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Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. #1
Death Warmed Over
Single Dead Detective Seeks Clue
Ever since the Big Uneasy unleashed vampires, werewolves, and other undead denizens on the world, it's been hell being a detective--especially for zombie P.I. Dan Chambeaux. Taking on the creepiest of cases in the Unnatural Quarter with a human lawyer for a partner and a ghost for a girlfriend, Chambeaux redefines "dead on arrival." But just because he was murdered doesn't mean he'd leave his clients in the lurch. Besides, zombies are so good at lurching.
Now he's back from the dead and back in business--with a caseload that's downright unnatural. A resurrected mummy is suing the museum that put him on display. Two witches, victims of a curse gone terribly wrong, seek restitution from a publisher for not using "spell check" on its magical tomes. And he's got to figure out a very personal question--Who killed him?
For Dan Chambeaux, it's all in a day's work. (Still, does everybody have to call him "Shamble"?) Funny, fresh, and irresistible, this cadaverous caper puts the P.I. in R.I.P. . ..with a vengeance.
Ever since the Big Uneasy unleashed vampires, werewolves, and other undead denizens on the world, it's been hell being a detective--especially for zombie P.I. Dan Chambeaux. Taking on the creepiest of cases in the Unnatural Quarter with a human lawyer for a partner and a ghost for a girlfriend, Chambeaux redefines "dead on arrival." But just because he was murdered doesn't mean he'd leave his clients in the lurch. Besides, zombies are so good at lurching.
Now he's back from the dead and back in business--with a caseload that's downright unnatural. A resurrected mummy is suing the museum that put him on display. Two witches, victims of a curse gone terribly wrong, seek restitution from a publisher for not using "spell check" on its magical tomes. And he's got to figure out a very personal question--Who killed him?
For Dan Chambeaux, it's all in a day's work. (Still, does everybody have to call him "Shamble"?) Funny, fresh, and irresistible, this cadaverous caper puts the P.I. in R.I.P. . ..with a vengeance.
309 pages, Paperback
First published August 28, 2012
323 people are currently reading
2,227 people want to read
About the author
Kevin J. Anderson
944Ìýbooks3,032ÌýfollowersYes, I have a lot of books, and if this is your first visit to my amazon author page, it can be a little overwhelming. If you are new to my work, let me recommend a few titles as good places to start. I love my Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. series, humorous horror/mysteries, which begin with DEATH WARMED OVER. My steampunk fantasy adventures, CLOCKWORK ANGELS and CLOCKWORK LIVES, written with Neil Peart, legendary drummer from Rush, are two of my very favorite novels ever. And my magnum opus, the science fiction epic The Saga of Seven Suns, begins with HIDDEN EMPIRE. After you've tried those, I hope you'll check out some of my other series.
I have written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and I'm the co-author of the Dune prequels. My original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity. I have also written several comic books including the Dark Horse Star Wars collection Tales of the Jedi written in collaboration with Tom Veitch, Predator titles (also for Dark Horse), and X-Files titles for Topps.
I serve as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest.
My wife is author Rebecca Moesta. We currently reside near Monument, Colorado.
I have written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and I'm the co-author of the Dune prequels. My original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity. I have also written several comic books including the Dark Horse Star Wars collection Tales of the Jedi written in collaboration with Tom Veitch, Predator titles (also for Dark Horse), and X-Files titles for Topps.
I serve as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest.
My wife is author Rebecca Moesta. We currently reside near Monument, Colorado.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 346 reviews
June 12, 2015
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4 Stars!
I did not expect to enjoy this book nearly as much as I did in the end. This book is incredibly original with enough humor that I found myself chucking every once in a while. I have a slightly weird sense of humor and something about this book just clicked for me. I tend to listen to audiobooks just a little bit at a time and I found that worked well with this book.
I think that oftentimes books with any paranormal element take themselves too seriously. Not this book. This book jumps in and doesn't really take anything seriously. The main character Dan Chambeaux's name is even open for jokes - Did you notice that this is the Dan Shamble, Zombie PI series? I love just thinking about a world where if you come back as a zombie or ghost, you simply brush yourself off and go back to your life. In this case, Dan goes back to work as a Private Investigator and works to solve not only his own murder but that of his ghostly girlfriend.
