Dead Last

by Samuel Brower

Frank Xavier; ex-boxer, ex-stuntman, ex-con…current unemployed, Detroit loser. After a chance meeting with a group of thugs leaves Frank dead on an operating table for a full three minutes, he awakens with the ability to see otherworldly things. The bizarre visions only seem to bring more of the same bad luck and trouble Frank has always known. Salvation comes in the form of Raina Whatley, a foul-mouthed mortician who offers to help Frank understand and control his new abilities in exchange for his protection as a bodyguard. What does a mortician need protection from? Nothing. Raina needs a safeguard for the other, darker part of her life. Frank is soon dragged into a Detroit underworld he never knew existed. An underworld run by ancient bloodlines of magic-users, which operate like the mafia families of old New York. Raina is the last of Whatley House, a family that once held considerable influence in the Great Lakes region. As the family’s lone heir, she now has a large target painted on her back, and soon, the other families come for her. Pitted against witches, their thralls, an army of raving, dead-eyed lunatics, and a mysterious force working behind it all, Frank and Raina must find a way to survive and prevail. Otherwise, they are both as good as dead.

Genres: Fantasy

478 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 12, 2018

About the author

Bestselling author Samuel Brower crafts haunting, immersive tales that blur the line between horror, dark fantasy, and the supernatural. His breakout novel, Haint, became an Amazon bestseller in 2024, cementing his reputation as a must-read voice in modern horror fiction. To date, Brower has published ten gripping novels and dozens of chilling short stories, with his work featured in renowned magazines like Voices, Nine Tales, and Zero Flash. A professional member of both the Horror Writers Association and the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association, Brower brings a seasoned, masterful touch to every eerie world he creates.

Reviews

[Bill Philibin · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.0 Stars)

This reminded me of Eric Carter meets Sandman Slim... it had elements from both of those works, and really came together. Yes, there were a few little things that bothered me more than they should (like... dude, modern guns work even after they get wet), and some of the "magic" went against standard norms, but nothing too outrageous. The story was good, the concept was interesting, and the character growth was decent. I'm definitely going to read more by this author.

Now, I really need to address the elephant in the room. I read the audiobook version of this work. What's that you say? There is no audiobook listed? Yes, that is true. I'm not sure why, but this is an Audible audiobook narrated by "virtual Voice". So, not an actual person... Is it perfect? No. There are weird little quirks. mispronunciations, odd inflections, random other glitches. But to be honest, it is nothing I haven't also encountered with a "real" person. Although, I did find it a little odd that a book being told from the viewpoint of a "guy" is narrated by a virtual "female". I just thought that was a weird choice. Also, every character's voice and tone is the exact same.

So, given my druthers... I'd much rather have a book narrated by a real person, preferably a member of SAG AFTRA, ideally one that "gets" inflection, sarcasm, humor, anxiety... But if the alternative is not being able to consume a book... then I'll take it, albeit begrudgingly.