I See You've Called in Dead

A Novel

De: John Kenney

Narrado por: Sean Patrick Hopkins

INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER
An NPR 2025 “Books We Love”
USA Today April Pick
An Indie Next & LibraryReads Pick
2026 Gotham Book Prize Finalist
Winner of the AudioFiles Earphones Award
2026 Lariat Adult Fiction Reading List 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)

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

Reseñas de la Crítica

“There are writers I turn to when I need a guaranteed laugh, and John Kenney is certainly among them. But John is also on a shorter, more rarified list of writers who can evoke a laugh and make you feel alive. That's no small feat given the title of his breathtaking new novel is I See You've Called in Dead. But that's John. And you will love him.” —Steven Rowley, author of The Celebrants

“I See You’ve Called in Dead is a riotously funny, poignantly introspective novel that dives headfirst into the absurdity of existence. Bud Stanley is an obituary writer who gets everything wrong—including accidentally publishing his own death notice. From botched blind dates to philosophical musings about life and death, Bud grapples with love, legacy, and the existential (and satirical) weight of being alive. But seriously . . . read this, it is laugh out loud funny. Perfect for fans of dark, heartfelt comedy.” —Weike Wang, author of Rental House

Funny and introspective

I really enjoyed this author’s dark sense of humor. The character development was also very well done. I tried to describe the book to a client who looked at me as if I had three heads, so I guess it’s not for everyone, but I really enjoyed it.

Lovely book and excellent voice narration

Tenderness around his friendship with Tim and appreciated the temptation for a rom com ending

Love the human condition

Great book on past unhealed wounds impacting the rest of our lives until we take action and heal them. That we spend so much time avoiding those pains that we build our whole lives around them and miss out on living. Great book to remind us of who we are and who we can become.

Smooth easy flow that kept me in their conversation

Loved it. A great message. I am older and I fully embrace the message of the author. You would think it might be sad based on the description, but it is very uplifting. Any age person could learn from this story.

Life is for living

I loved the stories, jokes, connections, & reminders of how raw & beautiful life is, and to live life, go out, get lost, wander, and love.