I did solve the big mystery before the big reveal but I had a lot of fun during the journey. This book actually had several different smaller mysteries as Dan worked on his caseload. Each of these cases brought new and colorful characters into the mix. In this book, the author was able to create a completely likeable zombie. That shouldn't even be possible but I really liked Dan. The other characters in the book were really just as much fun.
The narrator did a remarkable job with this story. In fact, I don't think that this story would have be quite as enjoyable without his narration. I am amazed at how well he did various voices and I never had any difficulty in keeping all of the characters straight in my head. I really think that this is a case where a narrator was able to take a good story and make it great. This is the first audiobook with Phil Gigante as the narrator that I have listened to but I will definitely look for him in the future.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a dose of laughs with their light paranormal reads. This story is quick, easy, and a whole lot of fun. I would highly recommend the audiobook version of this story if at all possible because I really think that is the best way to experience this story. I hope to listen to the next one in the series in the near future.
4 Stars!
I did not expect to enjoy this book nearly as much as I did in the end. This book is incredibly original with enough humor that I found myself chucking every once in a while. I have a slightly weird sense of humor and something about this book just clicked for me. I tend to listen to audiobooks just a little bit at a time and I found that worked well with this book.
I think that oftentimes books with any paranormal element take themselves too seriously. Not this book. This book jumps in and doesn't really take anything seriously. The main character Dan Chambeaux's name is even open for jokes - Did you notice that this is the Dan Shamble, Zombie PI series? I love just thinking about a world where if you come back as a zombie or ghost, you simply brush yourself off and go back to your life. In this case, Dan goes back to work as a Private Investigator and works to solve not only his own murder but that of his ghostly girlfriend.
I did solve the big mystery before the big reveal but I had a lot of fun during the journey. This book actually had several different smaller mysteries as Dan worked on his caseload. Each of these cases brought new and colorful characters into the mix. In this book, the author was able to create a completely likeable zombie. That shouldn't even be possible but I really liked Dan. The other characters in the book were really just as much fun.
The narrator did a remarkable job with this story. In fact, I don't think that this story would have be quite as enjoyable without his narration. I am amazed at how well he did various voices and I never had any difficulty in keeping all of the characters straight in my head. I really think that this is a case where a narrator was able to take a good story and make it great. This is the first audiobook with Phil Gigante as the narrator that I have listened to but I will definitely look for him in the future.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a dose of laughs with their light paranormal reads. This story is quick, easy, and a whole lot of fun. I would highly recommend the audiobook version of this story if at all possible because I really think that is the best way to experience this story. I hope to listen to the next one in the series in the near future.
May 2, 2019
This was a fun and funny light fantasy in the vein of Damon Runyon. It features cute and cuddly zombies, ghosts, vampires, werewolves and just about any other kind of creature you could remember. It reminded me quite a bit of Mike Resnick's (to whom this novel is dedicated) Mallory stories. It's good fun.
October 30, 2020
I loved every second of Death Warmed Over (Dan Shamble, Zombie PI #1). I can never resist noir and urban fantasy and this series opener hit all the right notes for me. Plus, the dark sense of humor is to die for. It's so much fun. I can't wait to continue the series.
November 18, 2012
I've read all sorts of detective novels, so how could I pass up one involving a zombie detective? Well, the premise is interesting, but...
Dan Chambeaux (or Dan 'Shambles') is one of the newly-undead. He was gunned down by a person or persons unknown; now he is back to pick up all his old cases and solve his own murder. And he still needs to solve the murder (by poisoning) of his girlfriend--she is now a ghost working in the office he shares with a human lawyer.
This is a world inhabited not only by zombies and ghosts, but witches, vampires, werewolves, and a host of other "unnaturals". Dan's lawyer/partner deals with the legal side of things for this new group of individuals. Not that this has always been the way of things in the world Dan inhabits--several years earlier, an event called "The Big Uneasy" (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) enabled some to come back from the dead in slightly modified form. There is an entire commercial market aimed at these 'unnaturals'-everything from dark glass for vampire homes to personal care products for the undead.
While the premise was interesting and the idea of a commercial side was intriguing, the writing was somewhat simple. A lot was presented in a short amount of space, there was a lot of action trying to draw one away from the (glaringly obvious) solution, and the characters were fairly 2-dimensional. I know it's supposed to be light, but the Aunt Dimity series (which features a ghost) seems like heavy stuff by comparison. And it isn't nearly as entertaining as Darynda Jones' series featuring an unlikely grim reaper. One good point was that since Dan is a zombie and his girlfriend is a ghost, they can't actually touch, so there were no steamy sex scenes! And I must admit, I did giggle a little at some of the bad zombie jokes one of the characters insists on telling.
