Dead & Buried

Partners in Crime #1

by T.K. Eldridge

Detectives Kennedy and Donovan were partners for years. Then one of them died.

And yet, they're still partners.

Kennedy has to solve Donovan's death while his partner's ghost helps him. Sort of.

How do you explain where you got the tips?

How do you avoid showing them that you're speaking to thin air and no, you haven't lost your mind?

Kennedy has to hide how he's figuring it all out so he can keep his badge and solve the murder - before he ends up dead and buried too.

Genres: Mystery, Paranormal, Fantasy, Ghosts, Crime, Urban Fantasy, Contemporary

211 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 26, 2021

Reviews

[Amur Thera · Rating 2 out of 5]

The good
+ The easy friendship between Jamie and Mike
+ Jamie using Mike to do things for him like scouting
+ Jame and Jack taking an immediate liking to each other

The neutral
o The writing was really simple. Sometimes it was nice, because it really made it quick and easy to read. Other times, it made dialogue very unnatural and left unanswered questions

The bad
- I got this book from a romance book giveaway, from the LGBTQ+ protagonists category, but it's not a romance, and there has been no indication that Jamie is queer. Reading the blurbs of all the other books in the series also doesn't make either of these two things sound like something that happens
- Drina sent an email with information Jamie trusted at face-value. Everything except the warning not to trust Joey. Why would he and Mike trust everything from that email except that one detail? It was also never brought up again
- Jamie had two kids. He acted like his kids didn't exist and didn't even put up a fuss when they moved really far away. In fact, he even got the name of one of his children wrong at one point (which was probably an editing error, but it still shows how irrelevant his own children were)
- Katie said on TV that Jamie was dirty and should be investigated. Nobody ever followed up on this. Also, Jamie was allowed to be a part of Mike's case, even though he should probably have been a suspect himself. He was never even questioned or asked for an alibi
- The bad guys just served up their own arrests on a silver platter all the time. Especially the main baddie just confessed and then acted surprised about being recorded. Didn't fit at all with the personality portrayed until then


First of all, this book did not deliver what I thought it would (romance and an LGBTQ+ protagonist). Apart from that, I was having a fine time reading this. But the plot refused to make sense, characters did things that didn't fit with their personalities, and Jamie didn't ask most of the questions a detective should ask. I did like Mike and I hope Jamie follows up on his promises about voice-controlled electronics in his house. But unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend this book.

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Called to a murder scene, Detective Jameson Kennedy never expected the victim to be his partner Michael Donovan, nor did he expect Mike's ghost to materialise. The two will have to navigate a messy tangle of clues in order to solve not only Mike's murder but also the ones that follow it.

A paranormal police procedural? I was sceptical, to say the least. This definitely wasn't your usual ghost cosy and I'm glad it wasn't. Then again, it wasn't your usual buddy cops story, either. In pairing the two genres, T. K. Eldridge has crafted an engrossing tale that transcends both.

Recommended.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started and finished the book basically in one sitting (discounting time for that pesky grocery shopping and adult responsibility thing). The plot is extremely well thought out and written, and while I had wondered about the wife being involved I never expected the full twists and turns that came out in this book! You'll always be guessing, right up until the very end.

[Jim Justice · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unrealistic

Gee, I thought this started well enough until a couple of people acted completely against their own natures and made stupid confessions no one in their positions would make. A no go.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the detectives and the progress of the story.

[Walter Stumpf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out good, then faded fast at the end

I don't normally like paranormal books, but this one was cute and worked...at first. About half way through the book the conversations started getting stilted and dumb. Then at the end it all went stupid, with him explaining the entire case to someone he just met and that person also sees ghosts!!! Went from cute to dumb. Won't read any more in this series.

[Melanie Sears · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was hard to keep some of the characters straight and the storyline was choppy. I liked the dead guy helping the cop though

[Thanh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cuốn này chắc là điển hình của tell, don't show.
Nếu xét về mặt phá án trinh thám đồ, cuốn này tệ. Nếu xét về mặt tạo bí ẩn/giải đáp, cuốn này xếp hạng kém. Tiếc cho cái plot này; với mình thì plot này khá là mới mẻ, giá mà tác giả đầu tư vô thì trời ơi, ẵm trọn 3/5 sao của mình ấy chứ.

