Dead in the Water by Barry J. Hutchison

Dead in the Water by Barry J. Hutchison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dead in the Water is the third standalone novel featuring the deceased private detective Dan Deadman who along with Oledol (rescued from the Malware) and Artur (bit of a mystery) solve crime in the Down Here. However much to Dan's own confusion he seems to be doing more to protect the poor and downtrodden in his city then taking well paying cases from scum bags. Take for example his current case, tracking down those responsible for the brutal deaths of 134 men, women and children (of all species) in a shopping mall. It's not paying the bills and during his investigation he also gets evicted and has to deal with arms dealers, the Tribunal, general bureaucracy and old myths told to children that have way too much of reality about them to make him comfortable. It's no life being dead but there are perks and Dan to his dismay has to much of the "hero" gene than he likes to admit.

This latest installment of the Space Team spin off series is easily the most complex and mature writing for the character, the story has weight but never forgets its roots in the comedic scifi genre. Oledol and Artur both get a lot more development thanks mainly to the introduction of characters they interact with although the giant furry penis (don't ask) may give me nightmares :)
The ending was unexpected but in hindsight totally fitting and opens the door to an exciting new adventure. Dead in the Water is an excellent addition to the Dan Deadman lineup and Space Team universe and while may not being the most "fun" story is perhaps the best so far.

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