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Medium Dead
Medium Dead is a fun urban fantasy chronicling the crime fighting adventures of Brenda – a reluctant medium – and Brian – a Vigilante Demon with an impish sense of humour. Think Stephanie Plum with magic and a dash of Carl Hiaasen.
Brenda Steele is smart, funny and out of her depth. A Vigilante Demon called Brian wants her to find murdered spirits and help him track down their killers. But Brian doesn't just catch criminals, he likes to play with them first, and make the punishment fit the crime. As he tells Brenda, “if all you did was turn up, capture the bad guy then leave – century after century – you'd die of boredom.”
He's also reckless – his last partner died during one of his takedowns.
Along the way, Brenda discovers that Brian isn't as old, or as powerful, as he led her to believe. He might even be human. Whereas the murderer they're hunting, and the child he's holding prisoner, might not.
Brenda Steele is smart, funny and out of her depth. A Vigilante Demon called Brian wants her to find murdered spirits and help him track down their killers. But Brian doesn't just catch criminals, he likes to play with them first, and make the punishment fit the crime. As he tells Brenda, “if all you did was turn up, capture the bad guy then leave – century after century – you'd die of boredom.”
He's also reckless – his last partner died during one of his takedowns.
Along the way, Brenda discovers that Brian isn't as old, or as powerful, as he led her to believe. He might even be human. Whereas the murderer they're hunting, and the child he's holding prisoner, might not.
291 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2011
26 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Chris Dolley
21 books91 followersNew York Times bestselling author, pioneer computer game designer and teenage freedom fighter. That was back in 1974 when Chris was tasked with publicising Plymouth’s Student Rag Week. Some people might have arranged an interview with the local newspaper. Chris invaded the country next door, created the Free Cornish Army and persuaded the UK media that Cornwall had risen up and declared independence. This was later written up in Punch. As he told journalists at the time, ‘it was only a small country and I did give it back.’
In 1981, he created Randomberry Games and wrote Necromancer, one of the first 3D first person perspective D&D computer games. Not to mention writing the most aggressive chess program ever seen and inventing the most dangerous game ever played — the Giant Wrigley’s Spearmint Gum Cliff Top Relay.
He writes SF, fantasy, mystery and humour. His novel, Resonance, was the first book to be chosen from Baen’s electronic slush pile.
Now he lives a self-sufficient lifestyle in deepest France with his wife and a frightening number of animals. They grow their own food and solve their own crimes. The latter out of necessity when Chris’s identity was stolen along with their life savings. Abandoned by the police forces of four countries who all insisted the crime originated in someone else's jurisdiction, he had to solve the crime himself. Which he did, driving back and forth across the Pyrenees, tracking down bank accounts and faxes and interviewing bar staff. It was a mystery writer’s dream.
The resulting book, French Fried: one man's move to France with too many animals and an identity thief, is now an international bestseller.
In 1981, he created Randomberry Games and wrote Necromancer, one of the first 3D first person perspective D&D computer games. Not to mention writing the most aggressive chess program ever seen and inventing the most dangerous game ever played — the Giant Wrigley’s Spearmint Gum Cliff Top Relay.
He writes SF, fantasy, mystery and humour. His novel, Resonance, was the first book to be chosen from Baen’s electronic slush pile.
Now he lives a self-sufficient lifestyle in deepest France with his wife and a frightening number of animals. They grow their own food and solve their own crimes. The latter out of necessity when Chris’s identity was stolen along with their life savings. Abandoned by the police forces of four countries who all insisted the crime originated in someone else's jurisdiction, he had to solve the crime himself. Which he did, driving back and forth across the Pyrenees, tracking down bank accounts and faxes and interviewing bar staff. It was a mystery writer’s dream.
The resulting book, French Fried: one man's move to France with too many animals and an identity thief, is now an international bestseller.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
August 27, 2011
Brenda lives a boring life by choice. Ever since she found her husband and best friend in bed together she keeps herself aloof from the world, and her overbearing family. What she can’t ignore are ghosts - they pop into her home from time to time to complain about being dead.
