Book Reviews and More: Dial D for Deadman - Barry J Hutchinson

Dial D for Deadman

Dan Deadman Space Detective Book 1

Barry J. Hutchison

aka Barry Hutchinson

aka J.D. Kirk

Zertex Media

ISBN 9781912767694

ASIN B074DZ1HBG

Several months before reading this I encountered the works of J.D. Kirk I also discovered that Kirk publishes children’s books as Barry Hutchison, and other adult fiction as Barry J. Hutchison. I have read 20 stories published under the Kirk Name and am now branching out to the ones under the Hutchinson names, this is the 5 under that name. He is coming up on 175 books across the three pen names. If I had known that or I might not have picked up this first one. Friends call me a ‘completionist’ in that when I find an author I like, I try to read everything they have published. I have enjoyed all I have read from his pen and this one was no different.

The description of this novel is:

“The Space Team Universe just got a whole lot darker.

In an alien city torn apart by crooked cops and ruthless criminals, private detective, Dan Deadman, specializes in cases unusual and bizarre.

Sure, he doesn't smell great, and he's technically been dead for quite some time, but if you've got a rampaging Hell-beast tearing up your street, or a portal to another dimension appearing in your bathroom, Dan's your man.

After saving a mysterious young woman named Ollie from the clutches of something big, slimy, and unpleasant, Dan gets entangled in a missing child case, a string of grisly murders, and a severed woman's arm that just won't leave him alone.

And then there's the demonic entity who'll stop at nothing to get its tentacles on Ollie, even if it means destroying the whole damn planet.

Times like these, Dan would give his right nut to be a real detective.

If he still had nuts.

From the pages of Space Team: The Guns of Nana Joan, "Dial D for Deadman" is the first darkly comedic action adventure novel starring Dan Deadman, Space Detective."

When doing research for this review I found on Barry’s site a reading order for the Space Team Universe Books and Short Stories:

1. Space Team

2. Space Team: The Wrath of Vajazzle

2a. Space Team: The Holiday Special

(found in Space Team: A Lot of Weird Space Shizz)

3. Space Team: The Search for Splurt

4. Space Team: Song of the Space Siren

5. Space Team: The Guns of Nana Joan

6. Space Team: Return of the Dead Guy

7. “Dial D for Deadman”

7a. “Dead Men Don’t Get Paid”

(found in Space Team: A Lot of Weird Space Shizz)

8. Space Team: Planet of the Japes

9. “Dead Inside”

10. Space Team: Time Titan of Tomorrow

11. “Dead in the Water”

12. Space Team: The King of Space Must Die!

13. Space Team: Sting of the Mustard Mines

14. Space Team: Sentienced to Death

15. Space Team: The Hunt for Reduk Topa

16. Konto Garr: Bounty Hunter and Occasional Babysitter

I was intentionally jumping around Barry’s middle grade, young adult, and adult series and did not know this was a space team novel when I picked it up as my next read. But this was only a half jump, maybe even a tiny hop. But that is ok for this was an excellent story. I could hardly put it down.

This was such a fun read. A whole lot of slap stick humour. Over the top antics. And at times laugh out loud funny. It reminds me of several series and authors, most of whom, I read when I was much younger. In a way it was like a jump back in time for me. The first to come to mind was Harry Harrison’s Bill the Galactic Hero series and also his Stainless Steal Rat series, the next was Robert Asprin’s Phule’s Company Series. But for all the sense of a mash up of these other series there is something different about this offering. And I think that has to do with Hutchinson’s characters and sense of humour. Some of the antics are over the top. And the universal translator that blocks swearing is very easy to decipher. As is obvious by the title Dan is dead, yea literally dead. He is trying to make a living as a Private Eye. Think Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, except he is dead, not a zombie. And has a conscience even though he fights it often. Ollie (Oledol), is a woman he rescued while closing a portal to the malwhere a place of nightmares. She says she cannot remember anything and becomes a bit of a side kick. And man does she have some kick. And Artur his pint size leprechaunish friend. The characters are great. The humour is maybe a bit juvenal. Think Deadpool with an automatic filter to clean up the language.

This book marks the 25th offering from Hutchison I have read in the last 10 months, under the three names he publishes under. They have all been entertaining reads. Some have been excellent. Reading this as mentioned was like a throw back to stuff I read in my late teens and early twenties. It was a very fun read. I love the character of Dan Deadman and look forward to reading more of his stories in the standalone trilogy and in the larger Space Team Universe. A highly entertaining read!

Books by J.D. Kirk:

The Bone House

…

DCI Logan Series:

The Last Bloody Straw

A Whisper of Sorrows

The Big Man Upstairs

A Death Most Monumental