Not Dead Yet

Not Dead Yet #1

by Jenn Burke

Don’t miss this thrilling and suspenseful second chance romance, book one in a fan-favorite paranormal detective series from Jenn Burke.

Dying isn’t what it used to be.Wes Cooper was dead. Then he wasn’t—though he’s not exactly alive, either. As an immortal not-ghost, he can transition between this world and the otherplane, which makes him the perfect thief for hire. For seventy years he’s made a “living” returning items to their rightful owners, seeing his fair share of the bizarre in the process. But he’s never witnessed murder. Until now.

His latest mission brings him more than he bargained a very-dead actor who is definitely going to stay that way. It’s just Wes’s luck that his ex-boyfriend, Detective Hudson Rojas, is assigned to the case. Hudson broke Wes’s heart years ago—and could again, given he’s rocking a hot silver-fox look that shouldn’t be legal.

As they work together to track down the murderer before anyone else gets hurt, it becomes clear Wes and Hudson have unfinished business. And when a secret Hudson’s been keeping threatens more than just their happiness, it might mean the end of their not-life together—permanently.

Not Dead Yet

Book 1: Not Dead Yet
Book 2: Give Up the Ghost
Book 3: Graveyard Shift

Genres: Paranormal, M M Romance, Romance, Mystery, Vampires, Fantasy, Audiobook

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 4, 2019

About the author

Jenn Burke has loved out-of-this-world romance since she was a preteen reading about heroes and heroines kicking butt and falling in love. Now that she’s an author, she couldn’t be happier to bring adventure, romance, and sexy times to her readers.

Jenn is the author of a number of paranormal and science fiction romance titles, including the critically acclaimed Chaos Station science fiction romance series (authored with Kelly Jensen) and her newest series, Ashes & Dust, a spin-off of her fan-favorite Not Dead Yet series.

She’s been called a pocket-sized and puntastic Canadian on social media, and she’ll happily own that label. Jenn lives just outside of Ottawa, Ontario, with her husband and two kids, plus two dogs named after video game characters…because her geekiness knows no bounds.

Jenn is represented by Deidre Knight of the Knight Agency.

Reviews

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though not my usual type of read, Not Dead Yet was a very, very solid paranormal mystery romance, and I had a hard time putting it down.

I'm not a mystery lover, but if well-written mysteries mixed with a ton of paranormal goodies are your thing, you're going to be in love with this one.

The romance is a second-chance romance, something that is hit-or-miss for me, but I really enjoyed it here. I have a thing for gruff MCs, so the grumpy Rojas worked for me. I understood him as a character, and I liked seeing him and Wes together.

I found the whole part-ghost/never aging thing that Wes has going on to be intriguing and super well done. After you've read a few hundred paranormal romances, the same-old tropes start to get stale, and I think that Jenn Burke made this romance feel fresh and new.

Also, though it isn't spelled out for us readers, I think Wes is a gray asexual or maybe a demisexual. He rarely experiences sexual attraction, and Rojas is one of the few people who have ever done it for him. I was pretty stoked to see some ACE rep in the story, and I think Jenn Burke did a great job with it.

Everything from the side characters to the unexpectedly delightful plot kept me interested, and though mysteries make me low-level uneasy (I hate suspense!), I would read another book in this series (I hope it's a series!) in a heartbeat. Very well done.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

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[Shile (Hazard's Version) on-hiatus · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 ++++ stars for Greg

3.5 for the story

First! That cover needs to go!



This was a surprise. The story is a paranormal mm romance set in Canada.

The writing is solid and flows well. I didn't care that much about the mystery but that didn't keep me from enjoying the story.

The story is told from the POV of Wes Cooper a not so dead ghost/human. He has the ability to travel through the ghost world and the human world. He is hilarious, i had so much fun listening to the audiobook, never a dull moment. He is so lovable.

MC2 is Detective Rojas a brody no nonsense type. I liked him too. Although i wanted to slap him most of the time.

This is more of a second chance romance, the MCs connection is there from the beginning. The steam factor is low but i found myself not missing it that much. Wes's company was enough to enjoy the ride.

The side characters were well developed and fit well into the story.

If you are in the mood for some laughs, Ghosts, Vampires, Witches and Demons give this one a try. The audiobook is amazing.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

IS VAMPIRES DRY-CUMMING A NEW THING OR SOMETHING I HAVE ONLY JUST READ FOR THE FIRST TIME???????
If it's the latter, WHICH ONE OF YOU HOES WAS GONNA TELL ME????
NO CLEAN UP?
NO MESS?
NO MOUTH TEXTURES?

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏




3.5 star round down for this one because I think.... I (maybe?) HATE second chance romance??? and this book really solidified that because one MC was being a cunt for 95% of this book, in the name of ✨keep ex at arms length to avoid getting close✨
And there was SO MUCH flip-flopping between obviously still interested, and saying mean shit to appear distant that it was hard to reconcile their relationship at the end.

I did love the paranormal elements of this book, as I do be loving me a good ghost/vamp/witch collab.
I think this was done well enough to read on in the series, and force my brain to forget the second-chance romance existed.

[Lyn❤Loves❤Listening to Real Voices Only!!!!❤️🎧📚 Addict ON HIATUS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio...Let's get real. It's Greg Boudreaux, and there's only one setting when it comes to his performance...High 5 Stars! 😍😍

Story....4.25 Simone told me so Stars 😍😍

A new series for me to fall in love with. Lots of action, great laugh out loud humor, likeable, diverse cast of characters, great chemistry between the MCs, and supernatural/paranormal cases. My kind of book!

[Simone - on indefinite hiatus - · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update September 2019: Audiobook = ***5 Stars***

Duh! It's Greg Boudreaux, so what else? ;-)

----------------------------------------------------

I totally digged this!

A thief recovery artist - sorry, Wes! - turned ghost stuck in limbo with ties to the world of the living and the dead with some pretty impressive skills, reconnecting more or less involuntarily with his ex-lover, a v... detective with his own secrets to bear in order to dig into some murders that suddenly turn into a mess hitting too close to home for comfort? Movie references? Enough snark and exactly my humor to make me crave for an oxygen tent to get in some air when I was not ROFLMAO? Great characters down to the last side character? Enticing worldbuilding? Sign me up for the long haul!

