Simon Canderous decided one day to leave the criminal life and go straight. But what kind of jobs are out there for someone who has the power of psychometry? He had resigned himself to the fact that he might end up in a dead end job when he found the advertisement for a scryer. When he was hired for the job, he found himself working for the DEA, not the drug agency but the Department of Extraordinary Affairs. Despite the mounting paperwork, there were days when Simon’s job was definitely not boring. Where else could he find a job where he dealt with ghosts, zombies and learned to use his powers? When a confused ghost shows up in the Lovecraft one day, Simon and his mentor Connor are thrown into a case that involves a wooden fish and cultists. By the end of the case, Simon will be reminded that life is for the living.

I had heard so much about this book but had not had a chance to read it until I was flying back from vacation. I was anxious to get home but almost found myself wishing that the flight had been slightly longer, so engrossed had I become in Dead To Me. I have to give this book 5 tombstones. Simon is a fascinating character and his shady background makes him even more interesting. Simon meets a host of interesting characters throughout the book, each of which is fascinating in their own right, from the ghost Irene to the cultist Jane. Dead To Me is nonstop action. Anton Strout has a way with painting vivid pictures throughout the book and draws the reader deeper into the story. The irreverent description of the DEA almost is reminiscent of all the bureaucratic red tape stories that are told of working with a government agencies. I loved this book and am glad that I listened to all of the people who recommended it as a great read. If you have not picked this book up yet, I highly recommend that you do. I know I look forward to reading the next book in the series, Deader Still, which is due out at the end of February 2009. If you cannot wait until February, then pick up The Dimension Next Door, which contains a short work by Anton Strout.

Book Excerpt: “Psychometry-the power to touch an object and divine information about its history-has meant a life of petty crime for Simon Canderous, but now he’s gone over to the good side. At New York’s underfunded and (mostly) secret Department of Extraordinary Affairs, he’s learning about red tape, office politics, and the basics of paranormal investigation. But it’s not the paperwork that has him breathless.

After Simon spills his coffee on (okay, through) the ghost of a beautiful woman- who doesn’t know she’s dead-he and his mentor plan to find her killers. But Simon’s not prepared for the nefarious plot that unfolds before him, involving politically correct cultists, a large wooden fish, a homicidal bookcase, and the forces of Darkness, which kind of have a crush on him.”

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Ace (February 26, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441015786
• ISBN-13: 978-0441015788

To purchase a print copy of Dead to Me click here.

Books in the Simon Canderous series in the order in which they should be read:
Dead To Me
Deader Still

To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.

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