Pretend I'm Dead

'I am rollicking through Pretend I'm Dead by Jen Beagin, which is one of the funniest, most twisted and freshest things I've read in a long time. It follows the fortunes of Mona, who cleans houses and falls for a man she calls Mr Disgusting. Beagin combines deep compassion and irreverent humour to create characters with nasty, wonderful, human flaws.' * Jess Kidd, Observer * 'Remarkable...unflinching...by turns laugh-out-loud funny and deeply affecting... Wiping the floor with other, more hyped debuts this year, Pretend I'm Dead should clean up with readers and awards lists alike.' * Irish Times * 'It's Mona's ballsy, kickass voice that makes this novel tick. Unreliable, sharply observant and funny, she recounts her journey of self-discovery in a way that is immediate and intriguing.' * Daily Mail * 'Pretend I'm Dead by Jen Beagin is a dark, twisted and hilarious novel about a young woman slumming about the American West, hiding from her life as best she can, while working as a cleaning lady. I barked aloud with laughter throughout the entire story.' * Elizabeth Gilbert, Guardian * 'Rib-ticklingly funny-sad... [Beagin] works magic in the space between hilarity and heartbreak... Absurdly affecting.' * O Magazine Best Books of 2018 * 'This novel had me rooting for its protagonist, Mona, 23 and cleaning houses to get by as she tries to figure her life out, from the very beginning...one of the most moving novels I've read all year.' * Elle * 'With her droll humor and hilarious (but also earnest) observations, the 24-year-old narrator of Pretend I'm Dead had us hooked from page one... Glide through Mona's series of bad decisions with her - she's a good companion.' * Refinery29,Best Books of 2018 * 'Frank and unflinching... This book invaded my dreams, took over my conversation, and otherwise seduced me totally.' * Joshua Ferris, author of Then We Came to the End * 'A bright, brittle achievement.' * The Spectator * 'Sharp but empathetic... Clear-eyed and funny... What gives this novel its heart is Beagin's capacity for seeing... Beagin makes [her theme] fresh with her sly, funny, compassionate voice. This is a terrific debut. Singularly enjoyable.' * Kirkus (starred review) * 'How can you resist a love story in which the object of desire is named Mr. Disgusting? Like Denis Johnson, Jen Beagin is able to find humanity and wonder (and yes, love) in some of the most forlorn and hopeless corners of our world.' * Tom Perrotta, author of Little Children * 'A dark and quirky account of heartbroken Mona, who finds her place among New Mexico's off-beat misfits.' * Stylist Magazine * 'Beagin's work has been compared to Denis Johnson, which is high praise indeed, and totally deserved based on this smart, funny, darkly profound debut.' * Nylon * 'Pretend I'm Dead is a funny, smart and surprisingly deep novel that lures the reader - through humour and sharp, off-beat observation - to follow a character to rock bottom. Beagin's uncanny characters and wise voice lend a cushion for taking a seat on that rock, providing the company of a good friend so that readers will be glad to stay.' * Caoilinn Hughes, author of Orchid & the Wasp * 'Mona is one of the best characters I have read recently. She's damaged for sure but hilarious and forthright and fascinating. I loved this book and can't wait to read more from the author, highly recommend this. A completely fresh voice.' * Lesley Scott, Waterstones bookseller * 'At once a vivid portrait of outcasts' lives and messy attempts to lay ghosts to rest, this is an outrageous, funny, moving debut... Like Mona, the writing speaks on its own terms - it's sparky, irreverent, switchblade-sharp and punch-packingly original. * LoveReading * 'One of the most anticipated literary debuts of the year... Pretend I'm Dead traces a cleaning woman's journey to self-acceptance in alternately warm, sharp, and deeply wise fashion.' * Entertainment Weekly * 'Eat, Pray, Love meets Beauty And The Beast.' * Cosmopolitan *

Jen Beagin holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of California, Irvine, and has published stories in Juked and Faultline, among other journals and literary magazines. In 2017, she was awarded a prestigious Whiting Award for her debut novel Pretend I'm Dead. She lives in New York.