Sooooo, ever read a book with an age-gap where the older guy looks younger than the supposedly more mature one? No? Curious now? Okay, consider this my rec to you, then. ;-) On to the next one!

[Gustaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, I guess it's time for me to stop fooling myself. I keep telling myself that these kind of books ain't for me. That I won't like them, yet I keep on reading them. Yet I keep on loving them.

And man, did I love this book. It was quirky and interesting. Hilarious and sweet. I really liked Wes and Hudson. Sure, there were times (a LOT of times) where I wanted to smack some sense into Hudson. He was so very stubborn. Way too stubborn for my liking.
The mystery had a great build, and it took time to realize what was actually happening. Great build up for the next book in the last chapter.

[Ariana (mostly offline) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4,5 stars*

A fabulous alternative universe.
An excellent second chance romance.
A captivating mystery.

This one is a total winner. New to me author Jenn Burke really scores with fantastic, original world building, an all engrossing plot and two intriguing MCs.

Wes …



is an immortal ghost and then again he is not. (Not telling how this works, but it does!).
One thing’s for sure though – he really fell hard for Hudson when they were boyfriends over 30 years ago. And he still loves him. Even if he is trying to talk himself out of his feelings on every possible occasion and desperately tries to ignore them.

Which is just as well because Hudson …

.

clearly wants nothing to do with him. If anything, he comes across as harsh, cynical and mean and stamps on Wesley’s feelings every time they meet.
Ouch! I was cringing hard at all the hurtful words he throws at poor Wes. And yet … we get the clear feeling that there is way more behind that acerbic façade.

And if you are wondering about all the time and age differences …
Wes doesn’t age and although he’s over 100 years old he still looks young and unchanged from before, while Hudson, and now - wait for this - is actually 58 years old. Thank you, Jenn Burke, for giving us a silver fox at his best!

I totally adored the verbal sparring between these two, the attraction that is simmering underneath all the clashes and Wes’s inability to stay away from the man he loves. (We do get his POV only).

The mystery totally grabbed me from page 1 and the plot twist at 32% left me gobsmacked (Darn, the signs and hints were there, but it still hit me out of nowhere). I even may have chewed a nail off towards the end.

And of course, this being book 1 in a new series, issues between Wes and Hudson are nowhere near resolved and there are some plot developments left open that will no doubt cause trouble later on.
In short – I can’t wait to start book 2.

Highly recommended.

[Kaje Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for imaginative paranormal mysteries, and appealing gay main characters; Jenn Burke delivers both. With the added bonus of one MC apparently being demisexual.

Wes Cooper died young, 70 years ago, when his first love with another man ended in disaster. That man had a sister who was a witch, and her attempt to bring Wes back to life worked, mostly. He's living, breathing, flesh and blood, but with a part of him still linked to the otherplane where the dead first go and ghosts linger. And he doesn't age beyond the slim, young man he was when he died.

Both of those things have their benefits, but also their downsides. Using his link with the otherworld, he can slip into that other plane of space and move secretly and unseen. He's turned his ability into a clandestine profession, retrieving items for wealthy clients - taking blackmail items, or love tokens, or stolen treasures, back to their rightful owners. It's not quite stealing since he tries to be sure about the "rightful" part. But the illegality means he has to keep a safe distance between himself and his clients, interacting through anonymous messages and code names.

Being unageing also keeps him isolated. You can only look like a twink for so long before someone gets curious. He's had to change ID and control his neighbor contacts, to keep his youthfulness from arousing curiosity. Any friendship or acquaintance lasting more than a decade would be risky. Luckily, the witches who restored him can be an exception to that. He's been friends with the family through three generations, and the current youngest witch, Lexi, is as good a friend as an isolated quarter-ghost could hope for.

One problem with stealing things back from people is that they're not always the nicest or safest folk to be around. He's seen stuff, lurking in the otherplane. But this time, for the first time, he witnesses a murder. With the jumble of his senses from being on the other side, he can't identify the killer, and he's ashamed to have frozen long enough that he didn't try to help before the victim died. He feels compelled to help find the murderer - enough that he reaches out to the only other man he ever cared about, or told about his ability, Detective Hudson Rojas.

He and Hudson broke up over being in the closet decades ago. But Hudson turns out to still be on the force, and willing to listen and believe. He also turns out to have aged into a silver fox, a man whose appeal is as strong as the day they split up. Wes hopes that together, they can solve the murder of the woman he saw strangled to death. But he can't help a shred of hope and fear, that maybe he and Hudson also have unfinished personal business.

I enjoyed the unique twists of Wes's abilities, and the paranormal world-building. There are enough limits on what Wes can do to keep things interesting. Hudson is a great character - a dedicated cop who couldn't move out of the closet with Wes, but who has seen a lot of changes in the decades since. Their relationship has a nicely slow rebuild, with issues for both of them, and the contrast between the MCs worked excellently. And Lexi is a lot of fun as the witch/nurse/best friend who has kept Wes human despite his decades of relative isolation.

Wes sometimes felt a bit mentally and emotionally young, for the amount of time he has lived and the things he's seen. This was particularly true when he made bad choices in a climactic scene, not even trying options and possibilities that felt obvious to me as a reader. But perhaps his longtime avoidance of human interactions and the degree to which his relationship with Hudson is an anchor to his humanity, explains it. For someone who appears to be demisexual (although the word isn't used) one sole lover in 70 years would be a truly intense thing.

There are some surprises and emotional moments along the way. I cared about both of these characters, and was engaged in the murder mystery, including its paranormal aspects. The solid ending leaves hope for further adventures, and in fact I'm told at least 2 more books are in the works. I'll be looking forward to reading those.

[Jennifer☠Pher☠ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t recall the last time a book surprised me as much as this one did. Even more I can’t believe how much fun it was to be surprised.

I had the barest of ideas going in. I’m the worst at reading and retaining what a blurb tells me, well, if I read the blurb at all. I knew this was some sort of ghost story. So,to me, ghost stories are one thing, romances with ghosts are totally another. They always seem to make me feel just so sad. I mean, even when they aren’t supposed to feel that way there are just so many things that can’t help but be sad.

This felt like that. Even when I tried to keep an open mind it was always a niggle. I hurt for Wes and even more so when he found Hudson again. It was not good and I couldn't in a million years see how it ever could be.

