The Dead Detective

By: J.R. Rain, Rod Kierkegaard Jr.

Narrated by: Ilyana Kadushin

Length: 10 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's Summary

Medical-school-dropout police detective Richelle Dadd is...well, dead.

But that won't stop her from trying to hold on to her house in a divorce battle with a bitter husband. Or keep her from digging into her own murder, to discover who put the bullet into her heart. Or from coming to terms with her Gypsy heritage. And it certainly won't stand in the way of finding out the reason she's been reanimated as a zombie assassin, no longer in control of her life.

Richelle will face off against Romani shamans, double-crossing ghosts, a partner she can't trust, and her own undead nature in a journey into the depths of the occult world and out the other side without losing her sense of humor - or humanity - along the way.

It's a good thing her deductive skills - and her aim - are still up to par.

©2014 J.R. Rain & Rod Kierkegaard Jr. (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Zombie romance?? Not for me, thanks.

This is the review I wish I would've read before selecting this title:

THIS IS A ZOMBIE ROMANCE NOVEL!!

Romance!

Not just a little romance, mind you. I made it halfway through before giving up, and to that point the storyline seems to be a mix of 70% romance with a touch of murder/mystery and zombies thrown into the mix. If you aren't a fan of romance novels, you WILL (most likely) NOT enjoy this book!

To be fair to the author, I gave the book four stars because I did not want to ruin the ratings based on my genre bias. Based solely on my personal opinion, I would've felt charitable giving it two stars overall (the performance was solid), but who am I to judge a genre I know nothing about?

It's really a shame, too, because the premise of a zombie detective was compelling.

2 people found this helpful

holy. wow. (!!!)

Rain has outdone himself with this one! this collaboration is a Masterpiece! the emotion ... the .. Everything. this is Not your basic supernatural romance. there is, in fact, little romance at all, which was aces with Me.
this book has Balls. if you have either a weak stomach Or heart (of the lovey-dovey kind), this may not be for you, but if you take the dive, you'll be routing for your new favourite kick-ass zombie heroine to the end. and when the beotch behind it all finally gets what's coming to them, you'll be givin Richie a big Eff Yes!, just like i did;) this is one ride you Don't wanna sit out!

Way to go . J. R.

Different for you, but really terrific for me and I am sure all your readers.

Just fantastic wow I loved it.

This has to be one of the best audio books I've have listened to to date. I love everything about the book the storyline was great, the characters where funny. Best humor ever. I highly recommend this book. You won't be disappointed.

Dead detective

The Dead Detective is a decent first book in a series. The premise of a zombie detective was unique and interesting. The story has a decent plot, storyline, plot, and character development. The narrator performed well by providing each character with their own unique voice.

Great!!

Keep them coming. I enjoy all of Rain's books. My favorite writer and I am his number 1# fan!!!!

Best Female Reader So Far

I enjoyed listening as much as reading, which is due to the narrator. The voice and expressions often distract me from following the story, but Kadusahin makes this audible version exceptional. Fun and easy listening!

Hilarious, Original and Well Told!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Dead Detective to be better than the print version?

I didn't read the print version and I'm sure it's good. I will say the narrator for this was amazing!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Dead Detective?

Oh no! It might be a spoiler! But, when she realized she was being "used" as a weapon.

Have you listened to any of Ilyana Kadushin’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I had not. But, she has such a great reading voice and performance. Some people just read, but this put you into the story.

If you could take any character from The Dead Detective out to dinner, who would it be and why?

The main character of course! Because she's interesting. And because she's always hungry. lol

Any additional comments?

I got this because it was on sale and the description sounded good. But, I've had a run of bad experiences with unknown authors lately and almost didn't listen to it. But, I am so thrilled that I tried it. What an unexpected surprise! Not only is the narration excellent, but the story had my son and I in stitches! We had to drive cross-country and tried 3 audio books that we didn't finish when we finally decided to try this and we were roaring with laughter! It's engaging, great mystery, the pacing was perfect! I am certainly going to read more by these authors!

Suspend disbelief and listen!

Loved this story. It kept my attention from start to finish. Great adventure despite disbelief.

Not what I was expecting/Greatest opening line

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Probably not, it is a weird genre; a zombie story where the only thing to distinguish the character as a zombie is a lack of heartbeat and a low body temperature. Otherwise nothing has changed except possibly that her libido has kicked into high gear.

Who was your favorite character and why?
Probably the rabbi.

Which character – as performed by Ilyana Kadushin – was your favorite?
The ghosts.

