Dead Is Best

Charlie & Rose Investigate #2

by Jo Perry

“A wonderful, original, hilarious and brilliant book. I really enjoyed it. I think you’ll like it very much indeed… A must read.” Eric Idle Charlie and Rose are back in their much anticipated new adventure. Charlie’s step daughter lies dying on a beach. She needs help. Some serious help. But how did she get there and what can on earth can a dead guy and his dead dog do? Plenty as it turns out. As Charlie & Rose ride to the rescue in their own unique way it soon becomes clear that the body on the beach was only the beginning…. “like a Noir novel by Sam Beckett” “Weird, unique, funny and sad all at the same time. An emotional read, but a bloody great story” “I loved it. It made me think. It made me laugh. What more could I want?” “Smart, funny, original story. Oh, did I mention funny. Take it to the beach with you this summer”

216 pages, Paperback

Published September 20, 2016

About the author

"...wickedly entertaining, hardboiled supernatural deftness."--Gary Phillips

"Wonderful, original, hilarious and brilliant..."
--Eric Idle

Jo Perry is the author of THE WORLD ENTIRE, PURE (June, 2021) chosen as one of Independent Fiction Alliance's BEST TRULY INDEPENDENT BOOKS OF 2022; EVERYTHING HAPPENS (novella) and DEAD IS BETTER, DEAD IS BEST, DEAD IS GOOD, and DEAD IS BEAUTIFUL, dark comic mysteries published by Fahrenheit Press. Perry's short stories have appeared in Pulp Modern, Retreats from Oblivion, anthologies and Fahrenheit Press's Fahrenzine series. Her short story, "The Kick the Bucket Tour," was a distinguished story in Best Mystery Stories of 2019 (Lethem/Penzler)/


Perry earned a Ph.D. in English, taught college literature and writing, produced and wrote episodic television, and has published articles, book reviews, and poetry.


Perry was the first woman invited to speak at the venerable Men of Mystery event in southern California. Her short story, "The Kick The Bucket Tour," made the 2018 Distinguished Mystery Stories list in Best American Mystery Stories.
She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, novelist Thomas Perry and two rescue dogs.

website: www.authorjoperry.com Twitter: @JoPerryAuthor
Listen to the podcast of Nancie Claire's interview on SPEAKING OF MYSTERIES: http://www.speakingofmysteries.com/po...

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead is Best is the second book in the Charlie and Rose Investigate series. I think it reads well as a stand alone though highly recommend reading Dead Is better as well, mainly because it's also a great book.

The Charlie and Rose Investigates series is so different to any other crime books out there. Each chapter has a short quote to do with death as well as the chapters being very short which has you reading it in no time as there's always that one more chapter before you put it down, then the next thing, your at the end!

The story unfolds gently and slowly which I loved as believe me I just wanted to savour every word I was reading as I didn't want to get to the end as that's how mush I love these books.

You can very much feel the surprise as well as not being overly happy to see his step daughter Cali when she briefly turns up in his and Rose's world.

Cali is your typical teen, she is totally against any parental control and likes to push boundaries and is a bit of a nightmare. Charlie and Cali obviously never really got on when he was living and now Charlie finds himself in a position to leave her to get on with her messed up life or to keep an eye on her.

Luckily for Cali, Charlie and Rose stay with her, which is good as they seem to be the only ones that have her best interests at heart.

When Cali finds herself being forced into some sort of rehabilitation centre, it actually very much reminded me of the film Holes, though think the kids in the film got treated way better than the children where Cali is.

It felt like there was a morale to this story and that with a guiding hand we can all do good and positive things with our lives.

A great series and can't recommend highly enough.

[Steven Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think it’s possible to write a review worthy of this book. It’s everything. This is my second outing with Charles and Rose (a dead human and a dead dog), the protagonists in Jo Perry’s brilliant “Dead is…” series. I loved it as much, if not more, than the first.

In Dead is Best, Perry plucks at the fine line between family loyalty and family dysfunction. The book takes on the investigative tone of a well-researched exposé of juvenile behavioral rehab “retreats,” while, at the same time, giving readers an unsanitized portrait of a family in crisis.

Once again, Perry deftly works your emotions. It’s stunning how easily she draws you into the story and provokes your anger, your righteousness, your compassion and your fears. Seamlessly. You will absolutely hate the people who abuse Cali. You might even hate Cali. But then you’ll love her and want to protect her. You might hate the self-absorbed diva, Elaine, but you’ll also grow to understand her and accommodate her. That’s Perry’s genius. Multi-layered and complex characters in seemingly uncontrollable situations.