As MEDIUM DEAD opens Brenda is settling down to spend the summer watching soap operas on TV when a ghost tells her that a serial rapist/killer is on his way to kill her and not to open her front door. Almost immediately there is a knock on Brenda’s front door an innocuous man called Brian is standing there asking to use her phone as his car has broken down. It turns out that Brian is a hostage and Brenda ends up opening the door to let Brian and his captor, the serial rapist/killer, in. Once in her house a series of bizarre events occur which leaves Brenda gobsmacked, Brian reveals he is a demon help bent on revenge - a sort of paranormal vigilante. Brian asks Brenda to be his partner, he needs a medium to find murder victims or him to avenge. Brian takes Brenda on a trial run to stop some bank robbers who have a heap of hostages that need to be rescued, what followed was hilarious slapstick that had me week with laughter despite the dangerous situation. Their next case, and the focus of the book, is not so funny. The ghost of a young girl turns up and says she is called Sacrifice but knows nothing else - where she is who she is and who her parents are. The hunt is now on to find her murderer, and gets more urgent as more young girl ghosts turn up and say they too are called Sacrifice.
There is lots of humour and some very poignant moments, overall a good balance. There were a few loose ends left over at the end of the book, which leads me to hope that there will be a sequal. I enjoyed the book and would read a second one if there is one. I did get this copy from librarything, when I receive free copies I make no guarantees to right favourable reviews - this one I honestly enjoyed, just a little bit different.
As MEDIUM DEAD opens Brenda is settling down to spend the summer watching soap operas on TV when a ghost tells her that a serial rapist/killer is on his way to kill her and not to open her front door. Almost immediately there is a knock on Brenda’s front door an innocuous man called Brian is standing there asking to use her phone as his car has broken down. It turns out that Brian is a hostage and Brenda ends up opening the door to let Brian and his captor, the serial rapist/killer, in. Once in her house a series of bizarre events occur which leaves Brenda gobsmacked, Brian reveals he is a demon help bent on revenge - a sort of paranormal vigilante. Brian asks Brenda to be his partner, he needs a medium to find murder victims or him to avenge. Brian takes Brenda on a trial run to stop some bank robbers who have a heap of hostages that need to be rescued, what followed was hilarious slapstick that had me week with laughter despite the dangerous situation. Their next case, and the focus of the book, is not so funny. The ghost of a young girl turns up and says she is called Sacrifice but knows nothing else - where she is who she is and who her parents are. The hunt is now on to find her murderer, and gets more urgent as more young girl ghosts turn up and say they too are called Sacrifice.
There is lots of humour and some very poignant moments, overall a good balance. There were a few loose ends left over at the end of the book, which leads me to hope that there will be a sequal. I enjoyed the book and would read a second one if there is one. I did get this copy from librarything, when I receive free copies I make no guarantees to right favourable reviews - this one I honestly enjoyed, just a little bit different.
March 28, 2018
4.5 stars
This is a wild ride start to finish. By turns hilarious and tense, you will be drying tears of laughter while your heart pounds from the action. Brenda Steele sees ghosts. Generally she does her best to ignore them. Then Brian the vigilante demon drags a serial killer into her living room and we're off to the races. The scene with Brenda and Brian at her Mother's birthday is one of the funniest I have read in years, and the climax has all the action you could desire. Enough loose ends remain at the end that I hope and expect there will be a sequel. Recommended.
This is a wild ride start to finish. By turns hilarious and tense, you will be drying tears of laughter while your heart pounds from the action. Brenda Steele sees ghosts. Generally she does her best to ignore them. Then Brian the vigilante demon drags a serial killer into her living room and we're off to the races. The scene with Brenda and Brian at her Mother's birthday is one of the funniest I have read in years, and the climax has all the action you could desire. Enough loose ends remain at the end that I hope and expect there will be a sequel. Recommended.
February 28, 2015
A delight to read, clever plus so very funny
June 15, 2023
The strange thing about this ebook was that I felt like 2 separate books were combined into one. With the first few pages I thought it was getting into dark urban fantasy (which seemed strange, given the cover) which then morphed into over-the-top comic fantasy. Then, it returned to a more typical, adventurous fantasy ending.
In general, I like a little dose of reality with the paranormal so the teddy bear bank robbers, the Fabio-inspired dinner party, etc., were a little much for me although there were some fantastic one-liners.
Ultimately, the whole story just didn't come together coherently. There were too many things left unexplained, while some things were over detailed (the eyes looking under the house while the rest of the body was on fire, for instance). That said, I did laugh out loud a couple of times before the end.
In general, I like a little dose of reality with the paranormal so the teddy bear bank robbers, the Fabio-inspired dinner party, etc., were a little much for me although there were some fantastic one-liners.
Ultimately, the whole story just didn't come together coherently. There were too many things left unexplained, while some things were over detailed (the eyes looking under the house while the rest of the body was on fire, for instance). That said, I did laugh out loud a couple of times before the end.
September 29, 2018
This is so weird that I have to leave 4 stars for sheer originality. As a fan of detective fiction this might be in my alley, but then there is a demon vigilante and a whole hoard of ghosts. The first situation they strike out on is hilariously funny but then they face a real mystery and everything goes very wrong.
