I See You've Called in Dead

A Novel

De: John Kenney

Narrado por: Sean Patrick Hopkins

INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER
USA Today April Pick

“Razor-sharp, darkly comedic, and emotionally piercing. With the satirical bite of Richard Russo’s Straight Man, the introspection of Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove, and the reinvention of Andrew Sean Greer's Less, Kenney’s vivid prose transforms the mundane into unexpected hilarity.”
—Booklist (starred review)

An Indie Next & LibraryReads Pick for April
Winner of the AudioFiles Earphones Award

The Office meets Six Feet Under meets About a Boy in this coming-of-middle-age tale about having a second chance to write your life’s story.

Obituary writer Bud Stanley isn’t really living his best life. He’s fallen into a funk after a divorce. (She left him for another man, who, in fairness, was far more interesting). He’s not doing his job well. He’s given up on dating. And he’s about to be fired for accidentally publishing his own obituary one mildly drunken night (though technically the company can’t legally fire a dead person).

As Bud awaits his fate at work, he does the only logical thing: He goes to the wakes and funerals of total strangers to learn how to live again.

©2025 John Kenney (P)2025 Zibby Publishing

Delightfully Heavy

This book was a great listen! The story was one that I feel many people can connect with as there are so many different takeaways from this book. The overall story is kind of heavy but the author does an amazing job of using humor to make it lighter and enjoyable. At the same time the narrator does an amazing job of giving voice to the book and getting across the author's intent, feeling of the piece, and really bringing the characters to life. What a great story and listen!

Thought provoking

This one will stay with me for a long time. It was more than just about life and death, it was about actually LIVING and being curious about the stories of others. Everyone should read or listen (the narration is wonderful) to this book and then just sit with it a minute. What will you do with your dash? That time between birth and death. How will people remember you?

Outstanding book

I enjoyed the humor and friendships of the story. A beautiful reminder of why we are here. The seconds & inches that can change everything.

This was a good read, even with death being the main theme throughout the book

This was a good read, even with death being the main theme throughout the book. It wasn’t nearly as heavy as you might expect — in fact, it came across more lighthearted than a story about dead people would normally feel.

I thought it had a great underlying message and was an easy, quick read. It didn’t move me in the way I thought it might based on other reviews or the very high ratings, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth reading.

I’d recommend it to someone looking for a feel-good, self-help style book with a motivational edge. For me, it wasn’t a life-changing read, but it was still enjoyable and well worth four stars.

Rich with deadpan humor

First I read the book, then I listened to it on Audible. The narrator does a fantastic job delivering author John Kenney’s one liners, one after another. It’s dry, self-deprecating humor set in New York City and Brooklyn, with an Irish twist. It wrestles with the meaning of life. It swings from humor to despair, but ends in hope. What a ride!

Funny and thought-provoking

I enjoyed listening to this book. It was funny and thought-provoking. The narrator was excellent. I feel I got more out of this book by listening to it with this narrator than I would have gotten out of reading the print edition.

The message, to actually "live" life!

I loved the writing! The humor and wit about a subject rarely written about - especially with such insight, fun and interesting storyline!

Beautiful message with fantastic character development/relationships!

I loved everything about this book! I’ll suggest it to anyone and everyone! What a beautiful message.

ALL the feels!

I laughed, I cried, I learned! This is going on my top ten reads of all times. Do yourself a favor and read or listen to this book!

The Right Book at the Right Time

Sometimes timing is everything for a book and its reader. This one just hit right for me. I loved the narrator, loved the characters and their relationships, and loved the message.