Your salvation, of course, is in the steady hands of Charles and Rose. Never have two characters, alive or dead, gained my trust so implicitly. They are beautifully drawn and poignantly captured. They continue to grow as characters despite the fact that they’re relegated to the afterlife. They will be your guides. They will observe and impart wisdom. They will be a force of light in an otherwise dark tale. Despite what Charles thinks of himself, you will like him. You will redeem him because you, unlike others who shared his time on earth, will value him. As for Cali, you will be heavily invested in her journey and her fight for survival. You will not rest until she finds her salvation.

A mix of snark and suspense, humor and humanity, Dead is Best is a fast-paced read with a powerful payoff that is richly satisfying. Ten out of five stars.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve had this on my kindle for too long, and I couldn’t leave it any longer. I broke my TBR rules to squeeze this beauty in and I wasn’t disappointed. Charlie and Rose are the coolest, deadest crime fighting duo on the block. And Dead is Best is proof of just how great they are.

Preceding each chapter is a quote about Death, and I absolutely love it because it’s morbid but brilliant at the same time. Death is different for everyone, but Jo Perry has written yet another book that gives death the finger. Charlie and Rose might be dead, but they are super cool with it.

In Dead is Best, Charlie and Rose are confronted with his stepdaughter, who is alive… isn’t she?

Caught up with bad kids, and a bank rolled lifestyle, Cali is in trouble. Big trouble. The kind that you end up dead because of. Someone gets an attack of conscience though, and Cali is brought back from the brink. But that’s not the end. Because that would be to easy right? Goddamn right!

What follows is yet another harrowing journey through both life (Cali) and the afterlife (Charlie and Rose) and it was one which I wasn’t prepared for. Something about the #DeadDog book make me get a little emotional. They touch on some tough subjects, even though they are dealt with really well, they can be a little sad to read.

I cannot recommend these books highly enough. If you haven’t read them, you really should. Different, brilliant and all round awesome, this series just gets better and better. I can’t wait for book three!!!

As Fahrenheit are prone to say, “just read the damn books”

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable visit to the construct of afterlife where Charlie and Rose are permanent residents but maintain interests on earth where things are rough for Charlie's step-daughter Cali. The treatment she is forced to endure during a visit to a "state-of-the-art" training facility for wayward youth is more than ghastly...and almost deadly.
Jo Perry gives us another lively read amongst the dead!

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead is Best is the 2nd book in the Charlie & Rose series ("Dead is Better" is the first) -- it's not absolutely essential to read them in order, the investigative storylines aren't connected, but sticking with the order will definitely help you get a better hold on the story behind the heroes, Charlie & Rose.

Now, I'll be completely honest here -- I'm really biased about these books. I love Jo Perry (even though we've never met), and I love her work. I find her writing wonderful, it really appeals to me. And I especially love the unique nature of her heroes and the poignancy of how they are able to be heroes. Ms Perry's writing is very unique, and some themes run through the Charlie & Rose books. In this 2nd book, for example, her signature short chapters are back -- something I'm really drawn to (maybe I'm a bit compulsive, but I find short chapters especially appealing if I only have a few minutes to devote to reading -- allows me to complete a scene, rather than maybe only reading a third of a longer chapter and having to do a re-read when I pick it up again). I also love how each of her chapters begins with a relevant quote from someone famous. Some of my favorites from Dead is Best include quotes from George Orwell, John Keats, and Francis Crick!

(And, being a Brit, I was particularly touched by the honorary mentions of the Union Jack and the Queen of England!)

You'll find these books so easy to read, & you'll quickly be grabbed by their substance. And although there's a touch of sadness in the stories and in the heroes, in the end, each book is also a tribute to how the good forces in life eventually persist. I don't know about you, but right now I need that kind of hope in my life on a daily basis.

Ms Perry does a fabulous job of creating some characters who you'll love, and others who you'll despise. "When it comes to assholes—greedy ones—they’re everywhere," is one memorable quote from the book. You know for sure she's met people like this. Heck, she knows for sure that you've met some too! She has an amazing ability to highlight the worst of some aspects of humanity that we all see or hear about on a regular basis, while balancing it with an equal or greater dose of the types of "good" that we also often hear about.

As you read her books, you'll learn that Ms Perry is a huge advocate of the welfare of both animals and humans. And, if I had to sum up the final theme of the goodness behind this story, I'd say it involves a lovely theme of nature, the environment, diversity, and inclusiveness. One part of the story that really warmed my heart was somewhere almost in the middle of the book, when Charlie took Rose to see Peter at Gloria’s apartment... (I won’t further explain this, I’ll just leave it to you to find as you're reading the book).

Go visit the Fahrenheit Press website for the very best prices on the Charlie & Rose series, and on any of their other books. Be sure to follow Jo on Twitter, too!

But in the meantime, pay attention to your surroundings—there are unsung heroes everywhere. In the words of Charlie himself, in Dead is Best: “For all you know, Rose & I—like X-rays—are passing through your warm body right now.”

[Snoakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying Jo Perry's Dead is... series. In this second outing for Charlie and Rose, Charlie's stepdaughter Cali is in trouble. But Charlie and Rose are dead and all they can do is observe the world of the living, so they are powerless to help.
As it happens, they do eventually manage to help Cali, albeit in their own unique way. After all, there wouldn't be a story if they couldn't. It's fun seeing the inventive ways Jo Perry is finding to put Charlie and Rose to work.
I love the format of these books - lots of really short chapters make the story fly along (although be warned, as that means there is always time for just one more chapter making these books really hard to put down). Every chapter is also preceded by a short quote about death from an amazing range of sources from Tom Waits to Plato.
Can't wait to read the next one.

[Hobart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---

You’d think that having given up the ghost I’d be beyond the grasp of my ex-stepdaughter, the parasite.

Sure, Charlie's less-than-charitable assessment, doesn't make it sound like death has mellowed him at all -- or that we really want to spend a novel looking into the trials and tribulations of his ex-stepdaughter, Cali. (a quick aside: I loved Charlie's rant about the pretentious names given to Cali and her peers, "Truth, Canyon, Druid, Turquoise, Vanilla and Road. Don’t tell me those are names–– they’re brands. ") But last time we learned that 1. Charlie has actually mellowed a bit, we just need more time to see it; 2. He's generally right about his family; and it won't take long before the reader will actually care about Cali. As difficult as she'll make it.

Textbooks will tell you that Cali is a "troubled teen." Which is a pretty vague, and a likely outdated, term. She's a drinker, a drug user, defiant daughter (although once you meet her mother and current stepfather, you kind of get that) in trouble with the law. But it doesn't take long once Charlie and Rose start to follow her for her to end up in more trouble than she -- or anyone -- deserves.

Once again, there's very little that Charlie and Rose can do other than watch what's happening and put two and two together in the almost vain hope that Charlie can do something about it. Rest assured, they do, and it doesn't involve another near death experience (I was a little afraid they'd just be hanging around Surgical Centers waiting for the next opportunity to talk to another ghost). It's hard to believe that a mystery series where no one knows that the main characters did anything works. But this does.

What can I say about Rose? She's at once one of the most realistic dog characters I can remember reading lately (she doesn't talk, narrate, have a point of view chapter, or communicate telepathically), and yet, as a ghost, is the hardest to believe. She's such a good influence on Charlie, I'm glad whatever or Whoever brought them together after their deaths.

Charlie said something in the last book about death not being about learning anything or insight or growth, that he stays the same. I don't believe it, he's not the same guy. But it's probably a good sign that he doesn't realize it.

Something I should've mentioned when I talked about the previous novel, these chapter epigraphs are great. They represent a truly impressive collection of quotations about death, some funny, some thoughtful, just about all of them keepers. The book is worth the effort just to read these (but you should really focus on the rest of the book).

Perry's freakishly short chapters make you think Robert Parker was prone to be long-winded and rambling, but they work. You could probably make the case that they're a commentary on the transient nature of human life or something (if you wanted to, and I don't). They keep things moving, really keep anything from dragging, and help you get how Charlie and Rose can jump from place to place with ease.

Funny, poignant, all-around good story-telling. Plus there's a dog. You really can't ask for more than that. It's easy to see why people as diverse as Cat Warren and Eric Idle commend these books. I strongly recommend this one (and the predecessor).

[Gordon Mcghie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most unusual (but enjoyable) partnerships I have encountered while blogging. Charlie is dead. Rose, a dog, is also dead. Together they can drift in and out of the real world and spectate but their capacity to interact is virtually nil.