In spite of all the rough spots, I might still try the next one in the series...hoping that the story and writing get a little better.
Dan Chambeaux (or Dan 'Shambles') is one of the newly-undead. He was gunned down by a person or persons unknown; now he is back to pick up all his old cases and solve his own murder. And he still needs to solve the murder (by poisoning) of his girlfriend--she is now a ghost working in the office he shares with a human lawyer.
This is a world inhabited not only by zombies and ghosts, but witches, vampires, werewolves, and a host of other "unnaturals". Dan's lawyer/partner deals with the legal side of things for this new group of individuals. Not that this has always been the way of things in the world Dan inhabits--several years earlier, an event called "The Big Uneasy" (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) enabled some to come back from the dead in slightly modified form. There is an entire commercial market aimed at these 'unnaturals'-everything from dark glass for vampire homes to personal care products for the undead.
While the premise was interesting and the idea of a commercial side was intriguing, the writing was somewhat simple. A lot was presented in a short amount of space, there was a lot of action trying to draw one away from the (glaringly obvious) solution, and the characters were fairly 2-dimensional. I know it's supposed to be light, but the Aunt Dimity series (which features a ghost) seems like heavy stuff by comparison. And it isn't nearly as entertaining as Darynda Jones' series featuring an unlikely grim reaper. One good point was that since Dan is a zombie and his girlfriend is a ghost, they can't actually touch, so there were no steamy sex scenes! And I must admit, I did giggle a little at some of the bad zombie jokes one of the characters insists on telling.
In spite of all the rough spots, I might still try the next one in the series...hoping that the story and writing get a little better.
August 12, 2019
Book source ~ ARC. My review is voluntary and honest.
With the unlikely event of the Big Uneasy our world was thrown into a post-apocalyptic paranormal scenario the likes of which has never been seen before. All things fantastical or paranormal are now pretty much everyday life. The problem with such a big change happening so quickly, the laws haven’t had a chance to catch up yet. Enter the office of Chambeaux & Deyer Investigations.
Dan Chambeaux was a live PI. Now he’s a dead one. After his murder he came back as a zombie. Their secretary Sheyenne is a ghost (she was murdered first), and Robin is their human attorney. Together they make a great team if not a lot of money. With a habit of taking Unnatural cases pro bono they really need to solve their paying cases. So, they get to work and in-between, Dan tries to solve his and Sheyenne’s murders.
Well, this is quite the fix to be in. Who knew that a highly unlikely series of events could activate a spell that could turn everything upside down? Well, not literally upside down. Man, they don’t need that on top of everything else. The world is intriguing and I like the characters. The cases the trio are working on are varied and interesting. And then there’s Sheyenne’s and Dan’s murders to solve. Lots going on here, but not too much to overwhelm. The writing is decent, but there’s something a tad off about the whole book and I can’t put my finger on what is bugging me. In any case, it’s still a good read.
With the unlikely event of the Big Uneasy our world was thrown into a post-apocalyptic paranormal scenario the likes of which has never been seen before. All things fantastical or paranormal are now pretty much everyday life. The problem with such a big change happening so quickly, the laws haven’t had a chance to catch up yet. Enter the office of Chambeaux & Deyer Investigations.
Dan Chambeaux was a live PI. Now he’s a dead one. After his murder he came back as a zombie. Their secretary Sheyenne is a ghost (she was murdered first), and Robin is their human attorney. Together they make a great team if not a lot of money. With a habit of taking Unnatural cases pro bono they really need to solve their paying cases. So, they get to work and in-between, Dan tries to solve his and Sheyenne’s murders.
Well, this is quite the fix to be in. Who knew that a highly unlikely series of events could activate a spell that could turn everything upside down? Well, not literally upside down. Man, they don’t need that on top of everything else. The world is intriguing and I like the characters. The cases the trio are working on are varied and interesting. And then there’s Sheyenne’s and Dan’s murders to solve. Lots going on here, but not too much to overwhelm. The writing is decent, but there’s something a tad off about the whole book and I can’t put my finger on what is bugging me. In any case, it’s still a good read.