There is no good way of describing the book, it might very well be an acquired taste. The only fault I see with it, is that there is no sequel despite many purposely place open endings.
There is no good way of describing the book, it might very well be an acquired taste. The only fault I see with it, is that there is no sequel despite many purposely place open endings.
November 14, 2020
I gave it 2 stars because it didn't keep me particularly gripped or not wanting to put it down, like other books I've rated higher. However, it was an entertaining enough read and the character of Brian was quite endearing.
January 4, 2018
Exceptional Read
This author is extremely creative. I already ordered the rest of his works that Kindle offers and I am looking forward to reading them!
This author is extremely creative. I already ordered the rest of his works that Kindle offers and I am looking forward to reading them!
April 9, 2019
Fun! Hope for more Brenda and Brian adventures!
Enjoyed this very much! Hope i don't have to wait too long for more from these two. They make a great team.
Enjoyed this very much! Hope i don't have to wait too long for more from these two. They make a great team.
April 11, 2019
Totally different world!!!
I liked both characters, but the mother and sister they were something by heck, and if I hadn't known any different I'd. swear it was a female author!
I liked both characters, but the mother and sister they were something by heck, and if I hadn't known any different I'd. swear it was a female author!
January 31, 2018
Kind of far fetched
This one was a hard reach for me. I realize it is a fantasy book... just the story plot was a hard reach for me. Was written well just to far out for me.
This one was a hard reach for me. I realize it is a fantasy book... just the story plot was a hard reach for me. Was written well just to far out for me.
December 30, 2011
I got this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers programme. It took me quite a while to read, mainly because it was an ebook and without a physical copy sitting around reminding me it needed reading, I kept forgetting about it. I put it on my phone so I could read it on there but as I had other books on the go, it kept getting put on a back burner. Which is why it took me two months to even start it and then another two months to actually read it.
In brief, it’s about a medium who is coerced by a demon into helping him investigate crimes. Brenda is not overly happy with her ghost-seeing powers and is completely downtrodden by her family, particularly her mother and as a result, she has an acerbic inner-Brenda who crops up far too often to be funny. Brian is the Vigilante Demon which appears to be a self-appointed title. He’s shown to be rather tricky from the first moment when he appears in Brenda’s house and loses his head. Literally. There are several mentions of him having some mysterious past which I couldn’t quite see the point of. Isn’t it enough that he’s a demon? It made even less sense to have this brought up when there was no real conclusion to it other than a throwaway line that doesn’t get explained adequately.
I found the book rather confusing and disjointed which probably wasn’t helped by the amount of time between reading sessions. Brenda and Brian spent a huge chunk of the story being sidetracked on a different case that didn’t seem to be linked to the one they were supposed to be investigating. Again, the tenuous connection between the two wasn’t adequately explained and it just seemed like the middle of the book was a complete waste of time. When the case is finally resolved towards the end, it ends up raising even more questions which aren’t addressed at all. The book itself seems to stop dead before the plotline is finished which would indicate there’s to be a sequel. Presumably the questions raised in this book will all be answered in there but it just left me going ‘whuh?!?’ too much to be enjoyable.
Most of the antics that Brian gets up to are rather slapsticky and I thought they were totally ridiculous and unrealistic. At the start, they were mildly amusing but when they carried on in that tone throughout the rest of the book, it began to get annoying and unfunny. There were also a lot of scenes that were quite dark and violent - I remember one moment early on in the book where a character is casually threatened with rape from a serial killer rapist character which made me rather uncomfortable. The book seemed to switch between being silly and over the top, and dark, as if it couldn’t decide which way it wanted to go and tried to be both.
I think this book could do with a good editor to help it focus on either silly or dark, and cut out some of the sidetracking. It would also help with the pacing which was all over the place. That said, I don’t think I’ll be reading the sequel because at the end, I just didn’t care enough to find out what happened.
In brief, it’s about a medium who is coerced by a demon into helping him investigate crimes. Brenda is not overly happy with her ghost-seeing powers and is completely downtrodden by her family, particularly her mother and as a result, she has an acerbic inner-Brenda who crops up far too often to be funny. Brian is the Vigilante Demon which appears to be a self-appointed title. He’s shown to be rather tricky from the first moment when he appears in Brenda’s house and loses his head. Literally. There are several mentions of him having some mysterious past which I couldn’t quite see the point of. Isn’t it enough that he’s a demon? It made even less sense to have this brought up when there was no real conclusion to it other than a throwaway line that doesn’t get explained adequately.
