Dead Men Scare Me Stupid [Paperback]

John Swartzwelder (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 3, 2008

One of a series of comedy science fiction novels featuring slow-witted detective Frank Burly. By John Swartzwelder, the writer of 59 episodes of The Simpsons.

Product Details

• Paperback: 146 pages
• Publisher: Kennydale Books; 1st edition (April 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0975579983
• ISBN-13: 978-0975579985
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #396,681 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Master of Intelligent Comedic Absurdity, June 28, 2008

By 

Lewis Aleman "Author of The Anti-Vampire Tale... (New Orleans, LA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dead Men Scare Me Stupid (Paperback)

If you're a fan of The Simpsons, you're already a John Swartzwelder fan. Not only has he written more episodes than any other writer, but his episodes are many fan favorites, such as Whacking Day (1993), Homer the Great (Stonecutters, 1995), Homer the Smithers (1996), and Homie the Clown (Clown School, 1995), along with 55 other incredible episodes.

Dead Men Scare Me Stupid is an adventure of Frank Burly, the world's most dimwitted, yet likeable, detective. In this adventure two of his former clients, who are not-so-coincidentally deceased, come to haunt and torment him from beyond the grave. The most devious of their actions is framing Frank for many unexplained crimes. The story takes off from there and doesn't stop. Even Amelia Earhart's body makes an appearance. Yep, that's right.

As one would expect from Swartzwelder's talent, the book is full of one-liners that will crack you up and stay with you long after you're finished the book. The jokes are so dense, one needs to watch to not read too quickly and pass over some humorous absurdity. This also makes the book great for a reread.

I'd recommend Dead Men Scare Me Stupid to any fan of The Simpsons, satire, or witty humor. Swartzwelder's a genius; this book won't disappoint.

Lewis Aleman, author of The Anti-Vampire Tale, Faces in Time: A Time Travel Thriller, and Cold Streak

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Swartzwelder's best work yet, June 26, 2008

By 

Michael Cody "Big City Killa" (Italy) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dead Men Scare Me Stupid (Paperback)

I've read all of his books and was really excited when his latest came out. From the very first line I was already rolling. I haven't finished the book to entirety yet but I have to say this may be his best work to date.

"Well they found Amelia Earhart, that's the good news"

Also a hilarous gag where Frank tries to punch a ghost and comments that it felt like punching the air "I take that back, it felt like punching my lamp"

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

The worst part? I have to wait who-knows how long for his next book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like an American Douglas Adams, April 22, 2010

By 

Russell Vitrano III "Russ" (TP, IL) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dead Men Scare Me Stupid (Paperback)

I have only one complaint about this book: IT'S TOO SHORT!!!

Don't get me wrong--Mr. Schwartzwelder ties up all the loose ends rather nicely and VERY HUMOROUSLY! I just wish there was more to read about this story! 143 pages aren't enough!
I'm not the type to give spoilers, but this is kind of a detective/ghost-story/insane-government-takeover-plot story. Normally I'm not big on ghost stories, but this one is VERY GOOD.

Anyway, I should explain my review title. The whole time I was reading this book, I kept thinking, "Schwartzwelder's Frank Burly is just like Adams' Dirk Gently!" (If you don't know what I'm talking about, read Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams) Schwartzwelder knows just about everything there is to know about comedy-writing and makes ghosts at once hilarious and frightening. His writing is a little less sarcastic than Douglas Adams' though, but rest assured it's not any less funny. In fact, it's even funnier in some cases, because I found myself thinking the character knew what he was talking about (it's written in 1st person), and then two sentences later I'd realize--nope, he's just a completely idiotic buffoon! Very very very very very VERY GOOD STUFF!