What do you think?
Rate this book
Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. #7
Services Rendered
Back from the dead, and back on the case!
Dan Chambeaux was a human private investigator in the Unnatural Quarter, where all the monsters have gathered in hopes of finding normal lives. Even though he was killed in a back alley when a case went sour, Dan “Shamble” is still on the case. Even death won’t keep a good detective down.
Now, teamed up with his partner Robin Deyer, a bleeding-heart human lawyer who wants justice for all monsters, his ghost girlfriend Sheyenne, and his BHF (Best Human Friend) Officer Toby McGoohan, Shamble solves a host of bizarre mysteries involving Mayan sacrificial Christmas turkeys, a headless man who is sure his head has been kidnapped, a book collector who finds deadly curses instead of valuable autographs, a medusa who battles stringent beauty contest rules, a vengeful poltergeist who won’t obey a restraining order, an infernal monster cooking contest, and more!
In these nine cases—two original to this collection!—Dan Shamble puts the P.I. back into R.I.P.
Dan Chambeaux was a human private investigator in the Unnatural Quarter, where all the monsters have gathered in hopes of finding normal lives. Even though he was killed in a back alley when a case went sour, Dan “Shamble” is still on the case. Even death won’t keep a good detective down.
Now, teamed up with his partner Robin Deyer, a bleeding-heart human lawyer who wants justice for all monsters, his ghost girlfriend Sheyenne, and his BHF (Best Human Friend) Officer Toby McGoohan, Shamble solves a host of bizarre mysteries involving Mayan sacrificial Christmas turkeys, a headless man who is sure his head has been kidnapped, a book collector who finds deadly curses instead of valuable autographs, a medusa who battles stringent beauty contest rules, a vengeful poltergeist who won’t obey a restraining order, an infernal monster cooking contest, and more!
In these nine cases—two original to this collection!—Dan Shamble puts the P.I. back into R.I.P.
248 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 15, 2018
7 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Kevin J. Anderson
1,037 books3,102 followersYes, 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 20, 2018
Services Rendered: The Cases of Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. by Kevin J. Anderson is a book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary. I love the Dan Shamble books I have read so far and this one was great too! This was a collection of short stories instead of a novel. I thought they were excellent! Funny, witty, and sooo Dan Shamble! I love the main characters of zombie, ghost, and all the zany side characters! These books are made for stress relief!
December 17, 2018
Publishing Date: November 2018
Publisher: Wordfire
ISBN:9781614759423
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 3.6/5
Publisher’s Description: Back from the dead, and back on the case! Dan Chambeaux was a human private investigator in the Unnatural Quarter, where all the monsters have gathered in hopes of finding normal lives.
Review: This is a collection of (monster) detective noir short stories starring the unflappable zombie detective, Dan Chabeaux.
A real tongue and cheeky story line which will make you laugh all the same. I liked most of the stories even with some logic fails here and there. Pick it up, you may have a better time than you wished.
Publisher: Wordfire
ISBN:9781614759423
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 3.6/5
Publisher’s Description: Back from the dead, and back on the case! Dan Chambeaux was a human private investigator in the Unnatural Quarter, where all the monsters have gathered in hopes of finding normal lives.
Review: This is a collection of (monster) detective noir short stories starring the unflappable zombie detective, Dan Chabeaux.
A real tongue and cheeky story line which will make you laugh all the same. I liked most of the stories even with some logic fails here and there. Pick it up, you may have a better time than you wished.
October 16, 2023
Dan Shamble, the good Dead Detective who just won't be beaten down, returns in this fantastic collection of eight stories with his associates. The cases, which wouldn't solve themselves, are preceded by a framing tale 'Paperwork' that sets up the things neatly. Then we have the stories that unleash the Unnatural Quarter upon us in all its glory. The stories are full of puns and are genuinely comedic, apart from being horrific and humane on their own.
In short, although this is not a typical October-read, it would one of the best reads if you like Shamble's cases.
Highly recommended.
In short, although this is not a typical October-read, it would one of the best reads if you like Shamble's cases.
Highly recommended.
February 20, 2023
As uusal with short story collections, there are some better and some worse. But Dan Shambles humorous fiction is well suited to the short form.
February 19, 2019
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Services Rendered is a new collection of vignettes in the Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. series by Kevin J. Anderson. Released 15th Nov 2018 on Wordfire, it's 204 pages and available in ebook, paperback, and hardback formats.
I've reviewed more of the author's work on the blog, and can recommend this collection of simultaneous cases which are braided together in a cohesive narrative whole as well. Even though they're thoroughly silly, and punny, and campy, the author doesn't use that as an excuse for crafting a shoddy subpar story. This is well crafted and well plotted fiction. The characters (despite most of them being living-challenged) are likeable and relatable. The dialogue is silly but it's never clunky. The story and world building are cohesive and believable within the given framework of the story.
The plotting is tight and well paced and I absolutely never found myself skimming or skipping ahead. Fair warning to readers, this is purely humorous undead noir. I have to ready to be in a silly mood for these books to have maximum effect. They're completely exuberant and full of punny humor and in-jokes and cultural references.