Dead is Best opens with Charlie’s step-daughter Cali suffering a near-death experience. She sees Charlie and Rose and begs for their help before she is returned to her unhappy existence. Charlie and Rose return to the world to keep a watch over Cali and the full extent of her problems soon become clear.

I love how Jo Perry tackles events in Dead Is Best. While Charlie and Rose cannot intercede during events Charlie is a highly effective narrator. He can travel to where Cali is but when necessary he can move to a different location, for example to see how Cali’s mother (Charie’s ex-wife and her new husband) are handling their “difficult” child. Not Well it would appear.

Charlie begins to understand how tough life is for Cali – a troubled teen who appears to have fallen in with a bad crowd. As the story progresses and Cali finds herself in trouble with the law we see the true strength of her character come to the fore.

As non-corporeal entities Charlie and Rose can be anywhere they need to be and often witness the worst of people. They see acts of violence and bullying which the protagonists would never let a “human” observe and Charlie’s frustration at his inability to intercede seeps through – brilliantly written by Jo Perry.

[Geralyn Corcillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just ... Wow!
Insightful, suspenseful, poignant, triumphant, compelling! "There are more acts of indifference, selfishness and cruelty than there are stars or seeds--galaxies or bones." And for troubled teen Cali Green, this means that no place is safe-- not home, not on the run, not with her friends, not hiding out. But luckily, Cali's former stepfather is none other than the ghostly Charlie Stone. Charlie and the beautiful, tender ghost dog Rose first come back into contact with Cali in the most brilliant and disturbing way. As Charlie and Rose watch Cali spiral into chaos, from her own acting out and from a rebelling against a life she cannot stand and that offers her no love in return, their post-life state makes it impossible to intercede on Cali's behalf. Or does it? As Cali's constant running for her life becomes all too real and urgent, will Charlie and Rose be able to help? Will Cali learn to help herself? Is there any safe place anywhere? For any of us?
This story is introspective and thought-provoking even as it is dynamic and edge-of-your-seat suspenseful. You won't want to miss this next adventure of Charlie and Rose, and you won't want to leave these characters behind once the book is over.

[Larry Kahaner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadly Entertaining.

I enjoyed the second book in this series. What's not to like about a dead guy and his dead dog hovering above the rest of us trying to help but can not because, well, they're dead. Spend some time with this duo floating above the rest of us mortals.

[Wendy Ledger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully original series, full of heart and soul and poetic, spare prose. I love that the two main characters are spirits, and one is a dig, and they now try to help their loved ones on earth. I love these books.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my God, Book 2 is better than the first book!!! How, what, who ??? I might just want to die a little to get to hang out with Charlie & Rose.

[Fiona Erskine · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When death tells a story you really have to listen.” Markus Zusak

I downloaded this book based on a twitter recommendation, and I’m so glad I did. Quirky and witty, I read it at a chuckling gallop. Don’t be deceived, it takes consummate skill to write such fluid prose. And then it packs an unexpected punch.

This book is a treat for animal lovers.

Super short chapters preceded by pithy quotations on death, the story is narrated by ghostly grumpy Charles as he and Rose, a “skinny, mistreated”, “intelligent, patient and gentle” liminal dog try to help a troubled teenage girl from beyond the grave.

With shades of Holes by Louis Sachar, this book is page turning treat.

[Verity W · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a disturbing and believable mystery (sort of) around a troubled young rich girl and what happens to her when she gets sucked into the criminal justice system in America, seen through the eyes of a dead man and his (equally dead) adopted dog.

That sounds weird I know, but its actually really readable, albeit slightly darker than I'm looking for at the moment in my reading matter. It also fits perfectly with the sort of thing that Fahrenheit are doing - quirky, non typical crime/mystery.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my new favorite series. They're touching, emotional, and redemptive. Perry takes you a long at a wicked pace, one thing after another, her prose intentional but simple. Rose is the ultimate hero. Always. As someone who loves dogs more than anything else in the world, I can tell Perry feels the same. She shows how a dog has the power to heal, even the most broken soul. Beautiful read.

[Brigitte · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very wierd book. I bought it because it had an Irish setter on the cover, which is the type of dog we have. Although it had a "happy" ending, it was very strange with a narrative who is dead. Wouldn't recommend it. At least it was fairly short in length!