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Nod Blake Mysteries #1
Corpses Say The Darndest Things
An alternate cover edition can be found here.
It was a simple job, babysitting really; keep surveillance on the minister's wife until she went safely to bed. Then all hell broke loose!
The death of Katherine Delp, wife of Chicago's biggest, most beloved televangelist is only the beginning. Someone is homiciding their way through the congregation of the Temple of Majesty Church and, thanks to his eager and awkward young secretary, private eye Nod Blake, an aging throwback to a by-gone era of detecting on the mean streets or, in other words, a dinosaur that hasn't got the memo that he is extinct who, yeah, sometimes thinks he's Bogart, George Raft, and Lee Marvin rolled into one, has been dumped in the middle of it all. Not just dumped, but dumped on his head. The resulting injuries have, somehow, opened the door to the here-after. Dead people, Blake believes, are talking to him. Are the victim's really begging the last gumshoe for help from the other side of the grave? Is he hallucinating? Or has he lost his friggin' mind? When his nemesis, police Detective Lieutenant Wenders finds evidence that Blake is the murderer, the private dick's life becomes a great big soup sandwich.
Corpses Say the Darndest Things, a paranormal murder mystery (with a sly sense of humor) set in 1979 Chicago, where a maniacal killer on the loose in The Windy City... is the good news.
It was a simple job, babysitting really; keep surveillance on the minister's wife until she went safely to bed. Then all hell broke loose!
The death of Katherine Delp, wife of Chicago's biggest, most beloved televangelist is only the beginning. Someone is homiciding their way through the congregation of the Temple of Majesty Church and, thanks to his eager and awkward young secretary, private eye Nod Blake, an aging throwback to a by-gone era of detecting on the mean streets or, in other words, a dinosaur that hasn't got the memo that he is extinct who, yeah, sometimes thinks he's Bogart, George Raft, and Lee Marvin rolled into one, has been dumped in the middle of it all. Not just dumped, but dumped on his head. The resulting injuries have, somehow, opened the door to the here-after. Dead people, Blake believes, are talking to him. Are the victim's really begging the last gumshoe for help from the other side of the grave? Is he hallucinating? Or has he lost his friggin' mind? When his nemesis, police Detective Lieutenant Wenders finds evidence that Blake is the murderer, the private dick's life becomes a great big soup sandwich.
Corpses Say the Darndest Things, a paranormal murder mystery (with a sly sense of humor) set in 1979 Chicago, where a maniacal killer on the loose in The Windy City... is the good news.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 12, 2013
554 people are currently reading
567 people want to read
About the author
Doug Lamoreux
45 books57 followersDoug is a writer, actor, and horror film historian. His newest novel, 'Saucy Jacky: The Whitechapel Murders as told by Jack the Ripper' is now available on Amazon from Creativia Publishing.
The first-ever Igor Award winner from The Horror Society, a former Pushcart Prize and Rondo Award nominee, Doug is the author of When the Tik-Tik Sings, the Amazon #1 best selling Apparition Lake, Obsidian Tears, The Devil's Bed, the Amazon #1 best selling Dracula's Demeter (2012 Lord Ruthven Award nominee), The Melting Dead, the Amazon #1 best selling Corpses Say the Darndest Things: A Nod Blake Mystery, Red Herrings Can't Swim: A Nod Blake Mystery, and Seven for the Slab: A Horror Portmanteau. He contributed to the Rondo nominee Horror 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies, the Rondo winning follow-up Hidden Horror, Animals Attack, and the up-coming Vampires Suck.
He appeared in the horror films The Thirsting (aka Lilith) with Mickey Rooney and Tina Krause, and Hag with Ari Lehman. He starred in Peter O'Keefe's film, Infidel. His novel, Dracula's Demeter is being adapted as a feature by ThunderBall Films.
Doug drinks too much coffee. Come and tell him so on Facebook and Twitter!
The first-ever Igor Award winner from The Horror Society, a former Pushcart Prize and Rondo Award nominee, Doug is the author of When the Tik-Tik Sings, the Amazon #1 best selling Apparition Lake, Obsidian Tears, The Devil's Bed, the Amazon #1 best selling Dracula's Demeter (2012 Lord Ruthven Award nominee), The Melting Dead, the Amazon #1 best selling Corpses Say the Darndest Things: A Nod Blake Mystery, Red Herrings Can't Swim: A Nod Blake Mystery, and Seven for the Slab: A Horror Portmanteau. He contributed to the Rondo nominee Horror 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies, the Rondo winning follow-up Hidden Horror, Animals Attack, and the up-coming Vampires Suck.
He appeared in the horror films The Thirsting (aka Lilith) with Mickey Rooney and Tina Krause, and Hag with Ari Lehman. He starred in Peter O'Keefe's film, Infidel. His novel, Dracula's Demeter is being adapted as a feature by ThunderBall Films.
Doug drinks too much coffee. Come and tell him so on Facebook and Twitter!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
July 30, 2020
With a wise cracking detective who is trying to catch a murderer, the plot was actually great fun all the way. The premise itself was rock solid and it made the story very enjoyable. Enjoyed the twists and turns which kept it unpredictable till the very end.