Highly recommended. This is one of the few humor series which I've found myself re-reading on occasion.
Five stars. Pure silly fun.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
Services Rendered is a new collection of vignettes in the Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. series by Kevin J. Anderson. Released 15th Nov 2018 on Wordfire, it's 204 pages and available in ebook, paperback, and hardback formats.
I've reviewed more of the author's work on the blog, and can recommend this collection of simultaneous cases which are braided together in a cohesive narrative whole as well. Even though they're thoroughly silly, and punny, and campy, the author doesn't use that as an excuse for crafting a shoddy subpar story. This is well crafted and well plotted fiction. The characters (despite most of them being living-challenged) are likeable and relatable. The dialogue is silly but it's never clunky. The story and world building are cohesive and believable within the given framework of the story.
The plotting is tight and well paced and I absolutely never found myself skimming or skipping ahead. Fair warning to readers, this is purely humorous undead noir. I have to ready to be in a silly mood for these books to have maximum effect. They're completely exuberant and full of punny humor and in-jokes and cultural references.
Highly recommended. This is one of the few humor series which I've found myself re-reading on occasion.
Five stars. Pure silly fun.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
December 29, 2018
Dan Chambeaux was a private investigator plying his trade in the Unnatural Quarter ... a part of the city where monsters of all varieties reside. Dan unfortunately "buys the farm" with a slug to the back of the head while investigating the murder of his girlfriend, Sheyenne. But death and being a zombie doesn't get in the way ... he continues his PI business with the aid of living female lawyer, Robin Deyer and his office manager, his ghostly girlfriend ... in all of her incorporeal self.
Kevin Anderson dishes up a delicious collection of nine tales laced with humor , horror and the absurd. The troop battles injustice in the bizarre Unnatural Quarter with ablomb and cunning.
Cases range from the kidnapping of a headless guys "missing" head to protection and uncovering the rationale for stealing an "eye" of a newt.
With a string of tongue and cheek stories littered with a noir atmosphere and humor, Anderson serves up a heaping plateful of wonderful and amusing entertainment. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.
Kevin Anderson dishes up a delicious collection of nine tales laced with humor , horror and the absurd. The troop battles injustice in the bizarre Unnatural Quarter with ablomb and cunning.
Cases range from the kidnapping of a headless guys "missing" head to protection and uncovering the rationale for stealing an "eye" of a newt.
With a string of tongue and cheek stories littered with a noir atmosphere and humor, Anderson serves up a heaping plateful of wonderful and amusing entertainment. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.
March 17, 2019
A collection of nine shorts that were either from anthologies or previously unreleased.
Paperwork - 2018 - first publication
Eye Of Newt - 2016 - originally appeared in Shadowed Souls (Jim Butcher and Kerrie L. Hughes, eds.)
Head Case - 2017 - originally appeared in Hardboiled Horror (Jonathan Maberry, ed.)
High Midnight - 2017 - originally appeared in Straight Outta Tombstone (David Boop, ed.)
Collector's Curse - 2018 - originally appeared in Pulphouse Fiction Magazine, Issue #3, April 2018
Wishful Thinking - 2018 - originally appeared in Pulphouse Fiction Magazine, Issue #4, October 2018
Game Night - 2018 - first publication
Cold Dead Turkey - 2015 - originally appeared in Naughty or Nice: A Holiday Anthology (Jennifer Brozek, ed.)
Heartbreaker - 2018 - originally appeared in Pulphouse Fiction Magazine, Issue #4, April 2018
I've read and enjoyed the full Dan Shamble series, but I found these shorts to be a tad mediocre.
Paperwork - 2018 - first publication
Eye Of Newt - 2016 - originally appeared in Shadowed Souls (Jim Butcher and Kerrie L. Hughes, eds.)
Head Case - 2017 - originally appeared in Hardboiled Horror (Jonathan Maberry, ed.)
High Midnight - 2017 - originally appeared in Straight Outta Tombstone (David Boop, ed.)
Collector's Curse - 2018 - originally appeared in Pulphouse Fiction Magazine, Issue #3, April 2018
Wishful Thinking - 2018 - originally appeared in Pulphouse Fiction Magazine, Issue #4, October 2018
Game Night - 2018 - first publication
Cold Dead Turkey - 2015 - originally appeared in Naughty or Nice: A Holiday Anthology (Jennifer Brozek, ed.)
Heartbreaker - 2018 - originally appeared in Pulphouse Fiction Magazine, Issue #4, April 2018
I've read and enjoyed the full Dan Shamble series, but I found these shorts to be a tad mediocre.
January 20, 2019
Fun, sometimes grotesque anthology
I enjoyed this book. The stories were well-written, the characters (including zombies, ghosts, poltergeists and humans) were sympathetic and the stories were well-paced. Some were grotesque, but all of them fun, well written and of a lighter nature, somewhat similar to Wilkie Martin’s Inspector Hobbes series. The one downside of the book was that all the stories had the same basic characters, so there was some repetition of the backstories. Nonetheless, the book was great.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.
