Better Off Dead

Casey Jones Mysteries #5

by Katy Munger

At the request of Helen McInnes, the traumatized victim of a horrible crime, tough, unlicensed private detective Casey Jones goes undercover at Duke University to protect Helen and to find a killer using the campus as his own private hunting ground. Original.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 1, 2001

About the author

Katy Munger, a North Carolina-based mystery author, has published 17 novels, co-authored multiple books, and contributed short stories to numerous anthologies. She's most known for the humorous Casey Jones mystery series, the somber and thoughtful Dead Detective series (as Katy Munger and Chaz McGee), and the cozy Hubbert & Lil series (as Katy Munger and Gallagher Gray). Originally published by major houses like Bantam and HarperCollins, her books are now available on Amazon under her real name. Katy has also contributed as a book reviewer for the Washington Post and served as North Carolina’s 2016 Piedmont Laureate. Visit katymunger.com to learn more.

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Literally laughed out loud at parts of this book. Very entertaining!

[Carl Brookins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey Jones is a big, rollicking, smartmouth with a wicked sense of humor, and a jaundiced view of the world. Her view of the world applies particularly to personal human relationships. She's a lot like her creator. And she's a lot of fun to hang around. Her adventures are modern, important and well-worth reading about. Unfortunately, too often for this reviewer (and this maybe purely personal taste) Casey has to rely on others to get her out of some really bad scrapes.

Still, we read these adventures, and look forward to more, because watching Casey choose to take on certain cases, deal with her friends and colleagues, maneuver through thickets of evil and dangerous people, not to mention her often convoluted love life,is just a whole lot of fun.

Casey Jones is an under-the-table private investigator. Because of an unfortunate past she's unable to obtain a private investigator's license in North Carolina where she hangs out. And she certainly isn't permitted to carry a weapon. But she has an accommodating partner, Bobby D., for whom Casey seems to do most of the work.

This case concerns a professor at Duke University named Helen McInnes who was the victim of a particularly violent crime, including attempted murder. Although she never saw her attacker, she has accused a fellow academic of the crime. Her attacker is acquitted and the combination of the crime and the acquittal have so traumatized the woman, she has developed agoraphobia and cannot even venture onto her own front porch. And now, she's being besieged by evil and vicious mail and telephone attacks, apparently from the same man.

Casey, of course, agrees to look into the case and the more she learns, the more inflamed becomes her ire. Into the case come her police contact, Marcus, her boyfriend Burly, her partner Bobby D, and his current girlfriend, Fanny, as well as some new characters. As befits noirish P.I. novels, this one is very plot driven. Nevertheless, Munger does an admirable job of bringing these many characters and their foibles to vibrant life.

As one has learned to expect from Munger's writing, the pace is fast, the dialogue sings and the mordant humor is well-placed. This is a very well written novel, has been well and carefully edited and deserves a place on the bookshelves of anyone who is a fan of the hard-boiled P.I. novel.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of laughs and lots of whoa's! It is a horrible crime or crimes... rape is horrible on every level and the powerful taking advantage of the weak is despicable...but justice prevails in Casey land.

The laughs come with the decision for Bobby to move in with new client, Helen, one of the victims so traumatized by the rape that she cannot leave her house, not even to go on her front porch! She was receiving threatening mail and calls, so Casey decided to give her hands-on protection.It begins with Bobby moving in, then his girlfriend, Fanny, soon it morphs into a bounty of others moving in the house and camping on the front porch...the laughs increase. Along with the laughs is good medicine for Helen who has been all alone since her ordeal and now a small community is all around her.

Good read!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book by this author that I've read. I wish now I would have started from the beginning so that I would had the background of the characters. I did enjoy how her main character solved the mystery with humor and guts. This book did remind me of the Stephanie Plum series. It's a very quick read and easy to get into. I would recommend it to anyone.

[Janice Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it! Laugh out loud funny, yet chillingly suspenseful. I couldn't put it down. I read the first book in the series as a fluke, but I liked it so much that I continued reading the whole Casey Jones Mysteries series! I'm reading the last one now. Can't wait for the next one!

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another awesome story about Casey Jones! I really do love this mystery series!

[Sharon Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the character development and plot line in this series.

[Janci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny and smart. I'll read more Casey Jones.