I found the book rather confusing and disjointed which probably wasn’t helped by the amount of time between reading sessions. Brenda and Brian spent a huge chunk of the story being sidetracked on a different case that didn’t seem to be linked to the one they were supposed to be investigating. Again, the tenuous connection between the two wasn’t adequately explained and it just seemed like the middle of the book was a complete waste of time. When the case is finally resolved towards the end, it ends up raising even more questions which aren’t addressed at all. The book itself seems to stop dead before the plotline is finished which would indicate there’s to be a sequel. Presumably the questions raised in this book will all be answered in there but it just left me going ‘whuh?!?’ too much to be enjoyable.
Most of the antics that Brian gets up to are rather slapsticky and I thought they were totally ridiculous and unrealistic. At the start, they were mildly amusing but when they carried on in that tone throughout the rest of the book, it began to get annoying and unfunny. There were also a lot of scenes that were quite dark and violent - I remember one moment early on in the book where a character is casually threatened with rape from a serial killer rapist character which made me rather uncomfortable. The book seemed to switch between being silly and over the top, and dark, as if it couldn’t decide which way it wanted to go and tried to be both.
I think this book could do with a good editor to help it focus on either silly or dark, and cut out some of the sidetracking. It would also help with the pacing which was all over the place. That said, I don’t think I’ll be reading the sequel because at the end, I just didn’t care enough to find out what happened.
June 28, 2011
3.5 stars
Brenda was becoming reclusive after she divorced her cheating husband. Seeing ghosts doesn’t help either. Then a man ends up holding her and another man a gun point. From there things get very strange. It is not long until Brian, the male hostage, has turned things around on the man holding them. Brenda soon becomes Brain’s partner. He claims he is crime fighting medium, and Brenda agrees to help.
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this story. The best way to describe it is silly and funny. I use silly, like a cartoon can be silly. Brian uses his demon powers to take the control from the bad guys in ways that I could have never thought of, and it is done well. Imagine the bad guys killing someone, but then that someone gets back up! What do they do then? That’s what makes this good, and what Brain does is often times so unexpected you can’t help but snicker. There is a strong since of justice when a bad guy is ‘taken care of.’
After the first two test runs, Brenda is contacted by a girl ghost and they are launched into an investigation. If you think Ghost Whisperer, think again. Brain and Brenda lie, and act their way into finding out what happened to the girl ghost. In fact they find far more than just that. The story leaves a lot of questions in its wake hoping the possibility for a second book. It seems split into two secrets, the mystery of how to help the girl ghost, and Brain’s past. I was actually less interested in his past at first, but towards the very end I grew very curious.
At some points the story slowed for me. During the second test for Brenda, I felt like I got the idea, and the bad guys seemed very dense. I was less humored with it than the rest of the story. Things also slowed down when the POV would switch to Brian. He was not as humorous when I could hear his thoughts.
Medium Dead made me laugh. It was a funny-ghost- magic- crime-solving story with completely silly elements. Something about Brian reminds me of Bugs Bunny. Despite the slow spots it was pretty good. I can’t commit to saying I loved it, but it was a nice change of pace.
Brenda was becoming reclusive after she divorced her cheating husband. Seeing ghosts doesn’t help either. Then a man ends up holding her and another man a gun point. From there things get very strange. It is not long until Brian, the male hostage, has turned things around on the man holding them. Brenda soon becomes Brain’s partner. He claims he is crime fighting medium, and Brenda agrees to help.
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this story. The best way to describe it is silly and funny. I use silly, like a cartoon can be silly. Brian uses his demon powers to take the control from the bad guys in ways that I could have never thought of, and it is done well. Imagine the bad guys killing someone, but then that someone gets back up! What do they do then? That’s what makes this good, and what Brain does is often times so unexpected you can’t help but snicker. There is a strong since of justice when a bad guy is ‘taken care of.’
After the first two test runs, Brenda is contacted by a girl ghost and they are launched into an investigation. If you think Ghost Whisperer, think again. Brain and Brenda lie, and act their way into finding out what happened to the girl ghost. In fact they find far more than just that. The story leaves a lot of questions in its wake hoping the possibility for a second book. It seems split into two secrets, the mystery of how to help the girl ghost, and Brain’s past. I was actually less interested in his past at first, but towards the very end I grew very curious.
At some points the story slowed for me. During the second test for Brenda, I felt like I got the idea, and the bad guys seemed very dense. I was less humored with it than the rest of the story. Things also slowed down when the POV would switch to Brian. He was not as humorous when I could hear his thoughts.