And then, BOOM! I can’t even tell you how shocked I was. How fucking pleased this twist made me. I am so glad that there weren’t a ton of reviews and the few I skimmed over (thank you Heather) left out this brilliant surprise/shock.

So, this was good. I mean, there were a lot of bits and pieces to this book and all of it was good. Second chance romance, witches, ghosts, friends and family. Mystery and murder (my old friend). All of it was good. There was a lot of story and it kept me completely entertained. I was on the edge of my seat, I was laughing, I was sad, I was excited and most of all, I was intrigued.

I almost didn’t request this because of my ghost sadness. I am so glad I did. This was really a refreshing and interesting take on PNR and Mystery.

Very well done and thank you, thank you, thank you for there being two more books. I did not know this going in but hoped and hoped and hoped there would be.

PSA. Don’t read spoiler tags and just let yourself be surprised. It will be so worth it.

Good stuff man, good stuff.

**ARC provided by the author via A Novel Take Promotions in exchange for an honest review.**

[Cat the bookworm (semi hiatus ish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new take on murder mysteries with a touch of ghosts. And vampires. And witches.

Sometimes it’s good to go in almost blindly. I just saw the audio is narrated by Greg Boudreaux, and that it’s a murder mystery, and immediately made grabby hands without reading a lot of reviews.

And what a pleasant surprise it was! The main character is Wes, who’s a accidentally created human/ghost hybrid (a good witch tried to resurrect him after he’s been murdered, but the spell didn’t quite go as planned), so he’s able to switch from human to ghostly form at will. Perfect skills to become… a thief 😁

After witnessing a murder, he decides to call his ex, a cop, with whom he broke up 30 years ago (did I mention that Wes is quasi immortal now?)

Anyway. Said ex is Hudson Rojas, and yes, sparks fly even after all these years. And that’s all I’ll spoil about the plot, because trust me, it was a wild ride 😬🤐

I’m no huge fan of second chance romances, but it worked perfectly here. I could understand why they broke up all these years ago, and seeing them work their way back into a (even better) relationship now felt organic.

Cheers to the author for giving us an ace/demi character, I really loved how she portrayed Wes (and his thoughts about intimacy).

I had a blast listening to it, no less because of Greg B. who improves every listening experience.

4.5 rounded up - not perfect, the fantasy side of the plot had a few hiccups, but still highly entertaining, especially the dialogues made me smile through the entire book.

[Meep · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea was interesting, but execution wasn't quite there. DNF at 47 changing status to 'read' I pushed on.

Unfortunately I couldn't connect, slogged through with no wish to resume after putting down.

He might look early twenties but Wes lived through the Depression. He's experienced tough living, lived decades, yet he comes across a fickle club boy avoiding responsibility, which just didn't read as believable to me.
Then Hudson re-appearing after 33yrs, there should be more changes and his whole hot/cold character didn't work.
I don't care if they get together.

Then the mystery - it gets forgotten for relationship stuff, then unconnected supernatural stuff, then suddenly re-focused on and by then... there's no sense of danger, worry or urgency so again it didn't engage me.

BUT parts of this were really good, the ideas were good, the story had potential but the characterisation and first person perspective didn't work for me. Nearing half-way point and I still wasn't getting caught up in the story so quitting now.

Having finished I think my main issue with the story was the lack of chemistry between characters, the tension didn't run very deep and there's no connection, Hudson is too enigmatic aka inconsistent, while I got the authors intention it's not conveyed well and ultimately his job comes first to the point of endangering his supposed love.

[CrabbyPatty · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Not Dead Yet" is totally not in my wheelhouse, what with all the ghosts, evil spirits and creatures of the night, but I completely adore this book and only after pondering just how to review it do I realize how darn complex it is and what a wonderful job Burke does in creating this world and its characters.

Wes Cooper is a resurrected ghost who is immortal and exists partially in the Otherplane which allows him to transport almost anywhere, which is a skill he uses to steal - oops "recover" - items for hire. This used to drive Wes' former boyfriend cop Hudson Royas crazy, because he always figured Wes had been given his life back and his talent to use it for good in the world. And when Hudson and Wes meet again (30+ years after their breakup) because of a murder Wes witnessed from the Otherplane, there is still this intense attraction fueled by years of bottled up rage, lust, irritation and humor.

What Burke does so beautifully here is give us layers and layers of emotions and backstory and insight (sort of a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma with a crunchy taco coating - to paraphrase Winston Churchill) and while it takes a while, the payoff is worth the wait. For example, when we learn how Wes became a ghost or what Hudson has been up to the past 30 years, it hits hard. And don't get me started on Wes connecting with a little girl ghost and helping solve her murder - it brought more than a few tears to my eyes.

I don't want to give a lot of details about the plot because most of the fun is uncovering what's going on, but the character development is stellar (also loved Evan and Lexi), the plot is completely engrossing, the pace is brisk and keeps your interest constantly, and I love how the ending sets up the overarching mystery of the series, and I cannot wait to read more! 5 stars and a Recommended Read.

I received an ARC from Carina Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semicolons~✡~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

~2.5~

I never fell into this story. I read along, a little bored, but felt no tension and barely cared about what happened to the characters.

Main complaints:

Singular POV (Wes is the narrator); huge chunk of perspective is missing because Hudson doesn't have a voice.

Lots of relationship angst, with Hudson being an arsehole for no good reason. Why would Wes, who straddled two worlds, give a single fuck that Hudson was a vampire?

No real world building; randomly throwing vampires, witches, magic, demons, and a shadow realm into a story does not create a cohesive, believable universe.

Rushed conclusion to a convoluted mystery; everything was swept under the rug, like a baby vamp didn't just rip off a demon's head. Speaking of, how the hell did baby vamp, aka Evan, get past all the vampire guards?

Wes lived through the Great Depression and been around for 86 years (not 110 as the book states at one point) but showed no emotional growth. Hudson wasn't much better.

And if Hudson was turned at 38, why does no one comment on how young he looks since he's supposedly 58?

Rounding up because I liked the secondary characters, demi/grayace representation, and slow burn, but have no desire to continue with the series.