If you could take any character from The Dead Detective out to dinner, who would it be and why?
None

Any additional comments?
After a second listen I am updating my review to 5 stars because I really enjoyed revisiting this story. It is quirky, funny, and has unique world building. i thought that the characters were fun as they range from the mom from Hell to solid friends who had Richelle's back. Add to that ghosts, backstabbers, gypsys, a rabbi, a father-in-law who likes to tell rabbi jaokes, and an exasperated boss.

Interesting zombie premise

“You know you’re having a bad day when you wake up in a chalk outline.”

When Robbery Homicide Detective Richelle Dadd wakes up in an abandoned warehouse with a chalk outline around her body, she assumes she’s been the victim of a prank at the hands of her fellow officers. After realising she’s been shot through the heart, however, she pieces together that she must have been lured to the warehouse and murdered - but by who and why? Most importantly, how is she still able to walk around despite being perpetually cold, with no pulse or beating heart and the ability to see ghosts?

As Richie tries to solve her own murder, she grasps that the shooter could have been someone in her own department. No longer able to trust her boss or her partner, Richie finds an unlikely ally in Bull McGuinness, a tag along ghost/partner who used to be a detective once upon a time. Bull not only does most of the legwork in solving her case, but also helps her to adjust with the afterlife.

It soon transpires that the reason Richie in limbo is down to a gypsy clan who reanimated her in order to turn her into a zombie assassin - and she is not the only one of her kind. Now she must face off against gypsy shamans, double crossing ghosts, a partner she can’t trust while trying to hang on to her house in a bitter divorce battle with her ex as well as her humanity.

Dead Detective is the first offbeat instalment of the Dead Detective series by JR Rain and Rod Kierkegaard and was my first introduction to both authors. The book starts off with an interesting premise which is told from the point of view of an undead police detective after being shot to death. She wakes up and initially thinks she’s the target of an elaborate prank. Her thought processes as she struggles to adjust to her new situation and retain some semblance of normality while simultaneously trying to solve her own murder were relatable.

The world building was exceptional and I was impressed by the authors unique approach on the usual zombie lore I’m accustomed to. Although weakened by sunlight, Richie is in control of her faculties and is able to eat and drink as normal, minus any unusual cravings. Her only vulnerability seems to be at night when she’s susceptible to the gypsies mind control. On the up side though, her ability to see and talk to ghosts as well as auras and shades of buildings from yesteryear was an interesting twist and I enjoyed the intertwining world between the dead and the living. I did struggle to grasp the concept of Romani Gypsy curse lore. The idea that a ‘hakkno mulo’ curse was used to create a ‘muli’ (Richie) in order to conceive a ‘moroi’ a kind of undead vampire-like creature born of the union between a human and muli.

I also felt that the pace of the book suffered as a result of several subplots occurring at the same time. We have a protagonist who despite undergoing couples therapy, is on the brink of a divorce from her cheating ex who is intent on keeping their house and cat. She has to deal with her new status as a zombie as well as her fear of being exposed. Her mother, in between trying to set her up with a lesbian, finally sees fit to reveal her gypsie heritage just as Richie learns that her reanimation is the result of a gypsy curse. Then we have said gypsies using her as well as other undead cops to carry out a spate of murders while a couple of ghosts use her to carry out a heist. Oh, and then there’s the creep who wants to use her as a baby incubator. Who’s a girl to trust?

Richie was an appealing and relatable protagonist who the readers will instantly root for. She’s had a traumatic childhood but has emerged stronger and wiser for it. I did wish however, that she was more assertive with those around her who seemed to take advantage of her. The secondary characters were equally well drawn and interesting, my favourites being Malena, Tamara and of course, Bull.

The book doesn’t take itself too seriously which is evident in the black humour. I loved Richie’s wit and sense of irony. Her quips as well as her overall outlook on life had me smiling on many occasion.

All in all I felt that the story had an interesting premise with a strong beginning that draws the reader in from the offset. It did kind of lose its way in the middle but it’s saving grace were the intriguing characters. There’s still room for potential for a detective who is able to navigate the world of the dead as well as the living. The surprise revelation at the end has piqued my interest into picking up the second instalment.

Ideal for fans of paranormal mysteries, noir police detective dramas, zombies, ghosts, gypsie curses, the occult, organised crime.

I listened to this book in audible form which was narrated by Ilyana Kadushin. I was impressed by the way she was masterfully able to bring each character to life with their own unique voice, switching effortlessly between characters and accents.

utter drivel

the narrator was fine but the story was terrible - I just couldn't bring myself to finish it, which is something that I never do.