Medium Dead made me laugh. It was a funny-ghost- magic- crime-solving story with completely silly elements. Something about Brian reminds me of Bugs Bunny. Despite the slow spots it was pretty good. I can’t commit to saying I loved it, but it was a nice change of pace.
June 25, 2011
3.5 stars
Brenda was becoming reclusive after she divorced her cheating husband. Seeing ghosts doesn’t help either. Then a man ends up holding her and another man a gun point. From there things get very strange. It is not long until Brian, the male hostage, has turned things around on the man holding them. Brenda soon becomes Brain’s partner. He claims he is crime fighting medium, and Brenda agrees to help.
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this story. The best way to describe it is silly and funny. I use silly, like a cartoon can be silly. Brian uses his demon powers to take the control from the bad guys in ways that I could have never thought of, and it is done well. Imagine the bad guys killing someone, but then that someone gets back up! What do they do then? That’s what makes this good, and what Brain does is often times so unexpected you can’t help but snicker. There is a strong since of justice when a bad guy is ‘taken care of.’
After the first two test runs, Brenda is contacted by a girl ghost and they are launched into an investigation. If you think Ghost Whisperer, think again. Brain and Brenda lie, and act their way into finding out what happened to the girl ghost. In fact they find far more than just that. The story leaves a lot of questions in its wake hoping the possibility for a second book. It seems split into two secrets, the mystery of how to help the girl ghost, and Brain’s past. I was actually less interested in his past at first, but towards the very end I grew very curious.
At some points the story slowed for me. During the second test for Brenda, I felt like I got the idea, and the bad guys seemed very dense. I was less humored with it than the rest of the story. Things also slowed down when the POV would switch to Brian. He was not as humorous when I could hear his thoughts.
Medium Dead made me laugh. It was a funny-ghost- magic- crime-solving story with completely silly elements. Something about Brian reminds me of Bugs Bunny. Despite the slow spots it was pretty good. I can’t commit to saying I loved it, but it was a nice change of pace.
-Beth (Guest Reviewer)
Brenda was becoming reclusive after she divorced her cheating husband. Seeing ghosts doesn’t help either. Then a man ends up holding her and another man a gun point. From there things get very strange. It is not long until Brian, the male hostage, has turned things around on the man holding them. Brenda soon becomes Brain’s partner. He claims he is crime fighting medium, and Brenda agrees to help.
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this story. The best way to describe it is silly and funny. I use silly, like a cartoon can be silly. Brian uses his demon powers to take the control from the bad guys in ways that I could have never thought of, and it is done well. Imagine the bad guys killing someone, but then that someone gets back up! What do they do then? That’s what makes this good, and what Brain does is often times so unexpected you can’t help but snicker. There is a strong since of justice when a bad guy is ‘taken care of.’
After the first two test runs, Brenda is contacted by a girl ghost and they are launched into an investigation. If you think Ghost Whisperer, think again. Brain and Brenda lie, and act their way into finding out what happened to the girl ghost. In fact they find far more than just that. The story leaves a lot of questions in its wake hoping the possibility for a second book. It seems split into two secrets, the mystery of how to help the girl ghost, and Brain’s past. I was actually less interested in his past at first, but towards the very end I grew very curious.
At some points the story slowed for me. During the second test for Brenda, I felt like I got the idea, and the bad guys seemed very dense. I was less humored with it than the rest of the story. Things also slowed down when the POV would switch to Brian. He was not as humorous when I could hear his thoughts.
Medium Dead made me laugh. It was a funny-ghost- magic- crime-solving story with completely silly elements. Something about Brian reminds me of Bugs Bunny. Despite the slow spots it was pretty good. I can’t commit to saying I loved it, but it was a nice change of pace.
-Beth (Guest Reviewer)
July 4, 2011
Brenda has been living a dull existence. Years ago she'd found her best friend in bed with her husband, and her world fell apart. She now lives in a small town far from there, mostly keeping to herself and doing her best to ignore the ghosts that temporarily show up from time to time.
Everything changes when she's recruited by a Vigilante Demon who is looking for a new partner. He needs her to tell him when the ghost of someone murdered shows up so together they can mete out a twisted form of justice. He's got quite a bag of tricks to aid him that adds a great deal to the story. The first murder victim to approach her is a girl who only knows her name as Sacrifice. Tracking down her killer becomes the main focus of the book.
I was immediately grabbed by the humorous antics Brian, the demon, will go through when dealing with the bad guys. Especially funny is the first situation when Brenda meets Brian. Her practice run working with Brian as a team to stop bank robbers with hostages is also entertaining. I thought the entire book would be along those lines, but unfortunately not quite.
