Standalone Novels
| Title | Published | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| How Not to Die Alone / Something to Live For | 2019 | Buy |
| When We Were Young | 2021 | Buy |
| This Disaster Loves You | 2024 | Buy |
Richard Roper is a British novelist whose books find humor in loneliness and human awkwardness. His debut, How Not to Die Alone (published as Something to Live For in some markets), came out in 2019 and follows Andrew, a man who works for the local council dealing with deaths where no next of kin can be found. Andrew has let his colleagues believe he has a wife and children, and the story follows what happens when that lie starts to unravel.
Roper followed up with When We Were Young in 2021 and This Disaster Loves You in 2024. His books share a common interest in characters who are stuck, whether through grief, deception, or simple inertia, and the events that shake them loose. The tone balances genuine emotion with a dry British sense of humor, landing somewhere between comedy and drama.