Big Books of 2026
Every Dead Thing (Charlie Parker, #1)

Questions About Every Dead Thing (Charlie Parker, #1)

by John Connolly (Goodreads Author)

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Answered Questions (6)

I do mostly audiobooks, so I listened to Every Dead Thing and it was great, a very tight 4 hours in length. I see that Dark Hollow is listed as 14 hours. However, on Amazon their print length seems about the same, around 480 pages. What am I missing? Is Dark Hollow really 3+ times longer than Every Dead Thing?
Mel You must have listened to the abridged version. The unabridged version of Every Dead Thing is nearly 16 hours.
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Does this series have to be read in order?
Sheepdog I would RECOMMEND reading in order. Although the first book in the series I read wasn't the first. The characters, the writing style, the focus evolve…moreI would RECOMMEND reading in order. Although the first book in the series I read wasn't the first. The characters, the writing style, the focus evolve. (See the author's preface to book 3, "The Killing Kind" for more on this issue.

You CAN read out of sequence, though.(less)
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I like detective stories with supernatural elements, but I get the sense that this series takes a while to get to the supernatural stuff. Where is a good starting point for me, or do I really need to start at the beginning?
Mar The supernatural is there from the first book of the series, Every Dead Thing, and continues throughout.
You do not necessarily need to read the books …moreThe supernatural is there from the first book of the series, Every Dead Thing, and continues throughout.
You do not necessarily need to read the books in order, but it is advisable, since the main characters do evolve and also some of the other characters appear in more than one book.
John Connolly did write another novel last year which can serve as an entry point to the whole series too, a novel about what Charlie Parker did during the year after the original murders.(less)
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Anyone else notice a very occasional lapse into UK usage? Torch; dental surgery for dental office. A fantastic book though.
Terry Wilson The audiobook reader also pronounces many words in a British style.
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Hi everyone, I'm a big Charlie Parker fan. It's been 9 years since I read Every Dead Thing, and I seem to remember that the Traveling Man's motivations were never explained. Am I misremembering? If so, can someone remind me what they were?
Stephen Hayes I had many of the same questions, having read other books in the series before this one, and it is definitely a series where you need to read the firs…moreI had many of the same questions, having read other books in the series before this one, and it is definitely a series where you need to read the first book first, because all the others refer to it continually.

I've dealt with some of these questions in my expanded review here Every Dead Thing: Urban fantasy or whodunit?.(less)
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