January 9, 2013
Didn't like this one, almost from the beginning. And since I didn't like it, my review’s going to be harsh. I mean, I’ll forgive poor writing if I’m enjoying the read. But this was tough for me to even finish. And yes, saying this is “poor writing� might be a bit much. Honestly, if it weren't for some of the subject matter, I would have assumed this was written for teenagers. Sorry, teenagers, I don’t mean to insult you. But you know how people write down to the young, and that’s what this read like.
Meandering plot, until things sort of linked up-- almost as if the author, Kevin J. Anderson, was just writing whatever, and attaching loose ends together as he went along. Maybe that’s fine for deeply introspective drama, but not for light-hearted genre fiction (in my opinion). There’s no real plot, or, if you insist that there is a mystery that was to be solved, fine-- there’s certainly no story. Just the main character explaining how the world is now that “unnaturals� have become a normal part of society. No rising action. Just a series of occurrences that get jammed together at the end.
And Anderson doesn't even do anything interesting with these “unnaturals.� The main character is a zombie, which is only exploited once in the whole novel. His girlfriend’s a ghost, which adds a tiny bit of tension but, again, it’s un-utilized and in the end, pointless. There’s vampires, werewolves... and now that I think about it, not much else.
There are also humans who hate the unnaturals, which Anderson uses for the so-called plot, taking a subject like racism and turning it into something goofy and flat. Towards the end, this serves as the motivation for the “mystery� which isn't really a mystery because it’s so obvious what’s going on, one wonders how much respect Anderson has for his main character.
Or his reader, I guess. The whole thing felt like Anderson got an idea he thought was clever, and decided that cleverness, alone, was enough reason to write a book. Well, maybe it is. But is it enough reason to read a book? My reading experience is telling me no.
Meandering plot, until things sort of linked up-- almost as if the author, Kevin J. Anderson, was just writing whatever, and attaching loose ends together as he went along. Maybe that’s fine for deeply introspective drama, but not for light-hearted genre fiction (in my opinion). There’s no real plot, or, if you insist that there is a mystery that was to be solved, fine-- there’s certainly no story. Just the main character explaining how the world is now that “unnaturals� have become a normal part of society. No rising action. Just a series of occurrences that get jammed together at the end.
And Anderson doesn't even do anything interesting with these “unnaturals.� The main character is a zombie, which is only exploited once in the whole novel. His girlfriend’s a ghost, which adds a tiny bit of tension but, again, it’s un-utilized and in the end, pointless. There’s vampires, werewolves... and now that I think about it, not much else.
There are also humans who hate the unnaturals, which Anderson uses for the so-called plot, taking a subject like racism and turning it into something goofy and flat. Towards the end, this serves as the motivation for the “mystery� which isn't really a mystery because it’s so obvious what’s going on, one wonders how much respect Anderson has for his main character.
Or his reader, I guess. The whole thing felt like Anderson got an idea he thought was clever, and decided that cleverness, alone, was enough reason to write a book. Well, maybe it is. But is it enough reason to read a book? My reading experience is telling me no.
September 12, 2012
3.5 stars. A light but entertaining urban fantasy book by Anderson, but it wasn't quite up to par with what I'm used to from him. I'm used to giant scope space operas with multiple points of view and lots of depth and introspection and suspense. This was just pretty cute. From another author I might have thought that he just wanted to capitalize on the urban fantasy craze. But Anderson really does seem to enjoy exploring different genres, he also did the fantasy series and has edited several anthologies of terrific urban fantasy stories.Ìý
In fact, now that I think about it, this fits right into the premise of his anthology series, I guess that's where he got the inspiration: a humorous, slightly dark murder mystery with lots of zombies, witches, vampires, werewolves, mummies (Ramen Ho-Tep was my favorite character), and many more fun "unnatural" people. And it is quite stylized, it isn't like he just wrote some fluff. It reminds me quite a lot of Ìý's books (Green even did one of the quotes on the back cover), but not quite asÌýflamboyant. They both like to introduce a lot of cases and showcase their little bits of cleverness, whether they're related to the main story or not. Anderson did a better job than Green of working most of the little bits together. It was all pretty cute, somewhat predictible, but full of likable characters with a charming style. I just would have liked to see him do something darker or deeper when he decided to tackle urban fantasy, he could have kept the cool cat detective and creative version of the Big Uneasy, but made it a bit more significant for my taste.