A good chunk of the book takes us in one direction, which appears to be a dead end and had me wondering why so many pages where devoted to it. Eventually it makes sense and apparently this portion of the story will continue in a sequel. Looking for information to track the killer and get that information into the hands of the police is another large segment.
There are definitely bouts of humor to be had in both of these latter areas, but after being grabbed by the uniqueness of the story and those first two situations, the story starts to drag as it takes on a more serious angle. Dealing with Brenda's family adds a nice break in that area.
Overall the humor and watching this tough personality buried in Brenda come out was enough to make me glad I read the book.
Reviewed for Library Thing
Everything changes when she's recruited by a Vigilante Demon who is looking for a new partner. He needs her to tell him when the ghost of someone murdered shows up so together they can mete out a twisted form of justice. He's got quite a bag of tricks to aid him that adds a great deal to the story. The first murder victim to approach her is a girl who only knows her name as Sacrifice. Tracking down her killer becomes the main focus of the book.
I was immediately grabbed by the humorous antics Brian, the demon, will go through when dealing with the bad guys. Especially funny is the first situation when Brenda meets Brian. Her practice run working with Brian as a team to stop bank robbers with hostages is also entertaining. I thought the entire book would be along those lines, but unfortunately not quite.
A good chunk of the book takes us in one direction, which appears to be a dead end and had me wondering why so many pages where devoted to it. Eventually it makes sense and apparently this portion of the story will continue in a sequel. Looking for information to track the killer and get that information into the hands of the police is another large segment.
There are definitely bouts of humor to be had in both of these latter areas, but after being grabbed by the uniqueness of the story and those first two situations, the story starts to drag as it takes on a more serious angle. Dealing with Brenda's family adds a nice break in that area.
Overall the humor and watching this tough personality buried in Brenda come out was enough to make me glad I read the book.
Reviewed for Library Thing
January 28, 2023
Chris Dolley's 'Medium Dead' is a fun, quirky departure for someone who likes a bit of the supernatural combined with mystery.
Brenda is a medium who has managed to connect up with a humdinger of a new 'person'. Brian is in the market for a new crime-fighting partner and Brenda fits the bill. They combine forces to have some very crazy adventures.
Brenda was a lot of fun: I especially enjoyed her inner voice, who seems to be a close cousin of my own annoying internal narrator. I connected with her right away and really enjoyed the areas where she was the narrator. She brings a sense of reality to a story that is pretty far-out.
Brian was a bit harder to get into and the parts where he was prominently featured often stretched the bounds of credibility to the point of silliness. These parts of the book were not the majority but did take away from the story. There was also an excessive (to me) number of typos in the book; since I have an e-book, it happens but this one seemed to be more prone than most.
Overall, if you can keep an open mind, this book was a fun, different read. At least it was not your ho-hum murder mystery procedural.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Brenda is a medium who has managed to connect up with a humdinger of a new 'person'. Brian is in the market for a new crime-fighting partner and Brenda fits the bill. They combine forces to have some very crazy adventures.
Brenda was a lot of fun: I especially enjoyed her inner voice, who seems to be a close cousin of my own annoying internal narrator. I connected with her right away and really enjoyed the areas where she was the narrator. She brings a sense of reality to a story that is pretty far-out.
Brian was a bit harder to get into and the parts where he was prominently featured often stretched the bounds of credibility to the point of silliness. These parts of the book were not the majority but did take away from the story. There was also an excessive (to me) number of typos in the book; since I have an e-book, it happens but this one seemed to be more prone than most.
Overall, if you can keep an open mind, this book was a fun, different read. At least it was not your ho-hum murder mystery procedural.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
April 30, 2013
Brenda Steele sees dead people. She doesn't know why and wishes they would leave her alone. Into her house comes Brian, who seems to be more of a demon than a ghost and he's got a mission. He's determined to track down the people that kill others and needs a medium like Brenda to help him. She would find the ghost/spirit and glean the story from them and together they must find the killer who was never caught and punished and make them pay. The last medium came to a sticky end and Brian needs a new one and Brenda's his choice. She doesn't want to get involved but does because of the ghosts of several children. It seems like there's someone kidnapping and killing children and that just won't do.
Brenda and Brian follow leads and try to figure out who the killer is. The ghosts are not very helpful in this. Brian as a demon can cast spells that change their shapes and teleport them as well. It all gets a bit manic at times but they get to the truth in the end. It feels like this may just be the first in a series about Brenda judging from how it ended.
It's a funny book and a bit over the top and bizarre but even though you find yourself rolling your eyes or shaking your head you also find yourself turning the pages to see how it comes out!
