Dead Early is a standalone novel in the semi-cozy British crime series by Peter Buckman. Released 31st March 2025, it's 279 pages and is available in ebook format. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The other books in the series are also currently available on KU.
This is a dryly humorous story with several intertwined threads touching on some very unfunny/serious themes such as assisted suicide, murder, substance abuse, elder abuse, misogyny and a few other unsavoury things. The author really does have a deft touch with the humor and manages to make the convoluted and disparate characters and plot elements engaging enough to juggle until the denouement and resolution.
The author is unquestionably intelligent and well versed in his craft. The books are all standalones and can be read in any order. Since they're all available on kindle unlimited, it would make a nice binge/buddy project for a read-a-thon or group.
Four stars. Occasionally mismatched in seriousness (assisted suicide) and preciousness (the series is named after a dog who is a major player in the narrative, sort of a Greek chorus, adding his own anthropomorphized opinions on the humans' goings on throughout).
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
No comments:
Post a Comment