In fact, now that I think about it, this fits right into the premise of his anthology series, I guess that's where he got the inspiration: a humorous, slightly dark murder mystery with lots of zombies, witches, vampires, werewolves, mummies (Ramen Ho-Tep was my favorite character), and many more fun "unnatural" people. And it is quite stylized, it isn't like he just wrote some fluff. It reminds me quite a lot of Ìý's books (Green even did one of the quotes on the back cover), but not quite asÌýflamboyant. They both like to introduce a lot of cases and showcase their little bits of cleverness, whether they're related to the main story or not. Anderson did a better job than Green of working most of the little bits together. It was all pretty cute, somewhat predictible, but full of likable characters with a charming style. I just would have liked to see him do something darker or deeper when he decided to tackle urban fantasy, he could have kept the cool cat detective and creative version of the Big Uneasy, but made it a bit more significant for my taste.
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November 24, 2014
Light. Fun. The references were great, and the protagonist and supporting cast were equally likable. Suffered from a few cliches, a few predictable plot-points/twists (which at this point seem to be inevitabilities of the genre), but a delightful read nonetheless. I might even pick up the sequel!
EDIT: I knew the name Kevin J. Anderson sounded familiar! Turns out he's written quite a few books, but the only one i've read was the book he co-wrote with Dean Koontz, -- a book so bad i never would have read the sequel if I hadn't purchased them both as a package on eBay. The sequel was actually a really great book, which I suspect had more to do with Koontz jettisoning Anderson and getting someone else to help him co-write it. I never would have thought I'd read something GOOD by Anderson, but here we are!
EDIT: I knew the name Kevin J. Anderson sounded familiar! Turns out he's written quite a few books, but the only one i've read was the book he co-wrote with Dean Koontz, -- a book so bad i never would have read the sequel if I hadn't purchased them both as a package on eBay. The sequel was actually a really great book, which I suspect had more to do with Koontz jettisoning Anderson and getting someone else to help him co-write it. I never would have thought I'd read something GOOD by Anderson, but here we are!
February 19, 2021
Good fun, light hearted, well thought out. Zombies, golems, vampires, werewolves, ghosts all co-exist and provide some amusing cases for the zombie PI to work with.
February 7, 2024
Death Warmed Over
by Kevin J. Anderson
Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. #1
Fantasy Urban Mystery
Scrbid (Everand) Audio
Ages: 16+
Dan Chambeaux is a zombie P.I., but if it hadn't been for the Big Uneasy, when vampires, werewolves, zombies, and ghosts began to walk the earth, he would've stayed in the ground, but instead, the bullet wound is now an inconvenience.
Only hours after he dug himself out of his grave, he went back to work, and solving his own murder joined the other cases he had on his desk.
Not a bad story and the author did a good job narrating his own work, but the included music after some of the chapters wasn't needed.
I really did like the idea of the Big Uneasy, and what caused it (spoilers), and the situation was described really well so I didn't have any questions about how it happened.
There were some funnies, but sadly nothing that got me snorting. There were a lot of detours from the main plot, the adding of additional investigations, but at the same time that kept to an aspect of reality.
As to the main investigations, I guessed them all but one (though I was close) pretty quickly.
But, while it's a good story, I don't see myself jumping to the next story in the series. For me, these are more of a 'go-to' when I don't know what to listen to next.
3 Stars
by Kevin J. Anderson
Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. #1
Fantasy Urban Mystery
Scrbid (Everand) Audio
Ages: 16+
Dan Chambeaux is a zombie P.I., but if it hadn't been for the Big Uneasy, when vampires, werewolves, zombies, and ghosts began to walk the earth, he would've stayed in the ground, but instead, the bullet wound is now an inconvenience.
Only hours after he dug himself out of his grave, he went back to work, and solving his own murder joined the other cases he had on his desk.
Not a bad story and the author did a good job narrating his own work, but the included music after some of the chapters wasn't needed.
I really did like the idea of the Big Uneasy, and what caused it (spoilers), and the situation was described really well so I didn't have any questions about how it happened.
There were some funnies, but sadly nothing that got me snorting. There were a lot of detours from the main plot, the adding of additional investigations, but at the same time that kept to an aspect of reality.
