The Dead Detective

By: William Heffernan

Narrated by: John McLain

Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

Harry Doyle was murdered at age 10 by his religious fanatic mother. Resuscitated by the police, Harry comes back from the dead and survives an event that will shape the rest of his life. Twenty years later, he has dedicated his life to putting killers behind bars as a homicide detective who has the unwanted ability to hear the postmortem whispers of murder victims. Dubbed the Dead Detective by his fellow cops, Doyle now faces his most difficult case: a beautiful murder victim who was a notorious child molester. It is a case that will shake Harry to his very core.

©2010 William Heffernan (P)2017 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Character development

Very good book. Will be listening more from the Author. Was introduced to him by my Aunt. Wish he had more available to listen too in audible. The narrator’s performance was impeccable.

Many more cop cliches than talking dead.

This book tries to be a "cop noir" story and a supernatural tale. It doesn't quite do either very well. The story is OK if predictable, but each character was a cliche, made worse by the narrator doubling down on their stereotypical nature with his over-the-top interpretations of accents. I felt the author did a poor job of showing how the main character's ability made more difference to the investigation than good intuition and careful detective work. Several very graphic violent murders, consistent with story, if that makes a difference to you. Though the end is obviously the set-up for a next book, I feel it also pointed in a predictable direction and I'm not invested enough in the characters to continue with the series. Overall, moderately entertaining police procedural, but won't satisfy anyone looking for a more supernatural story.

He didn't talk to dead people..

This was just an ok book. Harry Doyle was likable but there was no talking to dead people. He just looked at a dead person and felt what they might have felt just before they died. The synopsis wasn't very good when describing the story-line, it made it seem like Harry actually talked to the dead and it was far from it. It was very disappointing. However, I will read the second book, just to see what a reviewer was talking about it having an "epic fail" ending. And to see what happens to Harry's insane mother.

No sex and the F-bomb was used 39 times.

As for the narration: John McLain was barely ok. His men's voices were good but the females sounded just like the men.