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~]

I wouldn't say everything was going honky-dory until 31%. This did start out pretty rough, the world-building wasn't all that fantastic, the writing was average and the MCs had zero chemistry and I didn't really care about either one of them. I enjoy second-chance romances, but I need to care about why they parted and care about why they should get back together, and that wasn't happening here. But the case they were working on was interesting and the setup for that was going well and getting interesting, and that more than anything else was keeping me going.

So Wes is a ghost, but he's not. He can go solid, and even needs to sleep for some reason, and he drinks coffee and all that jazz. But he can go incorporeal too. Because, you know, ghost. Except not. *sigh* He can't see people clearly when he's incorporeal but he can see everything else just fine - very plot-handy skills, he's got, our Wes. He also has a somewhat meddling female best friend, because apparently every gay man needs one of those, even not-ghost ghost ones.

Then there's his ex-squeeze, Hudson, who's a cop. They dated 30-some odd years ago, but being a ghost and being a cop, it didn't work out. A murder brings them back together, except Hudson's kind of a jerk. And then at 31%, he's suddenly revealed to be a vampire while he's feeding on some kid - accidentally killing him, it should be noted; he doesn't drain his victims normally, just takes what he needs and sends them on their way, somehow none the wiser that they're missing a couple of pints of blood - so instead of leaving a body to be found, he turns the kid into a vampire. There is some irritation and ire and a smidgeon of regret, but no one's really as concerned about this as they should be. I started skimming at this point to see how it would be handled when the kid finally woke up, and the tone was just way too light and breezy for my liking considering what was happening on page.

I'm not generally a fan of the vampire genre, which sounds weird because I love Buffy and Angel and Harry Dresden. And I did like SPECTR Vol 1, and while the vamp stuff did get weird in the last couple of books, it was a unique enough take on the genre that it was fresh and new. But I need to know going in that there're going to be vampires and that it's going to be handled with the brevity that I need it to be dealt with. I didn't feel like I was getting that here.

*sigh*

Time of death: 41%

Maybe it gets better, but I'm not inclined to find out. Still, plenty of my friends enjoyed this one, so don't take my word for it. My issues are very specific to me. It's like when I was watching The Girl With All the Gifts and was really into it until it was suddenly just another zombie movie and I got bored out of my mind and couldn't finish it. It's just not my usual genre and if I'd known that element would be in it, I wouldn't have bought the book in the first place.

[Jewel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I enjoyed this just as much the second time around :)

[Rachel Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an excellent supernatural, mystery, slow burn and second-chance romance novel, I absolutely loved this one.

Wes isn't exactly alive or dead - a spell gone wrong has his trapped in his non-aging body, with abilities to slip between our world and another mystical one. It's helped him with his job - "retreivement specialist" (read - thief), although it was point of contention with his then-boyfriend of over thirty years ago, Hudson Rojas. But when weird things start happening, Wes reaches back out to Hudson and discovers some things - major things - have changed since he last saw him. It's hard to say anything else without giving away spoilers, all I can say is, I was NOT expecting what happened and I absolutely LOVED it!

I adored Wes and everything about him - his snark, his attitude toward his job and his non-life life, and I loved that he was somewhat asexual, more likely on the demisexual spectrum, and I love that representation in this story. I also love that Hudson totally got it and was okay with it, didn't make it into a thing. I also loved Hudson being a bit gruff and standoffish at the start of their reunion, it made sense and worked for me as we got to know him better. But I loved the connection between the two right from the start.

Wes, Hudson, Wes's friend Lexi, and their new friend Evan (who totally needs a man of his own!), must all work together to find out who is behind the killings and other mystical happenings surrounding them. Along the way, Wes and Hudson start making their way back to each other - although it's a slow, slow burn for these two in reconnecting (which I absolutely loved.) I loved all the little moments - Wes and Hudson both appreciating the magnificence that is Chris Evans splitting a log with his bare hands (because - amen!), a Mr. Pointy Buffy reference, some sweet moments, and a lovely sexy buildup to the ending.

CANNOT wait for the next book in this series! While this does end with a very solid HFN, there are questions unanswered and more to come for this group of friends, this family of freaks.

I received a review copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[M.I.A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not Dead Yet took me by surprise at every turn.

I loved this. Loved.

The story is told through Wes's perspective in first person narration. This is so brilliantly done because it's the very reason the twists and turns take you by surprise. I loved that his perspective is biased.

Wes Cooper is a ghost but not. He's a magical mystery, able to exist in the physical and other-plane. He's over a 100 years old and look's like a Twink/college student and hasn't changed one bit; physically or otherwise. His life remains stagnant. He's a recovery specialist/thief, drifting in an out of people's personal spaces to 'recover' items for his clients. Everything changes when he witnesses a murder during one of his 'recovery' jobs. In the spirit of doing the right thing he finds himself reaching out to a man that broke his heart 33 years prior.

Detective Hudson Rojas is not easy to like from the get-go. He's harsh, abrasive, self-satisfied and hostile. He's an asshole. But he's also honorable, determined and dedicated. He's a redeemable asshole, and not having his perspective makes his motivation unclear which aggravates negative feelings towards him. ( This I loved so much. It confused me but also intrigued me. Figuring out his motivation while being handicapped by Wes's reactions. Brilliant.) There are moment's he slips and say's something that is a reflection of his true emotions and those moments are precious, far in between, and melt your heart.

The Romance : Despite the 33 year gap, their history is palpable during their interactions. The way they slip back into old arguments.

" You and I have very different memories of that time."
Isn't that the truth in every relationship that goes wrong. Each individual justified by their believes, their perception and blind to the other side.

The road back to each other is not pretty. It's hot and cold. It's combustable. It's hurtful. It's harsh truths. It's real and believable.

The sex : There are only two scenes but honestly it's not missed because the UST and slow burn makes it worth the wait.

The mystery : Paranormal crime fighting at its best. I won't say much about it because that's half the fun. I'll just say it's original, intricate, intriguing and very entertaining. I did not see the true villain coming. There wasn't a moment I was not completely invested in the outcome of their investigation. It's a perfect balance of romance and police procedural. Neither overpowering the other.

Secondary Characters: Excellent. No one sided characters here. Strong female characters to look forward to!