As to the main investigations, I guessed them all but one (though I was close) pretty quickly.
But, while it's a good story, I don't see myself jumping to the next story in the series. For me, these are more of a 'go-to' when I don't know what to listen to next.
3 Stars
November 1, 2017
Very cute. Mainly a section of different stories (clients), all with a loveable trio in a detective agency-slash-lawyers office. Review soon.
September 28, 2024
Based on the cover, I thought this could have gone with a cartoonish quality or a tongue-in-cheek, noir seriousness. It was cartoonish, but in an Adult Swim kind of way, which is without lessons or morals or whimsy. Unfortunately, although it tried, it was also without humor. There is fun to be had. There is silliness in a world of supernaturals come back to life. None of it worked for me, though. The world felt as shallow as a puddle of embalming fluid, and the characters were as interesting as a granite slab. The author has many other books, and I might try something else, chalking this up to just a mismatch in taste.
August 30, 2012
A great cast of character’s and a lead I liked from the beginning. My issue with the book was that Chambeaux and Deyer had way to many cases, seven in total. The Mummy who wanted to be released from the museum, the Witches who were cursed with a misprint, the Vampire who needed protection, the Werewolf who was getting shafted in her Divorce, the Human good samaritan who was being harassed, the murder of the Ghost who worked in the office, and the Zombie Chambeaux’s own murder. All they needed was a Fae client and they would have covered all the bases. Because there were so many cases, it took a while for things to be solved, which was frustrating after things seemed to be resolved.
Chambeaux’s murder should have been left to linger a bit, the mystery being solved should have been saved for maybe book three. It would have made him a more complex character. I didn’t like the ending, because it deviated from what had already been established magic in the world of the book. Flaws aside it was a fun read, and I probably will read the next in the series.
Chambeaux’s murder should have been left to linger a bit, the mystery being solved should have been saved for maybe book three. It would have made him a more complex character. I didn’t like the ending, because it deviated from what had already been established magic in the world of the book. Flaws aside it was a fun read, and I probably will read the next in the series.
June 1, 2018
These days, I keep a Kindle handy with me in case I need to kill some time reading and I don't have a regular book. My ebooks then become a backup, so I take longer to read them because I'm primarily reading something else. However, the good ebooks grab me enough that I feel compelled to finish them before too long in order to see what happens.
That's not the case here. The premise, that Zombies, Werewolves and other supernatural beings once again exist, and the main character is a P.I. who died and came back as a zombie, is interesting enough. And the humor about the various situations is funny at the beginning, but it wears thin quickly, and the story is basically a pretty standard mystery without a lot to offer besides the supernatural angle. Unfortunately, it didn't grab me much. The characters are decent and kind of interesting, but... it just wasn't my style. I eventually finished it just so I could move on to something more interesting as my backup :)
That's not the case here. The premise, that Zombies, Werewolves and other supernatural beings once again exist, and the main character is a P.I. who died and came back as a zombie, is interesting enough. And the humor about the various situations is funny at the beginning, but it wears thin quickly, and the story is basically a pretty standard mystery without a lot to offer besides the supernatural angle. Unfortunately, it didn't grab me much. The characters are decent and kind of interesting, but... it just wasn't my style. I eventually finished it just so I could move on to something more interesting as my backup :)
August 23, 2014
This was a decent book. The zombie PI was a good idea. I dinked it down to 3 stars from 4 because towards the end the tone changed jarringly. Up till then there were monsters, but it was low key, then in the last few chapters it turned into a splatterfest. It's a zombie book, so it isn't like that is unheard of, it just that the first 2/3 of the book wasn't particularly violent, so it was a bit jarring.
October 14, 2021
While this one started out pretty good, and I love the corky idea of a zombie PI, it just never felt like it was going anywhere. The story seemed to be more about the world and day-to-day life of the main character, than about the actual plot of the story. And while bits of this were somewhat interesting, it just wasn't enough to keep me invested.
August 17, 2021
A few years ago, the Big Uneasy happened. The normal world we all know changed, and now supernatural beings walk the earth. Witches, Zombies, werewolves, ghosts, mummies, you name it, it's out there. Dan Chambeuax, private eye, benefitted when he was killed, and then came back as a zombie to solve his own murder. Similarly, his girlfriend, who was also murdered, is a ghost, and they work with a human (for now) idealistic lawyer.
