If a ghost appeared from nowhere and ordered you to start solving crimes, what would you do? When a ghost shanghais Porter Norton, he just wants to put his head in his hands and have nothing to do with it. Then he discovers he has to atone for a family curse that has seen all the males die at their own hands for five generations. The Gliss, the sarcastic spirit that rescues him, says he can now … rescues him, says he can now see and hear the dead – if he’s close to their remains. Porter has to use his unwelcome gift to clear up past injustices. Or else.
Forced to investigate the murder of a WW1 British Tommy executed for spying in 1917, he begins to suspect the case has links to his own family history. Along the way, Porter enlists the help of a bickering group of misfits, who struggle to stay involved – because everyone knows, only fools believe in the supernatural.
As Porter, The Gliss, and friends, get deeper into the explosive case, they discover their own lives and sanity are at stake. An evil from WW1 is pursuing them.
Chock full of pop culture, banter and twists, the story takes us from present-day London and Flanders to scenes from World War 1. Dead & Talking is the debut novel from Des Burkinshaw, a TV producer/director with credits on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky and Discovery. Des is also a former Times journalist, whose work has also been published in many other publications.
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Dead & Talking is one of those rare books where you read the blurb and think you know what you’re getting into, and then you get something even better.
This is a really interesting mix of themes that I didn’t expect to be together. It’s a paranormal, murder mystery with ghosts and psychic abilities. There are deep explorations of some harsher realities. Thrown in the mix there’s a lot of humor, that had me laughing out loud.
The characters are absolutely brilliant. The growth and development of them is really astonishing and realistic. Des Burkinshaw is extremely talented when it comes to creating well rounded characters.
I loved Dead & Talking so much. It’s deep and witty, and the mystery was fantastic. There’s a brilliant cast of characters and fantastic writing. This is 5 star material, and I highly recommend checking it out! I cannot wait to read more from Des Burkinshaw!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Rachel’s Random Resources. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com
Favorite Quotes:
Poor Cherry. As much comfort as a pair of nettle knickers.
You’re about as much use as a sniper with Parkinson’s…
Porter sipped the coffee. After the drink and drugs, it was like getting a snog from Aphrodite.
Get me some water. I’m drier than an Arab’s roof. Has someone been stuffing my gob full of crackers?
“There’s one room here, the Oubliette, where a ghost strokes you in the night. Not in a nice way either.” “Is there a nice way to be stroked by a ghost in the night?” “Probably not, but then I’ve been single for a while,” said Feng.
Feng expected to find a doddery old man, wrapped in blankets, dribbling. He was met, instead, by a chipper bald-headed man, with monstrous tentacles of nasal hair… His white eyebrows were the size of slippers. More hair than Barry Gibb in his prime –none of it on top.
They’re not Bond villains with a masterplan. They’re the spiritual equivalent of a plague… There are nuclear and chemical weapons now. If yours gets to its full power… It would take seconds for it to realise it should go after the man with the nuclear football. Look who’s holding that. He’s barely got a mind to control, but I’m guessing, what there is of it, would be easy prey.
He pressed the Facetime button. Zouche appeared, picking his nose, with the gusto of the Seven Dwarves digging for diamonds.
Awkwardness patrolled their corridor like a Pac-Man.
My Review:
Admittedly, anything paranormal is not my usual read but there is nothing about this cunningly crafted, highly amusing and vastly imaginative tale that could be considered as usual. The original storylines were exceptionally creative and bristled robustly with intriguing conundrums and life-threatening events that kept the initially skeptical characters scurrying and adapting on the fly. Mr. Burkinshaw’s tantalizing and engaging writing style quickly lured me into his characters’ rather odd vortex, while his clever humor and sneaky strokes of levity had me occasionally barking aloud, as well as smirking and giggle-snorting throughout.
His deftly penned descriptions evoked sharp visuals, which were often outrageously comical, although a few gave my delicate intestines a queasy churn. This deviously clever scribe cast his tale with an unending group of peculiar characters who were each perceptively drawn with their own quirky traits and unique histories, while also realistically delineated with recognizable and mind-tickling human foibles which often led to humorous encounters, and delightfully amusing observations and inner musings. I had four pages of favorite quotes and notes highlighted and have gleefully added his name to my list of talents to watch and hope I am paying attention when his next missive is given wings.
I’ve gained three new words and phrases for my ever-expanding Brit Word List with struck off – which is officially being barred from working in one’s profession or field; bonce – head; and screaming abdabs – being extreme nervousness.
Dead & Talking promises to be a great series! It has a bit of everything, wicked humor, mystery, and the supernatural!
Porter is on the brink of losing his sanity, and he has decided to end it all by taking his life. He just figures he is following in the steps of his cursed family in which almost all his relatives have committed suicide. Imagine his surprise when a spirit appears and puts an end to his plan, saving his life. That was probably one of my favorite scenes. The spirit that calls itself The Gliss informs Porter he must atone for his family’s sins by solving past injustices. This is the beginning of one heck of a ride, alternating between the present and WWI.
Porter’s first step is solving the murder that occurred in 1917. Porter gets some aid from a band of misfits, and this is where a lot of the comedy comes in. Porter is a complex character. In the beginning, he is at the end of his rope and his sanity. He was rather sad, and he does grow exponentially by the end of the chapter. He is cynical and sarcastic, and when he and The Gliss are together, it’s pretty hysterical.
I was so glad to hear that this is only the first book in a series! I’m really looking forward to the team of Porter and The Gliss!!!!
Dead and Talking is a paranormal mystery novel by Des Birkinshaw. Abandoned by his girlfriend, about to be laid off from his job as a solicitor because his mistake resulted in a human fatality, and depressed, the protagonist, Porter Norton, decides to follow the family curse and commit suicide. He is prevented from accomplishing this goal by the appearance of a supernatural being called The Gliss who informs Porter that his actions have triggered a paranormal event called a Quincunx. Porter is given the ability to hear the voices of the dead and must use that power to seek justice for the dead. He joins forces with a motley crew to solve the reasons for a series of World War I deaths for desertion, all of whom claimed innocence. When the men’s firing squads failed to kill them, all were dispatched with coups de grace delivered by one Georges Pelenot, their superior officer.
As an editor, I was occasionally driven mad by tense shifts, some bizarre paragraphing, and other minor grammatical problems. I felt the scenes of the motley crew doing research could have been trimmed. Readers don’t necessarily need to read about the research (research itself is mostly boring, and reading about something boring is boring); we only need the results.
Some of the writing bordered on poetic ( … “the latter volume, its binding dark-unto-black leather, scarped and scratched to a Jackson Pollock texture …”). The humor was amusing with occasions where it seemed forced. Birkinshaw’s comparisons were mostly fresh (“…with the grace of an octopus trapped in the spin cycle …”), but some of the metaphors seemed a tad strained (“The lady, a Laura Ashley curtain catalogue made flesh …”). As a physician, I particularly enjoyed his “‘Memories and emotions are different beasts,’ said The Gliss. ‘Your memories are like keypads on a calculator … your thoughts and emotions are the sums you do with the keypad…’” The book is laden with popular cultural references.
Overall, a mixed bag of a book.