What Grows From the Dead
by
Dave Dobson
Mystery
Stand-Alone
Setting - North Carolina
Independently Published
Publication Date: March 9, 2024
Paperback page count: 367 pages
ISBN-13: 979-8884545977 / Digital ASIN: B0CXN1KQ1B
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SYNOPSIS:
Morris Drummond is not at his best. Well, he hasn't been at his best for a while now. But having just suffered two crushing losses, he's almost at rock bottom, which for him means driving ride-share in his mom's beat up Chevy, drowning his sorrows in tacos and spray cheese, and avoiding anything related to ambition, self-care, or laundry.
Morris is about to learn that he didn't even know what rock bottom looked like, and it's all thanks to his mom. A secret she left behind comes to light, and that brings down a lot of unwanted attention on Morris, the kind that looks likely to send him either to prison or to the hereafter. Blood and treachery from long ago rise to the surface, and Morris has only his lawyer Annie, who's an old high school friend, and a few unexpected allies to call on as he tries to figure out what his mom was up to and why so many people want him out of the picture.
A humorous mystery with elements of suspense and thrillers, What Grows From the Dead is set in present-day small-town North Carolina, not far from the mysterious Uwharrie Forest.
Content warnings: Coarse language throughout; some gun violence (not graphic).
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REVIEW:
5 stars!
Unique and entertaining, with non-stop action.
What Grows From the Dead is a fun new mystery from
Dave Dobson that is unique, entertaining, and filled with humor and action. I
would have been happy to spend the day kicked back and reading this book from
start to finish if my schedule had allowed it.
The book’s protagonist is a very engaging and regular guy
named Morris Drummond. Recently laid off mid-term from his tenured position as
an anthropology professor, he has been unable to find another position. He is driving
for a ride-share company to maintain his child support payments. When his
mother passes away, he discovers she has been keeping an unexpected secret. With
his teenage daughter’s sudden arrival and the local cops at his door asking
questions about his mother, Morris and his attorney (and former high school
crush) must try to find answers to what mom was involved in before things
really get out of hand.
The plot is intriguing, and the action takes off right away,
the pace getting more frenetic as the story unfolds. The story is told from
Morris’s first-person viewpoint with the added benefit of being privy to his delightfully
humorous inner monologue. Joining him in the mystery are a number of engaging secondary
characters: his daughter Mindy, attorney Annie, and ride-share client Vampire
Steve. The story made for fun reading, but it was also satisfying to watch
Morris regain his footing after the horrible year of struggles that almost did
him in.
The story is exciting and unique, with unusual twists and
turns to keep things interesting and this reader turning pages. I recommend
WHAT GROWS FROM THE DEAD to readers of mysteries and suspense, especially those
who enjoy a lot of humor in their reading.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A native of Ames, Iowa, Dave loves writing, reading, boardgames, computer games, improv comedy, pizza, barbarian movies, and the cheaper end of the Taco Bell menu. Also, his wife and kids. Dave is the author of Snood, Snoodoku, Snood Towers, and other computer games. Dave first published Snood in 1996, and it became one of the most popular shareware games of the early Internet. He's recently published some puzzle card games in the Doctor Esker's Notebook series. Dave taught geology, environmental studies, and computer programming at Guilford College for 24 years. He does improv comedy at the Idiot Box in Greensboro, North Carolina. He's also played the world's largest tuba in concert. Not that that is relevant, but it's still kinda cool. Flames Over Frosthelm was Dave's first novel, released in 2019. He followed it a year later with Traitors Unseen and The Outcast Crown, then Daros in 2021, The Woeling Lass in 2022, and Got Trouble and Kenai in 2023. He released his first mystery novel, What Grows From the Dead, in 2024, and he's currently at work on a humorous epic fantasy novel.
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