Book Review: Dead Man's Rain

Dead Man's Rain, by Frank Tuttle, is currently a free Kindle download, courtesy of the publisher Samhain. Unlike many of the books they've offered as free downloads, this one isn't erotica, instead relying on a plot to keep you turning the pages. Dead Man's Rain is a short novel and I easily finished reading it in a couple of hours.

The author's warning and the description reminded me of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series and it was hard not to make a comparison of the two when reading. The short nature of the novel, however, meant that there was not time for the same character development that Butcher's series is known for. Instead, this is the story of a single case investigated by a Finder named Merkhat. There are trolls and ogres, mentioned (quite literally) in passing and I still don't know what a Finder might be and he receives quite a bit of unasked for (and unwanted at the time) help from another character who hexes him (for his own good, of course). Still, the plot kept me interested enough to keep reading thru quickly (a hazard of the Kindle - if the book gets boring, I have hundreds more to choose from at any moment).

A second book in the series, The Mister Trophy ($2.00), is also available on the Kindle, while the third hasn't migrated over yet (but is available in the Samhain bookstore, just not for the Kindle).

The Mister Trophy

A troll's missing head could cause Markhat to lose his own.

All the finder Markhat wanted was a beer at Eddie's. Instead he gets a case that will bring him face to fang with crazed, blood-craving halfdead, a trio of vengeful Troll warriors, and Mama Hog's backstreet magic. Plus, the possible resurgence of the Troll War.

All right in his own none-too-quiet neighborhood.

Through the town of Rannit's narrow alleys and mean streets, Markhat tries to stay one step ahead of disaster. And ignore Mama Hog's dire warnings that this time, the head that rolls could be his own.

Warning: This book contains well-dressed vampires, extremely polite Trolls, and occasional bursts of humor. Avoid reading it when landing aircraft, welding in the nude, or taunting grumpy jackals while wearing pork chop earmuffs.