Do You Believe in the Afterlife? by G D Harrison

Author G D Harrison plunges readers into the murky grey space between death, life, truth and lies in Do You Believe in the Afterlife? – a mind-bending, thought-provoking novel.

A dead man defies logic when some part of his Essence remains in his deceased body, so two determined doctors backtrack through his life, eager to find what makes him quite so special. With an eccentric sci-fi tone and the tension of a psychological thriller, readers follow Lester’s fate on his revelatory journey, one that raises more questions than it answers. This cerebral adventure is challenging, but rewarding, and is expertly crafted by a talented and curious storyteller.

The idea of existence moving in the opposite direction, from death back into life, is a thrilling concept to explore, and the author does so with just enough subtlety and uncertainty to keep readers on their toes. The blurring of lines between dreams, reality, life and death makes this as much a philosophical book as a fictional one, but the robust, unpredictable plot is the perfect vehicle for such heady subjects.

Some of the narration feels redundant or unnecessary, particularly the inner monologuing and self-referential commentary, but the fragmented pieces of truth also make the story an irresistible rabbit hole. As a whole, Harrison has created an in-depth world resting between fact and fiction, artfully dissecting the greatest mystery in life: what happens when it ends. The novel may not answer that question, but this journey of ideas is profound and engrossing.