Nerds That Geek Book Review: 'Death Warmed Over'

Written by Scott Edwards

Welcome to the Big Easy, a place of joy and spiritual beliefs that could be taken to the extreme by any faction. Now add in a book that possesses the power to add in the extra step, the Necronomicon. Now welcome to the Big Uneasy, a city full of Zombies, Vampires, Werewolves, Ghouls, Succubi and Trolls. That is what had happened down in New Orleans once this book was delivered to the local museum and a clumsy curator cut himself and his blood activated the powerful spell book.

Dan Chambeaux, was a private investigator in the city before the change took place, now after being gunned down in the street, he is a Zombie investigator. Still taking the same types of cases as he would as if he were alive, Chambeaux continues to work out of his old office of Chambeaux and Deyer Investigations. This office is catered perfectly for the changes that have befallen the city. His partner is Robin Deyer, a lawyer and the only human on staff and there is Sheyenne, Chambeaux’s ex-girlfriend who was poisoned and has returned to become a ghostly receptionist. The workload for the group has never faltered, especially after the city turned upside down. If anything, they have never been busier taking in every request that has come their way. The only problem is that when working for an Unnatural, you do not know what kind of payment you will receive. 

Although he is working for many different parties, Chambeaux is still investigating two top cases in his spare time. He is desperately looking for the man that gunned him down, along with the person that poisoned his girlfriend turned ghost. Getting a new case from a Miranda Jekyll, who is looking to divorce her husband and not get shafted by the lawyers, Chambeaux is thrown into a larger case than he had expected. Trying to find any dirt he can on Miranda’s husband, Chambeaux has to trail one of the top salesmen for her husband's company, Jekyll Lifestyle Products and Necroceuticals (JLPN). Brendon Morris is a fan of Chambeaux and the lawsuit that was brought upon the large company since JLPN is the largest and only distributor of cosmetics for the Unnaturals that run around the Big Uneasy, but one of their previous batches caused massive allergic reactions, almost causing death, well second death to their users.

Death Warmed Over will leave your head shaking as the unnaturals around the town are at each other’s throat for one reason or another, but need to band up to keep from being run out of the city by the Straight Edge extremist group that wants them all gone, and it turns out the Straight Edge group has a leader that may be more powerful than anyone could imagine, which is bad news for the unnaturals because all men, even dead men can be defeated at this enigmatic leader's hands.

This is just a fun little read as you follow Chambeaux (Shamble as the locals call him) on his investigations around town. You meet several colorful characters, mostly dead or undead depending on your point of view and find out that their problems are just the same as the living. The cases that are depicted in this book range from faulty spell books, vegetarian vampire protection, divorce, drunk ghost hauntings, and a mummy that wants to be paid for his service in the museum. Although you do not get the horror or thriller feel from this book, you get to enjoy much more interactions between the characters and though you may shy away, there is a pig that is more than willing to snuggle with your leg. Enjoy and keep reading!

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