Dead Men Kill: A Murder Mystery of Wealth, Power, and the Living Dead (Stories from the Golden Age)

by L Ron Hubbard

When several of the city's most respected citizens are inexplicably killed by what appear to be zombies, all Detective Terry Lane has to go on is a blue-grey glove, a Haitian pharmacy bill for some very unusual drugs and a death threat from a mysterious stranger. Matters are soon complicated when a beautiful nightclub singer shows up who claims to have information that could solve the case, but whose motives are plainly suspect. Against his better judgment, Terry investigates her lead only to find himself sealed in a coffin en route to the next zombie murder - his own.

• ISBN10: 1592122639
• ISBN13: 9781592122639
• Publish Date: 1 January 2010
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Galaxy Press
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 144
• Language: English

Reviews

[Charli G.]

Don't believe the rumors or everything you read about Dead Men Kill - it isn't campy, it isn't pulpy, and it isn't obviously paid-by-the-word rubbish. I've seen all of these terms used to describe the story, but those aren't it.

Is it old? Of course it is - it was originally published in Thrilling Detective Magazine in 1934. But that's one of the things that makes this story great. It doesn't have all the techno-babble that is so prevalent in today's stories. Are there zombies? Yep, but with a surprising twist. This mystery combines the horror of dead men who walk (and kill) with the mystery of who is controlling these zombies. And an interesting note - in the book, these zombies are referred to as "the walking dead."

It's a quick read - it takes around an hour to get through the story. The action is fast-paced. You don't have to think too much to get through it and it's easy to get lost in the story. There are plenty of plot twists and things you wouldn't expect, and this is not one of those mysteries where you have an idea of who the bad guy is less than halfway through the story.

There is, as per usual, a glossary for terms we "young whippersnappers" might not be familiar with. There is a preview of another story in the Stories from the Golden Age series. The book is a wonderful example of how utterly great the older works can truly be.

** I received this book for free from Galaxy Press in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own. **