For better or worse, the Nearly Dearly Departed Club are back ... and this time it's a matter of life and death.

Or rather, stay alive long enough to protect the dead. That's the plan, at least. But then what do they say about best laid plans?

There’s been a death at HM Prison Stainmouth. The corpse in question is one Impetus Stokes, criminal mastermind, found dead in his cell from an overdose. For no obvious reason, Agatha Pleasant's team of squabbling misfits are assigned the task of collecting his coffin, sitting on it for a few days before handing it over to the necessary authorities. It makes no sense whatsoever, but then why break the habit of a lifetime?

Besides, how hard can it be to watch over a coffin?

Very hard, as it happens. Practically impossible. Especially when the dead refuse to stay dead.

Something that the Nearly Dearly Departed Club are only too aware of themselves.