I’m not entirely sure whether I owe thanks to Robert or Sophie at Viper for sending me a surprise copy of Vivian Dies Again by C.E. Hulse, but either way, I’m very grateful. It’s my pleasure to share my review of Vivian Dies Again today. 

Vivian Dies Again is published by Viper on 29th January 2026 and is available for purchase through the links here. 

Vivian Dies Again

Time heals all wounds. Except blunt force trauma.

Vivian Slade is a cautionary tale. The wrong side of thirty, she’s no longer the life and soul of the party – she’s a party of one. But she’s determined to turn over a new leaf, even if that means going to a family gathering where everyone hates her.

Turns out, someone really hates her – enough to push her off a balcony to a very messy end. But then Vivian wakes up! Only to be murdered again. And again. Stuck in a baffling time loop, Vivian’s only ally is a sleep-deprived waiter who just wants to finish his shift. Will Vivian be able to solve her own murder? Only time will tell…

My Review of Vivian Dies Again

Viv is having a bad day – again.

I have one tiny criticism to get out of the way before my review proper of Vivian Dies Again and that is that I could have done with slightly fewer expletives throughout. That said, they absolutely fit Viv’s life! Indeed, they do add to the humour and despite having murder at its heart, Vivian Dies Again is incredibly funny. Viv’s insight into the world around her is brilliant and her pithy statements frequently summed up my own opinions so that I laughed aloud on several occasions.

I thought Viv was a magnificent creation. She’s truly dreadful, so it’s no wonder people might want to murder her, and yet I loved her unreservedly. Her attempts to be a better person are thwarted at every turn and she still manages personal change and growth. She drinks to excess, takes illegal substances, steals and offends as if all these vices are all going out of fashion but she is the perfect anti-hero. She may not follow societal rules but she has a strong sense of morality, knows she is often in the wrong and, actually, is emotionally appealing because all Viv really wants is to be loved and accepted. I may have laughed at her as well as with her, but I was rooting for Viv throughout. Beneath her loud partygoing exterior is a vulnerability that balances her character perfectly. 

And my goodness does Viv experience a torrid time in this refreshingly different type of groundhog day. The plot is so entertaining and engaging. I loved the Shakespearean Touchstone nature of Jamie who helps lead both Viv and reader through the events of Vivian Dies Again, ensuring that Viv is able to change, murder is solved – though not necessarily the murder the reader is expecting – and solutions of many kinds are reached – though to say more would spoil the read.

The themes are just fantastic too. Certainly Vivian Dies Again can be read as a witty, entertaining story, but underpinning the narrative are thought-provoking and interesting considerations. Morality is questioned, but so too are concepts of family, friendship and marriage, making the reader think. I thought the exploration of chance and possibility was brilliant and, although I approached Vivian Dies Again expecting an easy, diverting read, it actually made me question aspects of my own life in a rather surprising manner so that it had depth as well as entertainment value.

It’s quite hard to categorise Vivian Dies Again. It is quite mad, huge fun and I thought it was fabulous. I really recommend it.

About C.E. Hulse 

Photo credit : Nathan Cox

C.E. Hulse lives in Manchester with her husband and a small controlling dog. She is the author of four books under the name Caroline Hulse: The Adults, Like a House on Fire, All the Fun of the Fair, and Reasonable People. Her work has been published in fourteen languages and optioned for television. Vivian Dies Again is her debut crime novel.

For further information, visit Caroline’s website or follow C.E. Hulse on X @CarolineHulse1 and Instagram.