I enjoyed this book. The stories were well-written, the characters (including zombies, ghosts, poltergeists and humans) were sympathetic and the stories were well-paced. Some were grotesque, but all of them fun, well written and of a lighter nature, somewhat similar to Wilkie Martin’s Inspector Hobbes series. The one downside of the book was that all the stories had the same basic characters, so there was some repetition of the backstories. Nonetheless, the book was great.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.
December 21, 2021
Dan Chambeaux rides (or shambles) again!
A great collection of the tongue in cheek adventures of the dead but nowhere near departed zombie private eye and the usual cast of unusual characters.. If you think you've had a weird day, read some of these. The puns fly fast and furious and the jokes are (or need to be) certified groaners. Spend some time in the Big Uneasy with Dan and his crew. You won't regret it.
A great collection of the tongue in cheek adventures of the dead but nowhere near departed zombie private eye and the usual cast of unusual characters.. If you think you've had a weird day, read some of these. The puns fly fast and furious and the jokes are (or need to be) certified groaners. Spend some time in the Big Uneasy with Dan and his crew. You won't regret it.
January 28, 2023
Fun is the best description. I enjoyed this collection of short stories much better than the previous one. These stories were longer and as a result had more development of both story and characters.
Want to read
December 28, 2023I went into this without having read anything else in the Dan Shamble series. This tale of short stories was a great little introduction to the world. Kevin J. Anderson excels at delivering humour and fun.
May 18, 2024
Interesting short stories in this book. All having to do with cases solved by the Chambeaux and Deyer Detective Agency. Chambeaux is Dan Shambles the Zombie PI and his human partner is a attonery. Together along with a beat cop and a ghost girlfriend they solve a numbers of mysteries.
July 7, 2020
I like the Dan Shamble stories, and these hold up to the standard. A touch of mystery, a touch of humor, and engaging, original characters.
December 25, 2018
Kevin J Anderson has a gift for writing fantasy that leaves you laughing out loud. Services Rendered features Anderson’s renowned PI, Dan Shamble, oops Chambeaux, a zombie investigator working in the Unnatural Quarter, Sheyenne his ghostly gf/office manager, Robin Deyer a lawyer who wants justice for all monsters, and his BHF Officer Toby McGoohan - placed in the unnatural quarter for his unfortunate sense of humor. The cases they face range from the serious to the absurd, and each and every one is entertaining. From a gorgon who wants to participate in a beauty pageant, to a headless man who believes his head was stolen; from a missing Mayan wish turkey to a newt with a stolen eye, there is no zombie investigator more suited to the case than Dan Shamble, I mean Shambeaux.
4 / 5
I received a copy of Services Rendered from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. This anthology is a collection of stories reprinted from various science fiction and fantasy magazines.
-- Crittermom
4 / 5
I received a copy of Services Rendered from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. This anthology is a collection of stories reprinted from various science fiction and fantasy magazines.
-- Crittermom
January 2, 2019
My thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "Services Rendered", the new anthology of Dan Chambeaux, Zombie Detective cases.
I have been a fan of this series from the first one, including the short stories, and Mr. Anderson never ceases to deliver some great stories.
The Unnatural Quarter is hopping in these stories, and Dan, his partner Robin, his girlfriend/receptionist Sheyenne and BHF McGoo are kept busy by poltergeists, newts, curses, spectral gunmen and others. Cannot give anything away, but let me just say that the stories do not disappoint.
Kevin J. Anderson keeps me waiting for the next full-length "Shamble" story, but in the meantime this will do nicely.
Recommended for fans of fantasy, hard-boiled detective stories, ghosties, ghoulies, and things that go bump in the night in the apartment next door.
I have been a fan of this series from the first one, including the short stories, and Mr. Anderson never ceases to deliver some great stories.
The Unnatural Quarter is hopping in these stories, and Dan, his partner Robin, his girlfriend/receptionist Sheyenne and BHF McGoo are kept busy by poltergeists, newts, curses, spectral gunmen and others. Cannot give anything away, but let me just say that the stories do not disappoint.
Kevin J. Anderson keeps me waiting for the next full-length "Shamble" story, but in the meantime this will do nicely.
Recommended for fans of fantasy, hard-boiled detective stories, ghosties, ghoulies, and things that go bump in the night in the apartment next door.
December 8, 2018
I’ve been reading Kevin J. Anderson’s books for years. Normally I find him in the world of shared universe fiction, which he excels at, but here he is creating his own world.
Anderson creates with a satisfying readability and weaves humor and action into this supernatural story. I recommend the book for those who enjoy the genre and those who might have read this author before, or those who want to read him for the first time.
Anderson creates with a satisfying readability and weaves humor and action into this supernatural story. I recommend the book for those who enjoy the genre and those who might have read this author before, or those who want to read him for the first time.
December 26, 2018
Short stories - I enjoyed all but the first one (I gross out easily). Overall very funny and enjoyable read.. Zombie PI Dan, Ghost girlfriend/office mgr Sheyenne, Living human lawyer Robin are all interesting characters and make the cases interesting..
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews