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Cold Poker Gang #3
Calling Dead: A Cold Poker Gang Mystery
The retired Las Vegas detectives in the Cold Poker Gang work hard to solve cold cases. Sometimes, those cases bring back personal nightmares. Deciding to tackle one of the coldest cold cases in the files, retired detectives Lott, Rogers, and Andor uncover far more than simple murder, and possibly the worst serial killer ever. A twisted mystery that will keep you reading to the last page.
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First published May 21, 2015
46 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Dean Wesley Smith
822 books177 followersPen Names
Edward Taft
Dee W. Schofield
Sandy Schofield
Kathryn Wesley
Dean Wesley Smith is the bestselling author of over ninety novels under many names and well over 100 published short stories. He has over eight million copies of his books in print and has books published in nine different countries. He has written many original novels in science fiction, fantasy, mystery, thriller, and romance as well as books for television, movies, games, and comics. He is also known for writing quality work very quickly and has written a large number of novels as a ghost writer or under house names.
With Kristine Kathryn Rusch, he is the coauthor of The Tenth Planet trilogy and The 10th Kingdom. The following is a list of novels under the Dean Wesley Smith name, plus a number of pen names that are open knowledge. Many ghost and pen name books are not on this list because he is under contractual obligations not to disclose that he wrote them. Many of Dean’s original novels are also under hidden pen names for marketing reasons.
Dean has also written books and comics for all three major comic book companies, Marvel, DC, and Dark Horse, and has done scripts for Hollywood. One movie was actually made.
Over his career he has also been an editor and publisher, first at Pulphouse Publishing, then for VB Tech Journal, then for Pocket Books.
Currently, he is writing thrillers and mystery novels under another name.
Edward Taft
Dee W. Schofield
Sandy Schofield
Kathryn Wesley
Dean Wesley Smith is the bestselling author of over ninety novels under many names and well over 100 published short stories. He has over eight million copies of his books in print and has books published in nine different countries. He has written many original novels in science fiction, fantasy, mystery, thriller, and romance as well as books for television, movies, games, and comics. He is also known for writing quality work very quickly and has written a large number of novels as a ghost writer or under house names.
With Kristine Kathryn Rusch, he is the coauthor of The Tenth Planet trilogy and The 10th Kingdom. The following is a list of novels under the Dean Wesley Smith name, plus a number of pen names that are open knowledge. Many ghost and pen name books are not on this list because he is under contractual obligations not to disclose that he wrote them. Many of Dean’s original novels are also under hidden pen names for marketing reasons.
Dean has also written books and comics for all three major comic book companies, Marvel, DC, and Dark Horse, and has done scripts for Hollywood. One movie was actually made.
Over his career he has also been an editor and publisher, first at Pulphouse Publishing, then for VB Tech Journal, then for Pocket Books.
Currently, he is writing thrillers and mystery novels under another name.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 28, 2018
Gruesome storyline
Unthinkable crime....but one only has to read headlines to know there really are murderous people with extremely horrific quirks. After reading all the previous in this series I still wish the author would delve a bit more into what drives these murderers. Yes, we learn the cause in this case, but it could have gone a bit more, well, in depth. Perhaps a little less focus on food and air conditioning would help.....seems like chicken, the Bellagio, etc. are fillers until Julia has a hunch, idea, or sees something and there is the rush to the finish. Such creative ideas, Mr. Smith....now give us a bit more substance.
Unthinkable crime....but one only has to read headlines to know there really are murderous people with extremely horrific quirks. After reading all the previous in this series I still wish the author would delve a bit more into what drives these murderers. Yes, we learn the cause in this case, but it could have gone a bit more, well, in depth. Perhaps a little less focus on food and air conditioning would help.....seems like chicken, the Bellagio, etc. are fillers until Julia has a hunch, idea, or sees something and there is the rush to the finish. Such creative ideas, Mr. Smith....now give us a bit more substance.
December 15, 2022
Up next from Darth's Colossal Stack of Stuff is "Calling Dead," by Dean Wesely Smith. "Calling Dead" is the third book in the Cold Poker Gang series, featuring a group of retired detectives who get together to play poker and solve cold cases. The Cold Poker Gang series is set in the same universe as the Doc Hill stories, and he is even used as a character. "Calling Dead" was originally published serially in Smith's Monthly and was later released as a full novel in 2021. If you don't know anything about poker, fear not; the book is accessible to any reader. No poker experience required!
"Calling Dead" dredges up one of the most depraved cold cases that Lott and Andor worked earlier in their own careers; re-opening the case is personal to them both. And, as they may discover, this cold case isn't so cold after all.
"Calling Dead" is a short but hard-hitting murder mystery with an engaging plot and well-developed characters. Dean Wesley Smith spins an entertaining yarn with a convincingly rendered mystery that will keep you in genuine suspense while trying to guess what will happen next. The tone of "Calling Dead" is markedly darker than previous entries in the series. Some of the imagery the author conjures up is positively vicious, so you might take heed. Though disturbing, I have to congratulate the author on his diabolical imagination. One scene in particular will stay with me for long time; geez, is it creepy! My only real complaint with the novel is the mediocre quality of writing and editing. Dean Wesley Smith is, without a doubt, a master wordsmith, but "Calling Dead" comes across as a hastily written, hastily edited effort. I know Dean pumps his fiction out at a furious rate, but he can do better, especially given his own experience as an editor. Though a little better than previous entries, there is still room for improvement.
In terms of characterization, the book has a lot going for it. A lot of the main characters are old enough for AARP memberships, so the characters are generally numerologically superior to your typical action heroes. Perhaps because the author is of a similar age, he renders the characters exceptionally well, and in a loving way. Author Smith continues to develop the budding romantic relationship between Rogers and Lott, and this continued development helps bridge one novel to the next.
If you're looking for a competently crafted mystery with great characters, check out "Calling Dead." While the writing won't knock your socks off, it's a quick and entertaining read that will likely leave you hungry for some more fun with the Cold Poker Gang.
"Calling Dead" dredges up one of the most depraved cold cases that Lott and Andor worked earlier in their own careers; re-opening the case is personal to them both. And, as they may discover, this cold case isn't so cold after all.
"Calling Dead" is a short but hard-hitting murder mystery with an engaging plot and well-developed characters. Dean Wesley Smith spins an entertaining yarn with a convincingly rendered mystery that will keep you in genuine suspense while trying to guess what will happen next. The tone of "Calling Dead" is markedly darker than previous entries in the series. Some of the imagery the author conjures up is positively vicious, so you might take heed. Though disturbing, I have to congratulate the author on his diabolical imagination. One scene in particular will stay with me for long time; geez, is it creepy! My only real complaint with the novel is the mediocre quality of writing and editing. Dean Wesley Smith is, without a doubt, a master wordsmith, but "Calling Dead" comes across as a hastily written, hastily edited effort. I know Dean pumps his fiction out at a furious rate, but he can do better, especially given his own experience as an editor. Though a little better than previous entries, there is still room for improvement.
In terms of characterization, the book has a lot going for it. A lot of the main characters are old enough for AARP memberships, so the characters are generally numerologically superior to your typical action heroes. Perhaps because the author is of a similar age, he renders the characters exceptionally well, and in a loving way. Author Smith continues to develop the budding romantic relationship between Rogers and Lott, and this continued development helps bridge one novel to the next.
If you're looking for a competently crafted mystery with great characters, check out "Calling Dead." While the writing won't knock your socks off, it's a quick and entertaining read that will likely leave you hungry for some more fun with the Cold Poker Gang.
January 25, 2019
Several retired detectives and a handful of their friends work with the permission of the police chief to solve cold cases. This being a Dean Wesley Smith work, they also play a lot of poker. Bayard Lott, Andor Williams, and Julia Rogers dive into a cold case that Lott and Williams first tackled 15 years earlier. The detectives had found 11 mummified bodies of women in a cave, all with black hair cut identically, wearing identical school uniforms, with identical portions of their anatomy removed. They never found any clues as to who might have done it. Now with the substantial resources of a “deep network of computer experts” at their beck and call, they discover that there may be a lot more bodies out there.