Điểm mình cho ở đây nằm ở tình bạn của mike và jamie và chấm hết. Tình bạn của hai người này đẹp, có cơ sở và không vô lý; nếu du di thì mìn cũng tính joey và jamie vào cũng ổn. Còn lại thì eh?

Tính cách nhân vật trong này ...phẳng; nhân vật chính thì dễ chịu, dễ liên kết với mình; nhân vật phụ thì...như là giấy cắt đứng một chỗ, làm màu và làm đạo cụ cho nhân vật chính cũng như đẩy plot. Về sau (thực ra là ngay từ lúc bà Drina xuất hiện) thì nó có mùi teen fic đâu đây, và đến lúc xong thì úi giời ơi, teen fic thật.
Mấy nhân vật theo phe anh chính thì thôi rồi, toàn người tốt với chả giỏi giang. Người bên phản diện thì ngu ngu dở dở ương ương thế nào đó.



Mình vốn quen đọc nhịp nhanh, nhưng cuốn này phải nói là phi như ngựa. Tác giả không có tả hay xây dựng gì cả. Viết trên ngôi thứ ba nên khỏi nói nhịp nó nhanh thêm tới cỡ nào.

Btw: phải tác giả có dụng ý gì không, nhưng sao nhân vật liên quan đến LGBT toàn người tốt không thế?

1.75/5 làm tròn lên 2.

Căn bản, bạn nào đọc mà không cần suy nghĩ tìm tòi mò hint, nói trắng ra là giết thời gian thì cuốn này ổn.
Riêng mình thì chắc mình dừng ở đây và không có ý định tiếp tục series.

[Choyang · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Dead & Buried' (Partners in Crime) by T.K. Eldridge

First book in this series about a police detective, Jamie, and his work partner, Mike, who gets kidnapped and murdered while on a grocery-store run and alone at the time.

The twist in this story is that Jamie's now deceased work partner, Mike, is now a ghost who has appeared to him, wanting to still be his working partner to help solve his own murder case.

Well, even though similar tropes have been written, I still basically liked this storyline, wanting to find out what happened next.

Yeah, the writing was a bit rough in some places, and what with all these various & sundry characters getting involved and trying to kill each other off, it got confusing as to who was doing what to who, and why? Some of this storyline seemed very implausible...to say the least!

Still, I did like the premise and would like to read more in this series.

Note: there is a cliff-hanger of sorts, BUT not for this particular storyline, which is wrapped up; it's basically a teaser for the next book in this series.

Btw, if you're looking for a work-romance, either gay or male/female or lesbian, or?, you're out of luck, my friend; there's no romance between any MCs, at least not in this first book of the series...which I found quite refreshing! (lol) The storyline focused on the murder mystery, which was good.

Can't wait to read more in this series!

(oh, and I got my book copy from Prolific Works; thanks)

[Jerry Walch · Rating 5 out of 5]

When detective Jameson “Jamie” Kennedy’s partner and best friend, Detective Michael Donovan, is found beaten to death, his ghost returns to help Jamie find his murderer.

Supernatural mysteries are not a genre that I read and review; Although I know people who believe in the supernatural, I’m not one of them. Perhaps ghost and other supernatural entities exist, but if they do, I have never encountered one of them. With that said, let me say that I enjoyed this read. The temporary suspension of disbelief didn’t become an issue for me because Eldridge’s scintillating prose and snappy, realistic dialogue made everything believable. I will read more T. K. Eldridge’s stories in the future.

Dead and Buried is an action packed page-turner that will keep you glued to the edge of your seat. With more twists and turns than a rattler path across the desert sands. Dead and Buried, with more “red Herrings”, then you could find at the fish market, will keep you guessing until the very end.

The way Dead and Buried ends... well, you’ll have to read this amazing tale for yourself to find out.
All I’m going to say about the way it ends is that it left me saying, “Wow! I didn’t see that coming.”

[Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was so refreshing in a genre where people often focus more on edgy theatrics than story.
The characters were consistent, communicated properly and had realistic dialogue, and actually worked together instead of every person just trying to one up the other. I also enjoyed the banter between the main character and his ghost ex-partner. Really felt like they’d known each other for a long time.

A small detail but also one I really liked, was that the characters actually ate food and took care of themselves properly. I feel like it’s way too common to see characters skipping meals, starving but doing taxing work anyways, and so on. But here they take care to make sure their brains and bodies are functioning well and that was really nice.

I enjoyed the friendship and family themes as I’m not huge on romance. And I’m glad it wasn’t the main focus at all.

Overall would recommend!

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead & Buried, the first book in the Partners in Crime series, is an interesting paranormal mystery thriller. Detective Jameson (Jamie) Kennedy partner, Mike Donovan, has been murdered. The hunt is on for the people involved, and Jamie will have quite a bit of help. Mike may be dead, but he is hanging around to help solve this crime. Not only does Jamie have to watch his back as Mike wasn’t the only person on that hit list, but he also must be careful when he interacts with Mike. He certainly can’t afford to be sent to a padded room. I loved the characters in this well-written novel, especially the interaction between Jamie and Mike which at times was quite hilarious. A great story line filled with twists and turns keeps you guessing until the very end. I am looking forward to reading the next in this series.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a the TK Eldridge books I've read, this one was intriguing. A good, convoluted detective story with the unusual twist of help from the dead victim in sorting out the many elements involved around his death. And, just like her other books, I became invested in the characters and their situations, only for the book to end, and one has to buy the next book to continue reading the story. Jt can get expensive to read a whole series. However, I do want to know what happens next now that detective Jameson has a new partner who is also followed by her ghost friend, but has a less friendly relationship with her. It's frustrating to end a story seemingly part way through, but I suppose it's a good way of ensuring book sales if the writing is this good

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pleasantly surprised

I didn't really know if I would like this book, but it was interesting from the beginning. I like the characters and their relationship even after Mike died. Jamie and Mike still remained partners. They worked together to solve Mike's murder. There's a lot going on and never a dull moment. Jamie questioned his own sanity several times, he couldn't believe his dead partner was still talking and helping him with work as usual. I also liked the suspense, just when you thought you knew who did a new piece of the puzzle is revealed. This book has a lot of action, humor, tons of suspects and suspense. I glad they were able to solve Mike's murder and his ghost is still around. This was definitely a good surprise, must read.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable. Jamie and Mike make the best partners. Funny too. I agree with other reviewers in that towards the last few chapters, the story kind of wanes off. Not really moving, nor holds much interest. Actually boring. However, there were still some aspects to the story that held my interest. Some aspects were definitely unbelievable and didn't really seem to fit the story concept. (Everyone is or becomes very wealthy?). It was very neatly wrapped up in the last two chapters. My question is, why would Dmitri go to such lengths to conspire against Mike? Also, why would so many people be so involved? The story lost it's mystery for me and became quite ridiculous. But I did enjoy most of the story. This is my first time reading this author. I may read the second installment.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice paranormal mystery

Wow, this is a really good book. I was 99% happy with it. It is about a police detective who tries to solve his partners murder with the help of his partners ghost who can only be seen by the detective. The detective and the ghost are really good cops and good guys that have been dealt a crappy hand in life. But since they are good guys, they handle the crap really well. There are a few more murders to solve but the books ends well, with a little twist.

[Sandra L. Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contrived and Implausible

Jameson "Jamie" Kennedy is a first-rate homicide detective trying to solve his partner's murder. His best chance to do it is to rely on help from his dead partner.

The story moves quite rapidly, although if moves too quick for me. I feel sometimes that I am reading too much dialogue with little description. The plot is a bit implausible. The ending is wrapped up too nearly to make logical sense.

If you need a quick read without much thought, this may be the one for you.