Highly recommend Not Dead yet for those looking for a well balanced second-chance romance with paranormal crime fighting. Not to forget excellent writing skills wielded expertly by Jenn Burke. Also if you're in a mood to follow a series with the same couple!

Oh my god, how could I forget the audiobook. Greg Boudreaux 10 Stars. He brought this story ALIVE. It was more than narration, it was acting. At one point he even sings. I have to say he made this book stand out to me.

[Valerie ❈M/M Romance Junkie❈ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book. Gah! Right book? Right day? Do I care? NO. I loved this. I loved this so hard that I had to STOP LISTENING TO GREG because he wasn't narrating fast enough to keep up with my need for more. Did you see that? I stopped listening to F'N GREG!!!! I will go back and listen all the through because again... GREG.

So yeah. I loved this book. I can't wait to get to the next book.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit that I haven't had good experience with this author so far -- but with this book, I'm ready to change my mind. Because Not Dead Yet is a SOLID paranormal mystery romance. Not only that, the romance is a second-chance trope. All of them are exactly the kind of story I'm looking for. And boy, did the story deliver!!

First of all, the paranormal element... I LOVED the unique "twist" of ghost that Jenn Burke offers in this book. Wes Cooper died in 1933 but then he was resurrected with a spell, and now he can become "ghost". Wes can disappear to the otherplane, and he doesn't age. With this 'ability', Wes works as professional thief retrieval specialist.

Then, the romance, oh yes, I'm loving the second-chance trope here. Wes and Hudson -- the love interest -- has been separated for THIRTY THREE years. Yes, you read it right. You also have to find out how this works between them, because I think it's pretty clever.

As characters, I love Wes immediately. I love his voice -- sure, there are times that I think Wes gives in a little bit too easily because he still has feeling for Hudson, but I just can't hate him. On top of that, I think Wes is a demisexual. The author doesn't clearly stated it with a term, but what Wes feels about sex shows that. So another YAY for asexual representation.

Hudson, of the other hand, frustrates me sometimes with his hot-and-cold attitude. While I adore gruff character, but at times I think Hudson is being pushy and unfair towards Wes. Luckily, Hudson also shows that he feels remorseful when Wes gets hurt because of Hudson's demand.

The secondary characters are great too -- I hope there are more scenes with Lexi and Evan in the next books.

Then last, the mystery ... that is also VERY WELL DONE. Long before I love romance, I love mystery first. So whenever I discover romance with mystery, I think I have always slightly favor the mystery done right, rather than heavily focus on romance. In Not Dead Yet, Jenn Burke manage to balance the two -- the mystery is going nicely, with good enough clues and investigation, alongside the romance.

TLDR; SATISFYING BOOK




The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should never write a review for a book when I already (mostly) read the sequel. Now I can’t help but letting my feelings of the second book color my thoughts about the first book.

When I first finished this I actually quite liked it. It did take me til around 50% to finally get into it, but I ended up liking it nonetheless.

But I was hesitant to say something about the romance, because these guys are not that solid yet. So I hoped book 2 would really solidify the relationship for me. But alas, that doesn’t happen.

So while I liked the story, I can’t really handle all the relationship angst. It’s not that bad in this book, but these guys are not easy going people. They both anger quickly and are not that forgiving. Again, that is not even that apparent in this book, but it sure is in the next one. And I hate that about this series.

So I’m going with 3.5 stars for this book alone, but I’m not sure I should finish book 2, or even read book 3.

(And there is one thing that's left unexplained that still bothers me.)
Hudson is a 58 year old vampire, turned when he was 38. Do vampires age? Are they immortal? Do they age more slowly? I didn't get why Hudson looked 58, but Wes commented he turned grey early when he found out Hudson had been a vampire for the last 20 years. And Hudson says that that's a lucky thing. So if Hudson stopped aging, why doesn't anyone comment on how good he looks for 58??

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've given this an A- at AAR, so that's 4.5 stars rounded up.

For some reason, I’ve been gravitating towards paranormal romances lately, most often ones featuring characters involved in law enforcement, which was the immediate appeal of Jenn Burke’s Not Dead Yet.  It’s the first in a new series in which one of the protagonists is, as the title suggests, Not Dead.  Although he’s Not Alive either, which is certainly a unique twist and not something I’ve come across before.  Not Dead Yet is a hugely enjoyable read featuring two well-rounded principals, an intriguing mystery, and a slow-burn romance; I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked it up, but it turned out to be a winner and I’m definitely on board for the rest of the series.

In 1933, Wes Cooper was shot and killed by his lover, Michael.  But Michael’s sister was a witch and, unable to accept what her brother had done, cast a spell to bring Wes back to life – but not only did it resurrect him, it made him immortal, something that’s changed his life in lots of small ways as well as the one  big one.  Wes will never age physically and because of this, he never – well, almost never – embarks upon close friendships or relationships, knowing there’s only so long he can use the excuse of having good genes to explain away his unchanging appearance.  He’s had to move around and change his identity every ten years or so in order to stop people wondering about him, and his only real friends have been the generations of witches from the family who brought him back from the dead.  Even so, he’s flesh and blood; he lives in the world as we know it, but he also retains a link to the otherplane, the place where the dead go before moving on, and where some of them linger, usually in hopes of concluding unfinished business.

Wes uses his ability to slip between the planes of existence to earn a living, sneaking into people’s private spaces as a ghost to recover items for interested parties – heirlooms they want back, contracts they shouldn’t have signed and even information they can use for blackmail.  He’s treading a fine line; technically he’s committing theft, although he prefers to think of it as ‘retrieval’, but because of the nature of what he does, he has a very strictly defined set of business practices designed to protect him and his identity; clients come to him via a sophisticated set of referrals and anonymous messages, and he never meets directly with any of them.  And their targets are usually shady types, people who’ve done things that are not-so-nice, making them dangerous to be around.

When Wes is in the otherplane, he isn’t able to see clearly into the living world, seeing instead a series of shapes and shadowy images that don’t allow him to pick out any details, which is why he’s slow to realise he’s witnessing the final stages of a murder. He’s on a job at the home of a famous actress, realises too late what’s going on and is rooted to the spot by fear and indecision. The murderer has a shadow like nothing Wes has ever seen – dark grey, with jagged edges and surrounded by an aura of danger – all of it signalling this is something he does not want to mess with.

Still, he feels guilty and ashamed that he did nothing to help the victim, and this eventually compels him to try to help bring the killer to justice. But where to start? Going to the police will reveal his presence at the murder scene – but maybe there’s a way to approach them through… unofficial channels. In the 1980s, Wes dated a cop, Hudson Rojas, for five years, and okay, they split up a bit acrimoniously – mostly because of Hudson’s unwillingness to put his relationship before his job – but he’s one of the few people Wes ever told about his abilities and if he’s still around, perhaps he’d be willing to use Wes’ information in the investigation.

After thirty-three years, their reunion is – unsurprisingly – an awkward one. At fifty-eight, Hudson is still gorgeous, a fit, hot, silver-fox, but he’s grown up in a way that Wes still hasn’t, for all that Wes is over a hundred years old. Hudson listens carefully to Wes’ story, but makes it clear he’s not interested in catching up or making small talk; his dismissive attitude irritates Wes, but even so, Wes agrees to help by accompanying (as a ghost) Hudson as he interviews suspects, looking for anyone whose silhouette matches that of the killer. As they work together, Wes and Hudson have to navigate the tricky waters of their shared past and deal with all the baggage that still lies between them, and… let’s just say that there are some big surprises in store.

The world-building in Not Dead Yet is skilfully done, with the story existing in a world that is recognisably our own but which also incorporates a parallel paranormal universe. Ms. Burke does a great job of defining the capabilities of the various supernatural characters she introduces, setting clear restrictions and boundaries, such as the fact that a witch can never cast a spell for personal benefit, or the limitations on Wes’ ability to shift between planes and from place to place. The mystery is really intriguing and kept me guessing right up until the final chapters, and there are some great twists, turns and revelations along the way.

The relationship between Wes and Hudson is extremely well developed, and they’re very strongly characterised as individuals, too. Wes sometimes comes off as rather immature – in spite of his actual age – which is something that is brought home to him when he first meets Hudson again, and which he struggles with throughout the story. The author does a great job in showing how Wes’ social isolation – firstly as a kid growing up in a hostile environment and then as something imposed on him by his immortality – has led to his habit of self-interest and looking after number one, and then in showing his character growth as he at last acknowledges these traits and pushes through his fears in the attempt to do better.

Hudson is equally strongly defined, a dedicated cop who has been around the block (and then some) a few times, but who has never forgotten Wes over the years, and their rekindling relationship is a delicious slow-burn. It’s never explicitly stated that Wes is demisexual, but from references to the infrequency with which he experiences sexual attraction and the way he experiences it – usually only when he’s emotionally invested – and the fact he’s only been sexually attracted to two men in his long lifetime (Michael and Hudson) would seem to indicate that to be the case. And I loved that Hudson knows how attraction works for Wes and is mindful of that as they resume a physical relationship.

There’s a great secondary cast, too, notably Wes’ best friend Lexi (the great-granddaughter of the witch who brought him back from the dead) and Evan, a ‘baby’ (recently turned) vampire, both of whom I hope to see more of in future books.

Not Dead Yet is a really entertaining read, and one I’m definitely recommending. I was excited to find such a unique premise (in Wes’ not-dead-ness) and all in all, it’s a thrilling, funny, insightful and sexy read, one I devoured in a couple of sittings. The main plotline is wrapped up by the end although there are some intriguing threads left for the remainder of the series; and while Wes and Hudson have found each other again, I suspect there’s more to come for them as a couple. I’m really looking forward to the next instalment, Give Up the Ghost, which is due out this summer.

[Apolishedreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

My nail art for this book

You know that person who reads all the spoilers, skips to the end of the book, wants to know who won the game before the watch the recording? That is me! Suspense is not my friend. I like to know what I am in for.
That being said, I did not skip to the end of this book. It never even occurred to me. I just read and read and read until I got to the satisfying end.
Hudson is Mr. Grumpypants. I had tears in my eyes by the end of chapter 2 because he played his role so well.
I also laughed throughout the story.

"Suck my toe, Hudson!"

And I was anxious as things started to heat up on the mystery front. I could not put this book down!

The paranormal aspects are really interesting. Wes as a ghost that essentially inhabits both the living and non-living is cool. Lexi, her family connection to Wes and their friendship was just another layer of entertainment. Then we got Evan, who I just wanted to cuddle until all his worries went away. I hope he gets his own book.

There was a lot to enjoy here.
-Second chance romance
-Super slow burn (which is both delicious and frustrating)
-Age gap (LOL)
-Ace rep
-Paranormal aspects

One warning, do not read the blurb for book 2 because it has a major spoiler. (That was my good deed for the day).

I can't wait for more in this series!

[Laxmama · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable different take on the ghost/second chance love story. I am super picky when it comes to reading paranormal and this one did it for me. Just the right mix. The second chance love was done very well, for me just the way I enjoy, full backstory and progression before things move along with the twists and turns of the story.

[Annie ~ Queer Books Unbound · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today I am here to rave about Jenn Burke’s Not Dead Yet! That book had been on my radar for a while – I eagerly awaited every #1linewed on twitter and gobbled up any bit of information she dropped on the writing process of the series, hoping she’d post another snippet of it. So of course I immediately requested it on NetGalley when I saw it was up on it. I was lucky that I didn’t have to wait long to be approved for it and – not kidding – I dropped everything to immediately start reading. I had a moment of “pleeease let me love this” right before I started and then I was already swept off my feet.

I’m not exagerrating when I say that I devoured Not Dead Yet and enjoyed every single minute of it. All while I was reading I thought I should slow down to savour the story more – but I could not resist. I needed to know what happened and how it ended. And for the two days it took me to finish the book I pretty much read whenever I could catch a minute to do so. (Sidenote: one of these days my boss will catch me sneak reading!)
Once I was finished though the story wouldn’t leave me alone. I kept thinking about Wes, Hudson and rest of the gang. I wanted to go back and read the book again already; I suspect there is a reread gonna happen sometime soon!