In addition to Dan's murder, and his lady's, there are issues with a mummy that wants to be freed from a museum, a witch with a spell that went horribly wrong, a vampire being harassed by human thugs, and several other issues .Dan has to sort out what's going on, who is involved in which case, and why the local cosmetic company is so determined to have him try their products.
This is a very fun read, with all manner of monsters and different spins on them. Noir meets urban fantasy with a hefty dash of humor. Very entertaining, and I'm going to be reading more in this series.
In addition to Dan's murder, and his lady's, there are issues with a mummy that wants to be freed from a museum, a witch with a spell that went horribly wrong, a vampire being harassed by human thugs, and several other issues .Dan has to sort out what's going on, who is involved in which case, and why the local cosmetic company is so determined to have him try their products.
This is a very fun read, with all manner of monsters and different spins on them. Noir meets urban fantasy with a hefty dash of humor. Very entertaining, and I'm going to be reading more in this series.
September 19, 2023
The first case of Don Shamble, Zombie P.I unleashes a completely new 'unnatural' world upon us. In it, an event named 'the Big Uneasy' has allowed a large number of the dead to return as vampires, werewolves, trolls, ghosts, zombies etc. Detective Chambeaux himself is one such 'unnatural'. So is her lover. However, after return they have tried to carry on with their un-lives as well as possible. In the process they had to deal with several cases while trying to find out who had murdered them.
It's a genuine mystery, with enough humour and too-real nastiness to make the read even more refreshing.
Highly recommended.
It's a genuine mystery, with enough humour and too-real nastiness to make the read even more refreshing.
Highly recommended.
June 14, 2018
Ok, so it started off a little cliche and cheesy. I wasn't sure I was going to like it. I stuck with it though, and even after I'd figured out the mystery element for myself, I stuck with it because there's a plethora of entertaining characters here in all shapes and sizes. It was genuinely fun and funny. I was a little disappointed the titicular character and his lawyer partner weren't elaborated on more. They seemed a little stiff (no pun intended.) If you like a lighthearted urban fantasy though, I recommend it.
August 6, 2020
I have not read these books in order and you don’t have to they are all stand alone detective novels, though being the first one we learn about Shamble human murder he refences in all the other novels.
These are pure Sam Spade camp. They are a fun noir full of dead puns and I mean DEAD (rimshot). They are actually beautifully written putting in great detective moments utilizes the spectral world. It’s a fun read and good for a laugh or groan. Still if you need a moment of entertainment, I love these books.
These are pure Sam Spade camp. They are a fun noir full of dead puns and I mean DEAD (rimshot). They are actually beautifully written putting in great detective moments utilizes the spectral world. It’s a fun read and good for a laugh or groan. Still if you need a moment of entertainment, I love these books.
June 12, 2019
A fedora wearing private eye who just happens to be a zombie with a ghostly girlfriend in a world where 'monsters' and humans coexist...sort of. Next to Middle Earth, I can't think of a world I'd rather experience.
February 1, 2023
I picked this book up after reading a short story set in this world in the anthology Fantastic Hope. I really enjoyed the book but there were somethings that were too “on the nose� and it was pretty easy to guess who the villain was. That being said if I can find any of the other books in the series I will definitely read them.
October 19, 2020
Very cute. Silly, easy paranormal romp on the "weird" side. A myriad of cases, all involving unnaturals.
September 13, 2024
This book had all the earmarks of a book I would enjoy (supernatural urban fantasy) yet I found it a struggle. It wasn’t easy to get into - the writing was clunky and repetitive, and very Basil Exposition.
The clues to the mysteries were writ large (and with flashing neon signs) so the resolution came as no surprise. Also, despite all the time taken on the world building, it just didn’t feel believable to me.
I did like the fact that Dan had many ongoing cases - that felt more believable - although having them all resolved at the end detracted from that.
The clues to the mysteries were writ large (and with flashing neon signs) so the resolution came as no surprise. Also, despite all the time taken on the world building, it just didn’t feel believable to me.
I did like the fact that Dan had many ongoing cases - that felt more believable - although having them all resolved at the end detracted from that.