[Ken Finlay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey Jones ain't a real P.I., she's not really a blonde, but she is tough and determined.
A serial rapist has advanced to killing his victims.
Helen McInness hasn't left her home since the court case against her rapist failed.
To make matters worse she's receiving increasingly violent threats.
She wants her life back and employs Casey to investigate.
The main suspect is a college professor and Casey finds herself playing the role of a student while guarding Helen's home.
As with most of the books in the series it is half about the crime and half about Casey herself.
The pacing is generally leisurely until towards the end when it shifts into overdrive.
The final few chapters contain a couple of major surprises – at least they were to me.
“Better Off Dead” is a hugely enjoyable read.
4 Stars.

[AKA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warning: The description of Helen's rape was really awful.

This started out pretty well. I thought it might be the first 4 star book in the series for me. Instead it was the first in the series to be frustrating in its predictability.

Way too many convenient, plot driven things happened and it sucked a lot of the fun out. Casey was only in character when KM wanted her to be. Bobby got really racist all of a sudden. Burly pulls a rather ugly move at the end.

The villain was really evil and fairly interesting. Some surprise guests show up (but not on page) And no Bill! I hate Bill.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Munger is never better with the fifth in the Casey Jones Mysteries.

This story will grab you from the start and not let go until the very end. There is lots of humor among the dangerous twists and turns for the rag tag group of recurring characters. This is one that will grab both ends of your heart strings and pull.

I highly recommend this book to fans of the contemporary romantic mystery genre.

[Will Decker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost gave this story 5 stars, but something held me back. Maybe it's the way the writing is long-winded. Or maybe it's the way the heroine, Casey, is always doing stupid stuff that gets her into trouble. Or maybe it's just because that's what the story warrants. There's humor, there's suspense, there isn't any real sex, just imagined, and there's enough plot development to keep you reading and enjoying.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Casey ends up in a private run prison to try to find a missing teen who she promised his grandmother she would locate. Things get desperate and with the help of her boss they break out and go on the run with the help of another old friend. A phone message to another friend alerts the authorities of the drug activities among the guards at the prison and the teen is found and returned to his grandmother.
This the bare bones over view, there is much more going on for you to discover.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable thriller with a twist of humor brought on by a diverse group of characters. That being said, the case to be solved is indeed serious and provides readers a journey which includes needed obstacles, uncertainties and thriller twists. For me the ending was a bit unexpected yet works for all that proceeded. Recommended 3.5 star read.

[Lois Buck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better Off Dead

Rape is always a terrifying subject. I appreciate how Ms. Number described Casey's state of mind when she thought she might be raped. She can't always be tough if she is going to be realistic. I guess not knowing what happened to Candace is realistic, but since this is a story, I wish we had found out. It has a somewhat sad ending, but life does go on.

[bex · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 star

It had some lines that needed more editing. Some that went too far. And some that were perfect. Really can't decide if I liked the MC. Less whodunnit than how to prove whodunnit.

[Luanne Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best yet!

This is the best book of the series so far and by far! There are some very colorful characters and situations that had me laughing along with some was real suspense. I stayed awake untill 3:00am just to finish this gem!

[Cathie Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lively?

Enjoyed the story. Great characters, well defined. A few holes in the logic, but the ending was a definite surprise

[Charlette Bond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding!

I rarely give a 5 star review but this book was great. Great writing and funny dialog. Quirky cast and great story!

[Marcia-Lee Finocchio · Rating 4 out of 5]

A intriguing storyline about Drug testing studies, rape, murder, cover up and tracking down the murderer. A lot of twists and turns, with a surprising ending.

[Barb VanderWel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this & I can't wait for more.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.

[Jamie]

Personal Note: See "Casey Jones Mysteries Vol. 1-6" on kindle.

[Sandra Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

This is a fantastic if scary story full of well rounded characters and an intricate plot. I could do without the curse words, but enjoyed the fast paced story.

[Barbara Cryer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not enjoy

[Karetchko]

I started reading Katy Munger's books after she did a reading/author event at Durham Technical Community College. Her mysteries are a lot of fun and she's very funny and outspoken in person. She's actually the person who recommended Karin Slaughter's books to me, and through her "tart noir" group, I started reading Lauren Henderson's mysteries as well.

[Ken McDouall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Improbable plot elements detract from the story in this Casey Jones installment. Of course, Munger isn't aiming for realism, but the books usually stay inside the threshold of credibility. Casey is still loads of fun in any case.

[Johnna · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I have to say is "How could he?!?!!!!"

[Laurie D'ghent]

When a book takes more than two hands to count the number of swear words in less than two pages, I don't need it in my life. Moving on.