New Review! The Corpse Whisperer (An Allie Nighthawk Mystery Book #1) by H.R. Boldwood

The Corpse Whisperer by H.R. Boldwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 Cranky Stars


"Thanks for the dance. I wouldn't have missed it for the world." This quote from the book pretty much sums up my feelings about it! Allie Nighthawk is a combination of Stephanie Plum and Anita Blake. Her philosophy: If you raise deadheads, you'd better be able to put 'em down.


Allie is used as a consultant by the Cincinnati PD when they need to solve a crime and the only way to do it is to talk to a dead witness/victim. But, Allie has rules. Grief over the loss of a loved one wasn't a reason to raise the dead. That was rule number one, right before rule number two: always put down those you raise.


Allie is partnered with Police Detective Rico De Palma and tasked to babysit Leo Abruzzi, a zombie-bitten gangster who's turning state's evidence. Allie's main task is to keep Leo alive long enough to testify.


Her neighbor, Nonnie Nussbaum, becomes involved when Allie asks her to watch her bulldog, Headbutt, and her parrot, Kulu. And, this woman makes a mean lasagna. Leo outrageously flirts with Nonnie in order to get his fill while he awaits his fate.


But, things start to go south when the zombies start doing things that are out of the ordinary. Are they developing the ability to think for themselves and strategize? Or, is somebody using zombies to get to Leo? And, who would be doing that? Maybe Allie's nemesis, another necromancer with Voodoo connections?


The author has a real way with words and I love the fact that she uses unique ways to describe things in a genre that is sometimes faulted for being stale. For example, in Nonnie's world, zumbas are zombies. And the term zushi? Brilliant! A perfect description of the mess made by the undead!


I can't write a review of this book without some of my favorite quotes:

"I owned a hoe? What the hell, the business end of that thing would shred a biter into coleslaw faster than a Vegematic."

"Always with the voiding, these docs. You could be hemorrhaging like a stuck pig, but if you can pee and poop, you're headed out the door."

"There's no crying in corpse whispering."

"You spike one zombie's head, the ACLU and the paparazzi are all over you like stink on a flesh-eater."

"No matter how much the rotters reek like sun-baked sushi, no matter how many of their orphaned body parts skitter after me like flesh-bots in search of a host, at the end of the day, reruns of Dancing with the Stars, a bag of Doritos, and a Jack Daniel's slushie have always been enough to take off the edge."

A great start to what I think will be a great series. If you love snarky, kickass heroines, zombies, loads of action, great dialogue with a little love interest thrown in, give this book a chance. You won't be disappointed!

(Thanks for giving me the chance to find this great new series!)

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