Brenda and Brian follow leads and try to figure out who the killer is. The ghosts are not very helpful in this. Brian as a demon can cast spells that change their shapes and teleport them as well. It all gets a bit manic at times but they get to the truth in the end. It feels like this may just be the first in a series about Brenda judging from how it ended.
It's a funny book and a bit over the top and bizarre but even though you find yourself rolling your eyes or shaking your head you also find yourself turning the pages to see how it comes out!
August 21, 2015
This is the beginning of a series, apparently. I don't think I'll continue with it because it has totally stressed me out.
Brenda, trying to keep her life stress-free after a painful divorce, has found she attracts the spirits of the dead. If that isn't bad enough, she is dragged into vengeance scenarios by a shape-shifting demon called ... Brian. Wherever evil raises its ugly head, Brian will be there to make the punishment fit the crime.
But has he gotten in over his head? Maybe he's not as invincible as he thinks he is. Brenda certainly isn't - and his last medium-cum-assistant did not survive.
As my regular readers (ha ha) know, I abhor fiction that endangers children. Yes, I don't have any of my own and yes, I don't really like them that much, but I don't see why they need to be fictional fodder for thrillers and horror.
And this looks like it's going to have more supernaturals leaking into this world ... and I hate that. It gets really complicated to keep straight who sucks what and what kills who. Half the time I think they (the authors) are making this stuff up.
OMG, what am I saying??!!
Brenda, trying to keep her life stress-free after a painful divorce, has found she attracts the spirits of the dead. If that isn't bad enough, she is dragged into vengeance scenarios by a shape-shifting demon called ... Brian. Wherever evil raises its ugly head, Brian will be there to make the punishment fit the crime.
But has he gotten in over his head? Maybe he's not as invincible as he thinks he is. Brenda certainly isn't - and his last medium-cum-assistant did not survive.
As my regular readers (ha ha) know, I abhor fiction that endangers children. Yes, I don't have any of my own and yes, I don't really like them that much, but I don't see why they need to be fictional fodder for thrillers and horror.
And this looks like it's going to have more supernaturals leaking into this world ... and I hate that. It gets really complicated to keep straight who sucks what and what kills who. Half the time I think they (the authors) are making this stuff up.
OMG, what am I saying??!!
September 27, 2011
"When Brenda saw her first ghost she thought she was going crazy. The final destination in a year-long descent into hell that had seen her marriage, her career, her home of six years – all disappear in the messiest of messy divorces.
Other wives got alimony, Brenda got dead people. And to make matters worse, her lying, cheating ex-husband hadn’t been one of them."
Il miscuglio di generi diversi probabilmente è il difetto maggiore del libro. Una specie di commedia dark/urban-fantasy/crime che riesce sicuramente nell'intento di far divertire, senza però mai catturare pienamente la curiosità del lettore.
Non ho divorato le pagine anzi ho impiegato parecchio per arrivare alla fine, resta comunque una lettura abbastanza piacevole, che ti strappa diverse risate senza troppe pretese.
Ringrazio l'autrice e il programma Early Reviewers di Library Thing che mi hanno permesso di leggere questo libro.
Other wives got alimony, Brenda got dead people. And to make matters worse, her lying, cheating ex-husband hadn’t been one of them."
Il miscuglio di generi diversi probabilmente è il difetto maggiore del libro. Una specie di commedia dark/urban-fantasy/crime che riesce sicuramente nell'intento di far divertire, senza però mai catturare pienamente la curiosità del lettore.
Non ho divorato le pagine anzi ho impiegato parecchio per arrivare alla fine, resta comunque una lettura abbastanza piacevole, che ti strappa diverse risate senza troppe pretese.
Ringrazio l'autrice e il programma Early Reviewers di Library Thing che mi hanno permesso di leggere questo libro.
March 22, 2016
★★★½ -- I have to admit, during the first few chapters of the book, I thought this was going to be one of those books I would regrettably have to leave unfinished )something that I loathe to do). The beginning of the book is ridiculously far-flung, but what really turned me off about it was the gore and vulgarity. However, I gave the book a chance, because I felt it was only fair. I'm pleased to say that after Brenda and Brian start working together, the story redeemed itself. Witty and entertaining, I found myself generally pleased by the rest of the book. The story is out there, no doubt about it. If you like plausibility, this book is definitely not for you. However, if you, like me, can make it past the questionable introduction, you may be quite pleased with the results.
This book was obtained freely through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review.
This book was obtained freely through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review.