[Holly Kailani · Rating 3 out of 5]

requires suspension of normal beliefs, but interesting

Two great police partners. One of them is killed, but continues to be a partner as a ghost. That was the easy part. What happens with his wife after his death is pretty unrealistic. It also seemed strange that it took months to solve the murder, while quite a few people connected to the case were killed too. The way fellow cops turned on one of theirs was, to say the least, disappointing. Jamie’s new partner at the end opens up a whole new raft of possibilities. Worth a few hours of my time.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the premise of the book and the banter between Mike and Jamie was really great. Sometimes I felt like the writing was too simple and the dialogue felt stilted and unnatural, but the witty banter tended to make up for that.

I also really liked the idea of the book; I think it’s a super creative idea and isn’t something I’ve seen replicated before.

Overall it was a good book, but not one I would recommend to others if they are looking for mystery/detective novels; simply because I want more from the writing — more detail, more description, better dialogue.

[Anne G. Kasaba · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. The storyline was original enough not to be boring. The mystery was a bit convoluted but got tied up nicely at the end.

When you're a cop and your partner is murdered you do everything you can to solve the crime. It's hard to get used to a new partner but even harder when your dead partners ghost is still working alongside you.

I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.

[Carol Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are interesting, and the story is fast paced, with some twists and turns that may surprise you. One of the partners in crime is a policeman whose partner has been murdered. He is determined to find the killer, and lucky for him, his helpful partner turns out to be the ghost of his dead partner. It's all explained in the early part of the book which gives the story lots of time to let the two work together on the investigation. It's a quick read and a good who-done-it. Enjoy!

[Ella Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast paced mystery that never lets up until the last page.

T K Eldridge is a very good mystery writer. This is a paranormal mystery and grabbed me on the first page and did not slow down until the end. It has great detectives and ghosts. If you like a good mystery read this one

[MGB · Rating 5 out of 5]

You've been ghosted - and it's a good thing. When you need a partner to help solve your partner's murder, who better than the ghost of the partner who died? The author does a great job with this storyline. He pulls in previous cases and other activity in the precinct to make a complex, but complete story.

A great read as all the strange, and seemingly unrelated clues come together.

[cathy m freeze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kept my interest throughout

High praise, since I'm generally a female-protag, tons 'o magic, UF reader. The protag, here, was an intelligent, nice guy, the secondary characters were realistically complex, and the plot twisty and satisfying. I appreciate the addition, in the end, of a strong , competent female partner, and am headed now to buy bk2 in this series.

[Marsha Koenig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Premise

What an unusual story line. Loved it! Well written novel. Good characters and interesting plot. Very different from any other police genre. The next one should be interesting and unusual with both detectives having ghost associates for lack of a better word. I'm looking forward to reading it. Thank you for an enjoyable afternoon.

[Antigone Walsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

RIPD

An investigator gets help from his dead partner. The partner was murdered and the survivor is a target. Together they uncover some ugly truths that lead to case resolution.

The writing is elementary and clunky but the plot is okay. Pace is pretty good. Not terribly suspenseful but fairly entertaining.

[Adrienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

When his partner is murdered and his new partner quits the department, Jamie Kennedy is determined to find the truth. With the help of his murdered partner and a mob priestess, the truth is uncovered. But, more people's lives will be changed forever. Its an interesting story, that in today's world could be possible.

[Janice Foley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was pretty good. A cop was murdered. It turns out that he is trying to solve his murder from "beyond the grave". He has enlisted his former partner to help with the investigation. FYI: The former partner is alive. They were pretty tight when working together and seemed best friends. Looking forward to reading Book 2.

[Lela Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you believe,,,

Having to see and work on his best Friends Death was hard.Even He was at a loss at how much He could solve His murder.Believing in a Higher Power is how He “saw” His Partner and could hear him also. Solving the problem with a Ghost helper is way weird but got the case solved and a few others too.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I kept waiting for Jamie and Joey to end up together but there is absolutely no romance in this novel. It’s just a cop trying to solve the death of his partner with the help of the dead partner’s ghost. It’s good… easy to read if you can get over all the childish nicknames (Jamie, Joey, Jackey, Mikey) .