I love this book. It’s a nice, taut, complicated mystery. Only once did I feel someone leaped a little fortuitously to a conclusion, but it only would have required an additional step to make it perfect, so it isn’t a big deal. Some tough detective work, lucky breaks, and plenty of digging were required for this one. The complexity surprised me a bit; this definitely isn’t your run-of-the-mill serial killer tale. I really enjoyed this volume, and look forward to reading more of the Cold Poker Gang’s mysteries.
I love this book. It’s a nice, taut, complicated mystery. Only once did I feel someone leaped a little fortuitously to a conclusion, but it only would have required an additional step to make it perfect, so it isn’t a big deal. Some tough detective work, lucky breaks, and plenty of digging were required for this one. The complexity surprised me a bit; this definitely isn’t your run-of-the-mill serial killer tale. I really enjoyed this volume, and look forward to reading more of the Cold Poker Gang’s mysteries.
August 20, 2018
Another excellent procedural by some retired detectives who should teach a class. Andor and Lott had a case fifteen years earlier that had always haunted them. A group of women was found posed and mummified in an old mine - all with the same black hair styled the same and wearing simple Catholic girls' school uniforms.
Andor and Lott find a connection and, with the help of Julia Rogers, Fleet, Annie, and Doc, begin a long chase after a killer who, it seems, has never stopped killing. This one is twisted and ugly and takes many turns, from a suicide to a Catholic girls' school to a chain of pet stores. However, the team is charming in their sleuthy way, and the fact that they love eating at the Bellagio Cafe is wonderful. I like this series - and the Aria Cafe is just as good, Mr. Smith.
Andor and Lott find a connection and, with the help of Julia Rogers, Fleet, Annie, and Doc, begin a long chase after a killer who, it seems, has never stopped killing. This one is twisted and ugly and takes many turns, from a suicide to a Catholic girls' school to a chain of pet stores. However, the team is charming in their sleuthy way, and the fact that they love eating at the Bellagio Cafe is wonderful. I like this series - and the Aria Cafe is just as good, Mr. Smith.
April 13, 2023
Do not read this book while eating! That’s not a joke. There are some truly disturbing images evoked in these pages as the Cold Poker Gang tackles a horrific cold case involving the deaths of 11 women some fifteen years earlier. Two of the members of the club worked on the original case and got nowhere. They still have nightmares over what they found. Now they have a chance to take another crack at the case with the aid of some high-powered computers to help search for similar crimes. Because that’s the real horror—shortly into their investigation, they realize that the 11 women they found were only the tip of the iceberg.
I’ve enjoyed a lot of novels by Smith over the years, but I think these mysteries are his real calling. The characters are great, the crimes, gripping, and the unraveling of the cases truly exciting. I’m on to the next one.
I’ve enjoyed a lot of novels by Smith over the years, but I think these mysteries are his real calling. The characters are great, the crimes, gripping, and the unraveling of the cases truly exciting. I’m on to the next one.
July 21, 2017
Five Stars for being good at what it does. Short mystery books are not expected to be masterpieces of eloquence, philosophy, or brilliant new ideas. And Calling Dead has none of that. There are good guys and there are bad guys and nothing in between. They act accordingly. There are twists and turns in the plot. Annie, Doc, and Fleet have amazing powers. All the good guys always get along well with each other. I think that may be why this sort of book is called escapist. It knows it's job and it does it. That's good enough for me.
March 12, 2019
Best one yet
This story may be the creepiest thing I’ve read since Red Dragon. It’s told in a fast moving entertaining prose that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Well written and brilliantly designed. Great job!!
This story may be the creepiest thing I’ve read since Red Dragon. It’s told in a fast moving entertaining prose that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Well written and brilliantly designed. Great job!!
March 17, 2019
Calling dead review
Just finished calling dead,a cold poker gang novel,the second I have read.like how the author leads the reader deeper into the story,gradually adding more and more details until he wraps up the conclusion.good character development also
Just finished calling dead,a cold poker gang novel,the second I have read.like how the author leads the reader deeper into the story,gradually adding more and more details until he wraps up the conclusion.good character development also
November 28, 2019
Extremely gross serial killers
It started as a small cold case that involved two of the gang personally and ballooned into an unbelievable size
It started as a small cold case that involved two of the gang personally and ballooned into an unbelievable size
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March 5, 2016disappointed not really about poker
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews