Every Dead Thing

by John Connolly

Book Overview

Tortured and brilliant private detective Charlie Parker stars in this thriller by New York Times bestselling author John Connolly.Former NYPD detective Charlie "Bird" Parker is on the verge of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684857146
• ISBN13: 9780684857145
• Release Date: May 1999
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Every Dead Thing

This book was good. Upon reading the back if the book i assumed it was going to be about a man trying to find his wife's and daughters killer. But to my surprise in order to do so, he must solve a few other crimes first and thus lead up to finding his family's killer. I liked that there was more than one crime involved, it definitely made it harder to guess where it would end and who the killer was. I haven't read a murder mystery in quite some time that I didn't figure out the killer before the end of the book..... until now. What a suprise!! Can't wait to read the next book in this series.

One of my favorite books of all time

This is hands down one of my favorite books of all-time. It showed me at a very young age how much I enjoy crime/thriller novels. After reading this book, I was searching for this kind of experience in other books ever since, not being able to find anything close. Connolly is a master of this specific kind of crime fiction. He blends in serial killer arcs with spooky ghost arcs flawlessly. You never question that it's all coming from the same world and that world drags you in. Charlie Parker is my favorite character from any book. I just love his whole style. The struggle this man goes through to deal with his pain, his regret and the demons he knows lurks within himself is nothing short of epic. Each book brings him closer to redemption and makes his character fuller and more detailed and three dimensional, it's a joy to see where he goes each book. And all that started with Connolly's brilliant debut. It's a great novel that I recommend to anyone who loves crime/thriller fiction. Especially with a splash of the paranormal.

Read it with the lights bright and the doors firmly locked!

So much did this novel disturb me that at times when I wanted to put it down (mainly to sleep) I had to read on to find a place in the story line at which I could leave it. If a book, any book has such an effect on me as a reader then it's done its job! Every Dead Thing is written in the first person (not my favourite style to read) and what emerges is a novel that is both individualistic yet somehow collective in that it taps into a variety of common human insecurities: the death of those close to us, the abuse of the innocent and the chill of our personal destiny being controlled by another. For his first novel John Connolly has written an outstanding thriller that is crammed full of suspense. The plot centres on Charlie Parker, a former police detective as he battles both with alcohol and the horrors that torment him following the violent murder of his wife and child. Parker throughout the course of Every Dead Thing attempts to track down a child killer, while at the same time graduating towards the activities of a serial murderer known as the Travelling Man. It would be unfair to elaborate on the plot in more depth. It is however, realistic to note that Every Dead Thing is at times standard thriller material, a taut page turner, believably frightening and totally engaging while at other times it adopts a more dark and menacing approach that takes the reader certainly beyond what I've previously experienced from other books defined as thrillers. I recommend Every Dead Thing to you, read it with the lights bright and the doors firmly locked!

Excellent first effort

John Connolly appears to have an outstanding sense of the underbelly of New York and New Orleans particularly for an Irish national. From the boondocks of Maine to the roach infested streets of Queens to the bayous of Louisiana we follow former NYPD detective Charlie Parker on the trail of one of the most evil and deranged serial killers I have ever had the misfortune of meeting. The "Traveling Man" not only has a surgeon's skill and knowledge of anatomy,but makes use of mythology and the Bible while carving up his victims. The vivid descriptions of the murder scenes, the autopsies, and a gruesome encounter with fire ants make this a novel definitely not for the squeamish.Connolly fills this story with so many characters that at times it becomes difficult to tell the badguys without a scorecard. Our hero gets caught up in the Mafia, a war between rival Louisiana gangsters, voodoo, and a battle with rednecks all of which somehow are related to his manhunt. Thanks to the occasional glimpses of a wry sense of humor, the many twists and turns in the plot, and a dynamite climactic scene I look forward to the next effort from Mr. Connolly.

The next Thomas Harris

"Just when I thought I had figured it out .... he pulled me back in!" This is a great first novel for John Connolly; he out did "Hannibal" by a mile. I liked the 2 in 1 story line and the plot twists - you won't believe the ending. If you start this book be prepared to finish it in one sitting. I can't wait for Connolly's next one!

I dont think many people will be asking for their money back

I read this book in about 6 hours and I couldnt put it down. After my disappoinment with Hannibal I was relieved to find someone to take Thomas Harris' place. One of the things that I enjoyed most about this book were the characters of Angel and Louis, who brought a smile to my face during a most chilling tale. I would like to add that I have just today finished John Connollys new book named on my proof copy as Requiem For The Damned but renamed apparantly as "Death Hollow" and for the people out there who loved Every Dead Thing you certainly wont be disappointed with his second offering. To keep me happy it again stars Charlie and his sidekicks Angel and Louis.