dead apart is Morrey's nuanced examination of how friendships can shift, fracture, and sometimes disappear entirely—and how that loss can shape people just as much as love.” —Shelf Awareness (starred)

"Morrey explores the common desire to recapture one’s youth in this tale of midlife misadventure ... Readers who liked Fran Littlewood’s Amazing Grace Adams will enjoy Gwen’s expedition to rekindle her lost friendship." —Booklist“Sharp, smart and relatable … A proper feel-good mystery.” —Samuel Burr, author of The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers

“Sparkling … With its wild goose chase plot and quirky cast of characters … a rewarding tale of second chances.” —Publishers Weekly

"[An] exuberant, suspenseful, hilarious tale of female friendship and frustration. Isabella’s Not Dead is not only an addictive mystery, it’s also brilliant fun." —Jo Harkin, author of The Pretender

“I absolutely loved this book. A witty, wise, and compelling exploration of female friendship. I laughed, I cried, I nearly weed myself.” —Anna Mazzola, author of The Unseeing

"[Morrey's] best so far ... I inhaled this book, it's so funny and warm and sharp and witty and true." —Marianne Levy, author of Don't Forget to Scream

Wish it was more interesting.

This book was selected by my book club. I kept waiting for it to catch my interest, but it didn’t really happen until the end of the book. I had started reading the book, but could only manage a chapter or two at a time. I decided the only way I would finish the book in time was to switch to the audiobook. This helped as I liked the narrator and the story picked up a bit. I won’t be recommending this book.