September 20, 2021
It wasn’t BAD, per se, just � lacking? I didn’t find it funny, and there was a lot of concept repetition throughout (multiple explanations of a car or a relationship or other item that all say the same thing spread throughout the book). Fairly flat characters. I may have continued on to the next, but the library didn’t have a copy and I’m not interested enough to force myself to read an ebook.
June 9, 2022
Solid enough time killer, did have a feel like the first episode of a new TV series where it's trying hard to establish all the characters more than have a great plot
November 17, 2012
Let me start off by saying I am a huge fan of Kevin Anderson's work. I love the Dune books he has written with Brian Herbert and his seven volume Saga of the Seven Suns is one of my favorite series of all time.
So I was expecting another great series with his venture into humorous horror/mystery with the Dan Shamble books. I was somewhat dissappointed. The story was rather thin, seeming like a collection of shorts that was slow to get into. The jokes were forced and predictable in most cases and the characters less developed than I would like.
As the book progressed there were some scenes that were fun, such as the ones with the paranoid vampire and the two witches travails with a publishing company, but overall I found the book average and not up to Anderson's usual level.
The wrap up at the end was decent but not enough to give it 3 stars.
I suspect that the inspiration for this series about a zombie PI named Dan Chambeaux (hint sounds like shamble) came from the BloodLite anthologies he has edited which I have not read since horror is not really my thing.
In conclusion the book is not bad by any means just not a novel that did anything for me but I suspect a lot of people will enjoy.
So I was expecting another great series with his venture into humorous horror/mystery with the Dan Shamble books. I was somewhat dissappointed. The story was rather thin, seeming like a collection of shorts that was slow to get into. The jokes were forced and predictable in most cases and the characters less developed than I would like.
As the book progressed there were some scenes that were fun, such as the ones with the paranoid vampire and the two witches travails with a publishing company, but overall I found the book average and not up to Anderson's usual level.
The wrap up at the end was decent but not enough to give it 3 stars.
I suspect that the inspiration for this series about a zombie PI named Dan Chambeaux (hint sounds like shamble) came from the BloodLite anthologies he has edited which I have not read since horror is not really my thing.
In conclusion the book is not bad by any means just not a novel that did anything for me but I suspect a lot of people will enjoy.
April 22, 2013
This book was exactly what I hoped. It was a funny, light-hearted book about a zombie PI. Dan Chambeaux (Shamble to some) was murdered not long ago, but reanimated due to some mysterious powers at work, called the Big Uneasy, that have brought many such creatures into the world (vampires, werewolves, mummies, etc.). His girlfriend is a ghost (she was killed just before Dan), and they work in the Unnatural Quarter, solving mysteries and helping citizens with their problems.
The book is filled with fun, quirky characters and is really easy to jump right into. Please don't overthink things, though. This is meant to be fun and silly, not a "serious" supernatural book. For example, one of my favorite ancillary characters is a vegan vampire. He drinks soy blood!
There are plenty of "normal" human characters as well, but the most interesting people are the unnaturals. By the end of the book, it's clear that this could easily become a series of "detective" novels. I plan to read quite a few more! And yes, I'm aware that 2 or 3 other books are already in print. ;)
The book is filled with fun, quirky characters and is really easy to jump right into. Please don't overthink things, though. This is meant to be fun and silly, not a "serious" supernatural book. For example, one of my favorite ancillary characters is a vegan vampire. He drinks soy blood!
There are plenty of "normal" human characters as well, but the most interesting people are the unnaturals. By the end of the book, it's clear that this could easily become a series of "detective" novels. I plan to read quite a few more! And yes, I'm aware that 2 or 3 other books are already in print. ;)
September 11, 2012
An enjoyable detective mystery featuring a zombie PI, Dan Chambeaux (AKA Shamble) has a few cases to solve on his plate - namely his own untimely murder. But seeing as that won't pay the bills, he takes on other cases with his business partner and lawyer friend, Robin Deyer. From retrieving a stolen painting in the middle of an inheritance dispute to helping a vampire find out what happened to his missing friends, Death Warmed Over moves much faster than a herd of zombies who've just caught the scent of fresh brains on the wind.
Thoroughly loved this first installment in what promises to become my new favourite mystery series.
Thoroughly loved this first installment in what promises to become my new favourite mystery series.
September 3, 2024
This was a LOT of fun to read! Lots of laughs with all these fun characters. Right up there with silly seriousness of monsters in and monsters and lawyers in
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