December 8, 2011
I received this book through www.librarything.com and it's early reviewer's program. I really didn't know what to expect when I received this ebook. I started the book yesterday and finished it in one day. It was very engaging. The characters were interesting and the story was fast-paced. There were parts that were thrilling, especially the beginning. The off the wall antics of Brian help lighten the story. I enjoyed traveling along with Brenda and Brian, especially the dinner with the parents scene. I wish that it had been a little longer because I'm dying to know what happens next. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. Yes, they solved the immediate issue with the criminal at hand but who were those other people and what do they want? I really do think that this book is a great one. The author really knows how to make people laugh at the sheer craziness of the book.
http://letthemalleatcake.blogspot.com...
http://letthemalleatcake.blogspot.com...
October 10, 2016
I couldn't help comparing the premise to the TV show Medium because I have been marathon-watching that on Netflix. But other than the main character seeing dead people every so often, there really wasn't much else similar. Which was a good thing. This book was fast, amusing, and at times almost-but-not-quite over-the-top.
I really liked Brenda, the reluctant crime-solving medium, who would probably act very much like I would have if I had to throw my hat in with a mischievous vengeance demon. Brian is a goofball, who is the catalyst for most of the almost over-the-top moments, whose comedic antics mask an tragic event in his past that is hinted at but never fully explored.
A really promising start to what I hope will turn into an ongoing series.
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program
I really liked Brenda, the reluctant crime-solving medium, who would probably act very much like I would have if I had to throw my hat in with a mischievous vengeance demon. Brian is a goofball, who is the catalyst for most of the almost over-the-top moments, whose comedic antics mask an tragic event in his past that is hinted at but never fully explored.
A really promising start to what I hope will turn into an ongoing series.
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program
July 18, 2012
There were moments in this book where I really enjoyed it, but there were moments where I really didn't resonate with it. Brenda can see the dead, she's a medium, and her life changes when she meets with Brian, who describes himself as a demon, but there are some questions. They get involved in some investigations where he uses his ability to shapeshift the two of them and teleport them as well.
It's not a bad story but I think it suffered from having too much stuff being thrown at the story which led to a lot of confusion, the story could have lost a few elements and been tighter, but I overall I did enjoy it.
It's not a bad story but I think it suffered from having too much stuff being thrown at the story which led to a lot of confusion, the story could have lost a few elements and been tighter, but I overall I did enjoy it.
December 30, 2011
This guy is hilarious! British humor, my favorite kind. The heroine's life is already in the toilet...and then she finds out that the dead talk to her. And THEN she finds out she's been chosen by a Vigilante Demon to be his bird-dog, so he can go after murderers and make their punishment fit their crimes. He thinks he's funny, and he likes to wing it, and he's not too worried about putting her in danger, either. Good thing she's got some cojones, even if she's never actually used 'em before. Funny, funny, violent, sweet, funny!
March 1, 2012
This is a fun urban-fantasy read about a divorcee who is trying to put her life back together again, after discovering her husband in bed with another woman. She's moved, taken another job, and is trying to deal with her over-bearing mother & sister. However, things are complicated because suddenly ghosts start appearing in her home! When she receives a warning from one of them, and a vigilante demon shows up, her life takes a turn...for the worse or for the better is yet to be seen!
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a fairly fast-paced, funny quick read.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a fairly fast-paced, funny quick read.
February 2, 2014
For those of us who enjoy humorous fantasy writing -- a la Christopher Moore's Practical Demonkeeping -- it can be hard to find a good fix. Medium Dead fits the bill well. Brenda, the heroine, is convinced by a demon to help her fight crime in the most hilarious way possible: via convincing a killer he is a headless zombie. The situations they find themselves in are tense but packed with hastily-improvised wack-a-doo plans. I got a copy of this over at Bookview Cafe and simply bought a copy on a lark, but I certainly plan to seek out more books by the author.
July 20, 2011
I really enjoyed Medium Dead. It was a funny and different book from what I am used to reading lately. I loved Brenda's character though some of her choices were questionable at times like "are you serious?" lol However, I did enjoy the book and am glad Mr. Dolley sent it to me for early review. Thanks!
November 11, 2013
I was hoping for similar to Christopher Moore. Instead, I got similar to Charlaine Harris.
I was listening to the audio book. The narrator can't differentiate between an Australian and an English accent. And the story is just lame.
I was listening to the audio book. The narrator can't differentiate between an Australian and an English accent. And the story is just lame.
March 28, 2015
I did not enjoy this book as much as the other Dolley books I have read. It was not as funny as others make it out to be.
November 23, 2016
oh my goodness the bank robbery scene!! LOL
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