At the Wake

Robert, a half-Samoan ex-pat, returns to New Zealand to accompany his palagi grandmother Joan to his mother’s funeral, expecting a solemn occasion. But Robert quickly realises this is no ordinary family gathering.

Potty-mouthed, unpredictable, and larger than life, Joan smokes like a chimney, drinks like a fish, adores men, and harbours a burning grudge against Robert’s father — and she isn’t afraid to make everyone at the wake well aware of it. As secrets spill, rivalries flare, and old wounds are reopened, what should have been a quiet farewell descends into chaos, hilarity, and unexpected revelations.

With biting humour, unforgettable characters, and sharp observations about family, identity, and inheritance, At The Wake is a wickedly entertaining exploration of what happens when family issues are laid bare—and nothing stays polite for long.