Dead Men Kill: A Murder Mystery of Wealth, Power, and the Living Dead

By L. Ron Hubbard

Book Overview

As a police detective, he wants to know is who's behind the murders that have been targeting the wealthy of his city. So he starts digging into very dangerous ground. He runs into something out of an apocalyptic horror. Something which cannot be reasoned with, something which cannot be bought, something which has no remorse about ending it's victim's lives. And adds the victims to the ranks of the killers as zombies...

The living dead and zombie books were as delusional and unheard of as a sane communist dictator. The Zombie Survival Guide is advice handed out by a drugged out homeless man on 5th street. All Detective Lane knows is that 6 feet under is no longer "for good". At least not anymore. He doesn't have a chance of killing something already dead. Not a chance in hell.

As every second ticks by, the undead's ranks grow, and the city is closer to being lost. With his own life the next targeted for murder, can Terry find the out what's bringing the dead back to life and turning them into killers? Or will the city become a very new type of grave yard?

In 1934, while living in New York, the heart of the publishing industry, Hubbard struck up a friendship with the city's medical examiner--a relationship that started his education in undetectable crime and provided him with authoritative clinical background for his detective stories.

"A rollicking horror yarn that] taps into the current craze for zombies. . . . heart-pounding." --Publishers Weekly

*An International Book Awards Winner

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1592122639
• ISBN13: 9781592122639
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Galaxy Press (CA)
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.4" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

A great zombie crime tale!

This 1934 story appeared early in Hubbard's remarkable career. Part zombie story, part crime story, Hubbard successfully fused genres long before such devices were commonplace. Told in ten brisk chapters, the story is a prime example of Hubbard's trademark pacing, strong characters, and flair for suspense. The protagonist, Detective-Sergeant Terry Lane is a quintessential Hubbard hero - intelligent, savvy, and quick to act. Fans of the Golden Age are sure to enjoy this ghoulish delight from America's Master Storyteller. For those that prefer audio books you'll not be disappointed. Each audio book features a multicast performance with music and sound effects reminiscent of radio's golden age.

Zombies

L. Ron Hubbard is probably best known as the founder of Scientology and creator of Dianetics. These days, his name is largely connected with the antics of the some of the more "outspoken" members of the religion, overshadowing the fact that the man really knew how to tell an entertaining story. All 150 of the stories Hubbard wrote for the pulp magazines of the 1930s and '40s are being rereleased in paperback and audio under the evocative title Stories from the Golden Age. The recordings I've tried so far are just terrific. They are a professionally produced combination of traditional narrated audiobooks (with narration deftly handled by R.F. Daley) and old-time radio, with skilled actors playing the characters (often multiple roles) and genre-specific music and sound effects rounding out the experience. "I have come to kill you, Gordon." So says a voice reminiscent of the grave, as its fingers wrap around Gordon's throat and slowly take his life. Detective Sergeant Terry Lane arrives on the scene and notes the similarity with another recent murder. All the evidence points to a no-longer-assailant, and Lane's fears are confirmed when he uncovers the suspect's empty coffin and has to fight off a trio of expressionless figures with only his fists. For a while, Lane has only questions, like how do a letter from "Loup-Garou," a Haitian pharmacy bill, and the mysterious Dr. Leroux tie in to the murders? The primary targets seem to be rich and influential businessmen, but if Lane doesn't find out who's responsible and stop the culprit, the next zombie will be him. Matt Scott turns in a solid performance as the ultranoble Lane, and John Mariano plays the mad scientist with relish (complete with a selection of diabolical laughs). But the real star of the Dead Men Kill audiobook is narrator R.F. Daley. Author L. Ron Hubbard's prose is heavy on description, and Daley is more than up to the task. His voice is perfect for pulp fiction, and he adds just the right touch of emphasis (along with the occasional wink where appropriate) without drawing attention away from the story. Dead Men Kill is the only zombie horror story Hubbard wrote, and the author succeeds by presenting this questionable subject in a realistic manner. He doesn't try to overexplain, but simply focuses on keeping up the story's quick pace (so we don't think about it too much). Its focus on the Haitian voodoo aspects should appeal to fans of more recent takes on the same subject, such as Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's novel Cemetery Dance.