Book Reviews and More: Remurdered - Edwin Torr

Wednesday, 14 July 2021

Remurdered - Edwin Torr - Dead Means Dead Book 1.9

Remurdered

Dead Means Dead Book 1.9

Edwin Torr

aka J.E. Mayhew

Obolus Books

ASIN B073JNPWLZ

I have now read over half the stories in this series. The series is comprised of 5 short stories or novella’s and three novels. They are really fun stories. I have already recommended the series to several friends. And have to force myself to read something else between each volume. The first I read in the series was Blood, Bone and Coffin, and know I will read all 8 that are currently available. This is the 14th book I have read from the pen of this author. But who is he really? Edwin? Jon? JE? I have read all of his adult crime novels published as J.E. Mayhew. I have read one of his Young Adult collections of short stories as Jon Mayhew. And the first under this pen name of Edwin Torr. It is another really fun story in what is proving to be an immensely entertaining series. While reading this book and the series, I could not help but think about Cedar Sanderson’s The Groundskeeper Raking Up the Dead and Zombie Death Extreme Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator by Karina Fabian all three authors approaches are very different the stories are somewhat similar and just as enjoyable and memorable.

As I have stated this story is immensely entertaining. The story focuses around a young man named Tom Coffin; he is a Specialist Funeral Director. His job is to put the undead back in the ground. Coffin’s mode of transport is a car called Persephone, a Jaguar XJ hearse a 1995 model, a vehicle that looks like the offspring of a family station wagon and the Popemobile. The description of this book is:

“Tom Coffin is a Specialist Funeral Director. When a grave has been disturbed by the rising of the undead, he puts things right. When Tom is called to Kildower Castle, on the rugged Western Coast of Scotland, he expects trouble; he’s been there before and the last visit was traumatic. Now Lord Kildower’s grave has been opened and the body has vanished. Then people start to die. Has Lord Kildower risen from the grave to take revenge on his self-seeking relatives? Or is there another force at play? Trapped in the castle by the tide and storm with a family of murder suspects and a possible walking corpse, Tom Coffin has to use his wits and power to solve this mystery before it’s too late. Another short story from the author of the Dead Means Dead series.”

But a second description exists and it is:

“How can a man who is already dead and buried commit murder? Tom Coffin, Specialist Funeral Director, knows the answer to this. When a grave has been disturbed by the rising of the undead, he puts things right.

When Tom is called to Kildower Castle, on the rugged Western Coast of Scotland, he expects trouble; he’s been there before and the last visit was traumatic. Now Lord Kildower’s grave has been opened and the body has vanished. Then people start to die. Has Lord Kildower risen from the grave to take revenge on his self-seeking relatives? Or is there another force at play? Trapped in the castle by the tide and storm with a family of murder suspects and a possible walking corpse, Tom Coffin has to use his wits and power to solve this mystery before it’s too late. Another short story from the author of the Dead Means Dead series. For readers who miss Mike Carey’s Felix Castor series, who love Rivers of London, can’t get enough Dresden and always wonder about Neverwhere when they travel to the big city.”

I have not heard of any of the series mentioned in that second description but will have to look them up after finishing these books. Though this is the third of the stories set between book 1 Demons and book 2 Angel Hunter, it follows shortly after book 1 and continues that story line. In this story Coffin is in Scotland and something just does not feel right, from the moment he arrives at Kildower Castle until he finally puts all the pieces together. Something is nagging at him. But he cannot seem to piece it together until it might be too late. But as once body almost lands on him from the roof of the castle to almost stumbling over two others soon Tom fits the pieces together. But to find out if it is too late you will need to read this entertaining story. As Tom Coffin states at the beginning of the story:

“There are a hundred and one reasons to turn down a case when you’re a Specialist Funeral Director but the possibility that you might meet ghosties or ghoulies or long-legged beasties isn’t one of them. The job is the job and putting the undead back into the ground as discreetly as possible is what I do. Really, the gig being too far away isn’t an excuse either, especially if the client is loaded and as eager to payout as a defective one-arm bandit. That said, driving for 11 hours in a hearse to get to the nether regions of Scotland for a case was a big no-no. There were other people who do this job who were probably nearer but the good people of Kildower Castle wanted me. I turned them down twice and they came back with double the money and to be honest I was intrigued by their problem. Or rather their guarded secrecy.”

But to unravel those secrets you will need to read this excellent short story. Another excellent read from the alias Edwin Torr an urban noir or supernatural fantasy story with a very humorous twist! Pick it up I am certain you will be entertained but be warned it is a very addictive series!

Books as J.E. Mayhew:

DCI William Blake Series:

0.5 Tyger Tyger

1.0 A Poison Tree

2.0 Fearful Symmetry

3.0 The Bones of the Dead

4.0 Cruelty Has A Human Heart

5.0 All the Lies

6.0 Death's Cold Hand

7.0 No Time For Sorrow

8.0 Dark Visions of Torment

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