Book Review: Slimy Underbelly

Book: Slimy Underbelly (Dan Shamble, Zombie PI book #4) by Kevin J. Anderson

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

Flushing Out Evil

There’s something fishy going on in the Unnatural Quarter. Bodies are floating face-down, the plumbing is backing up, and something smells rotten—even to a zombie detective like Dan Shamble. Diving into the slimy underbelly of a diabolical plot, Dan comes face-to-tentacles with an amphibious villain named Ah’Chulhu (to which the usual response is “Gesundheit!”). With his snap-happy gang of gator-guys—former pets flushed down the toilet—Ah’Chulhu wreaks havoc beneath the streets.

While feuding weather wizards kick up storms, and a gang of thieving lawn gnomes continues their reign of terror, Dan Shamble is running out of time—before the whole stinking city goes down the drain…


Rating: 5 stars

Review:

This surprised me, it was a fun read. Especially since this is my first time either reading anything by this writer or from the series. The writing was light-hearted and very funny but it may not be suitable for those who have an aversion to puns. Just kidding but this is enjoyable to read.

So what's this book about. It follows Zombie Detective Dan Chambeaux (or "Shamble" as he's sometimes called) along with his business partner Attorney Robin Deyer and his girlfriend/assistant Sheyenne who just happens to be a ghost as they try to solve various clients' cases.

Dan wasn't always a zombie, he had the misfortune of being murdered while he was trying to investigate Sheyenne's murder. The two had been dating prior to that but now they have to chance to continue their romance.

And the world wasn't always filled with monsters but something rather unusual happened causing the dead as well as monsters (vampires, werewolves, mummies, etc) to return with most occupying a section called the Unnatural Quarter.

In this fourth book, Chambeaux & Deyer took on three cases: First, they were hired by a 12 years old mad scientist Jody Caligari who had been evicted from his unground lab and his experiments and equipment confiscated by his landlord Ah’Chulhu. Second, by an opera singing ogre Stentor whose voice was stolen and third by a bumbling weather wizard, Thunder Dick who believed his campaign was being sabotaged by his opponent, Alastair Cumulus III.

Robin might be a no nonsense lawyer but she really cares about the clients the company represents. Which makes it easy for her to work harder in trying to help them.

But those cases were not the only things Dan was involved with, he was helping his friend police officer Toby McGoohan trying to stop a gnome gang from robbing stores as well as trying find out what underground realtor Ah’Chulhu was up to and what's his connection with several murders.

I like this book it was different and definitely an unconventional monster mystery which is rare to say especially with so many books having similar plots now a days. I found the story easy to follow and the writer gave enough back story so the reader doesn't have to put in too much effort trying to figure out what's going on and who everyone is. Which is great since I haven't read the previous three books.

Despite being a funny and light-hearted read, I thought the mysteries and cases were interesting and I thought the characters were exciting and zany.