What I absolutely loved, loved, l-o-v-e-d about Wes and Hudson’s relationship was how much time they took to get to know each other again, to work through their past and to built up a foundation of trust again. Between the last time they saw each other and the beginning of the book are 33 years, so I felt like they needed that time – anything else would have felt rushed and also not helped to create a lasting relationship this time. Especially because they never were just lovers to begin with – they used to be best friends too before they split up – so I really appreciated Burke giving them the time to work through it. This also worked perfectly to let us readers get to know them individually and learn about their past – what happened when they were together but also what they went through after they broke up 3 decades ago.
I will admit that there were times when I was a bit frustrated and wanted them to just kiss already – but at the same time that sweet, delicious, anticipation made the book so much better and I think Burke found the perfect balance between too soon and not soon enough. I definitely think that those of you who love slow burn and second chance romances will love this.
I also want to mention how special it was to me as an ace reader to see Hudson not just being understanding but also being so respectful of Wes’s boundaries and I really appreciate how much care Burke took to include explicit consent in every intimate scene. That shit is my kryptonite and I wish we’d have more stories like that; and not just when one of the main characters is ace, but in general I want an aboundance of explicit consent!

While reading Not Dead Yet I realised that I sort of have a thing for thieves paired with cops like Wes – though he prefers the term recovery specialist -, or Aiden Maar (Fortitude Smashed) or Amory Vaughn (Heart of the Steal). Compared to Wes and Hudson trying to solve those murder cases and them falling in love (again) Wes’ professional life as “recovery specialist” does take a bit of a backseat in the story. Though it still created a bit of tension between him and law-abiding Hudson. Making for some awesome bickering and snarking.

Additionally to the main characters the side characters were freaking amazing and really helped to bring the story alive. Each of them felt like a real person, with hopes, personal motivations and fears.
I fell head over heels in love with sweet Evan. I liked the different dynamic between him and Wes and him and Hudson. And I hope that one day he will get his own spin-off story because if there is a character that desereves a happy ever after it’s him! And Lexi! She’s the kickass best friend everyone should have – like seriously, I wish I could jump into the book and be her bestie! I love her and can’t wait to see her again in book two!

Regarding the mystery aspect of the book I feel like I can’t say too much or I would spoil it – especially because a big part of why I love this was the guessing and speculating. Typically I don’t tend to be so invested in mystery stories, but Burke kept me on he edge of my seat. I CAN say however, that I 100% enjoyed that the mystery aspect was just as layered as everything else in this book. Burke not only crafted beautifully multidimensional characters, the mystery part was just as captivating. While I had the smallest of inklings about who was behind the murders, Burke still surprised me with the reveal and how everything was ultimately connected.

Burke easily managed to make me feel pretty much the whole spectrum of feelings while I read Not Dead Yet. I laughed out loud – the kind that lasts forever and you start giggling whenever you think of the thing that set you off in the first place. She made me tear up because I was so happy and excited for the characters but I also cried of sadness. She made me feel frustrated with Wes and Hudson but also feel compassion for them, I was afraid everyone wouldn’t be alright at the end of the sory and overall there was just so much love and excitement for reading a book and about a world I could get completely imersed in. What I’m trying to say is that I could relate to both Hudson and Wes so much that I felt like I was part of their lifes for a short time.

Surprisingly this was actually my first book by Burke – a fact I can’t actually comprehend because I’ve followed her on twitter for ages and I own several of her books. It definitely wasn’t my last though – and not just because I’ll gobble up the other two books in the series as soon as they’re released. I’m also excited to dive into her backlist titles.

Not Dead Yet ends with some questions answered and new ones being revealed and I am freaking excited to explore them in book two! This is for sure one of my favorites for 2019 – and the year hasn’t even started yet! I hope you pick up this book because it’s a gem and I’m so grateful that I got to read it.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun paranormal mystery story with an immortal twink and his silver fox ex from decades ago getting a second chance. Some of the interpersonal conflicts were repetitive but the mystery plot was interesting. I enjoyed it overall and Greg Bordeuax did a great job narrating as always.
It’s on Audible Plus and I’d say this series goes into the category of “totally listen to the series on Audible Plus or Hoopla, wouldn’t spend a credit or $15 on it though.” Book 1 of a series.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story:
It's been a while since a book gripped me like this. It was a perfect blend of paranormal mystery and romance, with imperfect but lovable (side and main!) characters and engaging writing. I put my entire day on hold and listened to the story in one sitting. In one word - awesome!

The audio:
I've listened to stuff narrated by Greg Boudreaux before, but he was never so perfect for a character as he is for Wes Cooper. Great narration.

Overall impression: 4.5 stars!

[Phoebe(FaFa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can finally understand what is it about audiobooks that gets people so excited!

It's because of the narrators like Greg Boudreaux who do such a fantastic job!

This book got itself a solid extra star only because of the amazing narration by talented Mr Boudreaux. Characters, emotions, the flow of the story. You name it, he delivered them all beautifully!

The story is about a not-ghost, dead and returned to life by a witch, Wes Cooper. He makes living by moving into the other plane to get inside people's homes without being noticed and stealing things! He gets in, takes the stuff and gets out! Easy! Until he witnesses a murder.

Being disturbed by the event and bothered by guilt, he calls his ex-boyfriend, detective Hudson and together they try to solve the mystery.
It's been more than 30 years since they see each other and things have changed.
Wes is portrayed as someone with or much sexual desires. He never had any lovers after Hudson and never felt the need for it. It's not clear it's because he's kind of dead or it's simply his personality. Either way, things are different when it comes to Hudson. Wes can't deny his attraction to the hot silver-foxed detective Rojas!
Hudson is a jerk in the first few encounters with Wes but it quickly turns out he's also affected by Wes barging into his life.
The story is interesting and supernatural elements sometimes gets too tangled up together and the mystery becomes the secondary focus of the book, which is usually the case in series with an underlying story around MCs. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book and as I mentioned earlier listening to the audiobook turned out to be a very fun experience and I highly recommend it.

[Eugenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely Paranormal Fluff!!

Nothing heavy here for you, my pretties! Enjoy a light police procedural involving a 100 year old twink who’s a not-ghost, some witches, and some other magical beings—I won’t spoil the surprise for you!

I found Wes, our inmortal not-ghost charming but very immature. Our other MC, Hudson is his sexy silver fox of an ex. Talk about second chances here!

It’s light on the sex—just one scene really—but it’s not missed. It’s also light on the paranormal world building, but I’ll give it a pass.

At the beginning, I wasn’t sure what to think—Wes honestly annoyed me with his selfish attitude....but he grew on me even if I thought that 100 should have been plenty of time to wisen up. Hudson was an odd duck at first, but we soon figure out why!

So, as I read, this turned from a three to a solid 3.7 Stars for me. And now I’m so looking forward to the next two books in the series!

[monika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story - 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audio by Greg Boudreaux- 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review from 2019

I've given this an A+ for narration and an A- for content at AudioGals.

I know some audio listeners who prefer not to listen to books they’ve already read in print, but I’m the opposite – if I enjoy reading something, I’m always up for experiencing it again, and as I don’t have much time for re-reading, audio is the perfect way for me to return to a favourite story. Of course, sometimes I don’t do that because there are some narrators I dislike listening to, but when a favourite book gets paired up with a favourite narrator – Bring. It. On! Jenn Burke’s Not Dead Yet is a funny, sexy and exciting paranormal romantic mystery with a unique premise; I loved it when I read it earlier this year, and loved it just as much in audio – which, given it’s narrated by the ever fabulous Greg Boudreaux – will come as a surprise to exactly no-one.

Wes Cooper is a ghost. Well, no, he’s not. But he’s not alive either. Back in 1933, he was shot and killed by his lover Michael (in a suicide pact gone wrong), but Michael’s sister was a witch who cast a spell to bring Wes back to life. The spell worked wonderfully – in fact, it worked TOO well, because not only did it bring Wes back, it made him immortal and left him with the ability to exist in both the living plane and the otherplane, the shadowy place between the living world and the world beyond, and to effortlessly slip between the two.

In the years since his not-death, Wes has made a living by working as a “retrieval specialist”, using his ability to move between the planes to get into places undetected and then to steal – er – retrieve things for his clients; possessions they want back, letters they shouldn’t have written, contracts they shouldn’t have signed and so on… and it’s while he’s on one of these jobs that the trouble starts. Wes isn’t sure what he’s seeing at first; when he’s in the otherplane, he doesn’t see clearly through to the living world, seeing only shadowy, indistinct images that don’t allow him to pick out any details. So it takes him longer than it might otherwise have done to realise that he’s witnessing the final stages of a murder. By the time he does work out what’s going on, it’s too late for him to do anything other than notice that the murderer has a shadow like nothing he’s ever seen – dark grey, with jagged edges and surrounded by an aura of danger – and to know that he needs to get out of there fast. Wes does just that, stopping only to make an anonymous call to report the murder on his way home.

Still feeling guilty and ashamed that he did nothing to help the victim or stop the murder, Wes finds himself compelled to help try to find the killer. But where can he start? He can’t just call the police and tell them he witnessed the murder when he was a ghost! Or… maybe he can. His best friend, Lexi – who is the great-grand-daughter of the witch who brought him back to life – suggests Wes could call Hudson Rojas, the cop with whom Wes had had a five-year relationship back in the 1980s. It’s a long shot, but Hudson is one of the few people who knows what Wes can do; if nothing else, Wes can pass along what he knows and leave it up to Hudson – assuming he’s still a cop – to decide what to do with it.

Thirty-three years after an acrimonious parting – Hudson was firmly in the closet back then and wasn’t prepared to put his relationship with Wes before his job – it’s hardly a surprise that the reunion between the two men is an awkward one. Hudson listens closely to Wes’ story but makes it clear he’s not interested in catching up or making small-talk or even picking up where they left off. At fifty-eight, he’s still gorgeous and is rocking that whole hot silver-fox thing, but he’s dismissive and abrasive, which isn’t the way Wes remembers him at all. But even though Hudson’s attitude really annoys Wes, he nonetheless finds himself agreeing to accompany him to interviews in his ghost form to look for anyone whose silhouette matches that of the killer.

As Wes and Hudson start to find a way to be in each other’s orbit again, they also start to realise that they have more on their hands than ‘just’ a murder. The story takes some very unexpected twists and turns, and some huge surprises are thrown into the mix to produce a wildly entertaining, fast-moving story that will keep listeners guessing until the final chapters.

The author does a tremendous job with the world-building in this book, clearly defining the capabilities of the various supernatural characters she introduces and setting clear restrictions and boundaries. But the really compelling things about the story are the characters and the relationships she develops between them. The story is told entirely through Wes’ PoV, and I loved his snarky, quirky voice and viewpoint; he’s a complex, flawed and endearing individual who often comes across as rather immature in spite of his actual age, something which is brought home very strongly during his first meeting with Hudson in the story. But Ms. Burke does a great job of showing how his social isolation – first as a kid growing up in a hostile environment, then as a result of his immortality (as he says, the excuse of having “good genes” can only explain away his unchanging appearance for so long, so he’s had to avoid relationships for the most part) has led to his tendency to put himself first. Because of the single PoV, we don’t get into Hudson’s head, but we nonetheless see him very clearly – a dedicated cop who has seen more than he cares to remember (and worse) and who has never forgotten Wes, no matter how hard he wished he could. Meeting Hudson again makes Wes start to realise he needs to do better, and their rekindling romance is a delicious slow-burn. I loved that Wes and Hudson were still so much in tune after so many years apart – and especially that Hudson is so mindful of the way attraction and intimacy work for Wes (it’s not explicitly stated that Wes is demisexual, but that’s what I understand from reading between the lines).

The superbly written secondary cast adds colour and depth to the story which also benefits from a wonderful performance by Greg Boudreaux, who, for want of a better term, totally nails it. Everything about his narration works; the pacing is just right, all the characters are clearly differentiated and his interpretation of both leads is spot on. Wes is lively, funny and snarky while Hudson is the voice of reason most of the time, his deep, matter-of-fact tone hiding a dry sense of humour that starts to come out as he and Wes begin to reconnect. He conveys the strength of their connection extremely well, leaving no doubt as to the nature of their feelings for each other, effortlessly taking listeners with him through the highs and lows of the story, whether he’s bringing the funny or bringing a lump to the throat in the more intense, emotional moments.

The main plotline in Not Dead Yet is wrapped up by the end and we leave Wes and Hudson in a good place – but there are some very intriguing threads left over for book two, Give Up the Ghost. It goes without saying I will of course be snapping it up as soon as it’s released!