December 9, 2022
This was not a great book, but it was a free book, and it served in the little gaps of time over the past week.
I found several quite enjoyable lines within. However, I was disappointed by the introduction of the supranatural, found a few moments to be unnecessarily crude, guessed whodreallydunnit early on, thought the book in general could have used another edit/polish. At one point I considered not finishing this book, or giving it a one or two star review.
In the end I have decided that it's a 2.5 star book, rounded down to an "it was okay." The fun lines which would not be strangers in crime dramas of the 40s or 50s did a lot to keep me reading. I suspect the author and I have enjoyed a number of the same stories.
I found several quite enjoyable lines within. However, I was disappointed by the introduction of the supranatural, found a few moments to be unnecessarily crude, guessed whodreallydunnit early on, thought the book in general could have used another edit/polish. At one point I considered not finishing this book, or giving it a one or two star review.
In the end I have decided that it's a 2.5 star book, rounded down to an "it was okay." The fun lines which would not be strangers in crime dramas of the 40s or 50s did a lot to keep me reading. I suspect the author and I have enjoyed a number of the same stories.
May 22, 2021
Yes, reviewers have all mentioned the comedic parts of this book but I still thought I'd give it a go as I don't mind comedy with my murder, just not very much of it. However, the author has put in little amusing asides and similes on almost every paragraph, and it's way too much. I like comedy with murder, he clearly prefers murder with comedy, or perhaps the other way round.....you get my drift, I'm sure.
A pity as the story sounded like one I'd really enjoy and it's set in 1979, a year I remember.
I did get quite the kick out of the author's take on the usual disclaimer in this one.......that is highly amusing and I bet many overlook that.
But all these other asides were already getting on my nerves by page 9 when he wrote about being as beat as Grandma's rug. I reached page 15 and he writes, "Did I mention Lisa wanted to be a detective ? Yeah, well, she did. Like Ahab wanted fish for dinner...." and I'd seen enough. I'd have probably loved it if he pulled back on being a comic and stuck more with being a writer but I'm really not a fan of comic books in the least.
This is the 3rd book I've started on the bounce by new authors to me but think my next read will be somebody tried 'n' tested.
Oh, and I hadn't seen one mistake before I packed it in, which usually merits an extra star, but I make it a rule that if I give up before reaching 10% then it has to be 1* only.
A pity as the story sounded like one I'd really enjoy and it's set in 1979, a year I remember.
I did get quite the kick out of the author's take on the usual disclaimer in this one.......that is highly amusing and I bet many overlook that.
But all these other asides were already getting on my nerves by page 9 when he wrote about being as beat as Grandma's rug. I reached page 15 and he writes, "Did I mention Lisa wanted to be a detective ? Yeah, well, she did. Like Ahab wanted fish for dinner...." and I'd seen enough. I'd have probably loved it if he pulled back on being a comic and stuck more with being a writer but I'm really not a fan of comic books in the least.
This is the 3rd book I've started on the bounce by new authors to me but think my next read will be somebody tried 'n' tested.
Oh, and I hadn't seen one mistake before I packed it in, which usually merits an extra star, but I make it a rule that if I give up before reaching 10% then it has to be 1* only.
November 4, 2018
This book is a throwback to the old noir movies like Maltese Falcon or The Big Sleep. In this book the hard-boiled private detective is hired to check into threats against a celebrity preacher and his wife. All of a sudden, bodies start stacking up and guess who is the lead suspect? Yep, our hero. There's a sassy secretary, a gorgeous damsel in distress, a few smarmy suspects, and pretty much everything this kind of story requires. One criticism, and it probably won't bother most people, but it did bother me. The private eye all of a sudden develops the ability to see what really happened just by touching people. Probably got hit in the head one time too many. Anyway, instead of actually solving the crime like all good gumshoes should, by sneaking around and interviewind unsavory characters, this one just gets the solutions flashed into his head. Kinda cheating in my view.
March 21, 2018
Hilarious and fast who done it
This book was off the chart FUNNY and the mystery was fast paced and well written. Great details. Witty zingers. I couldn't put it down until I finished. A recommended read.
This book was off the chart FUNNY and the mystery was fast paced and well written. Great details. Witty zingers. I couldn't put it down until I finished. A recommended read.
January 9, 2025
Good story
Good story, that kept me entertained from the start. The writing was good, as were the characters and I will be reading more from this author
Good story, that kept me entertained from the start. The writing was good, as were the characters and I will be reading more from this author
December 11, 2023
⭐️⭐️
I wanted something funny, not boring…
It had potential, but was extremely wordy and I figured out who-dun-it by about chapter 7.
The detective didn’t figure it out until chapter 31.
I wanted something funny, not boring…
It had potential, but was extremely wordy and I figured out who-dun-it by about chapter 7.
The detective didn’t figure it out until chapter 31.
January 2, 2014
Doug Lamoreux is fast becoming one of my favorite horror authors. He already had me well hooked with his three previous novels: The Devil’s Bed, The Melting Dead and Dracula’s Demeter. I read each of these three in less than two days. If life hadn’t stepped in the way I probably would have raced through in less than one. As soon as I learned there was something new out by Lamoreux, I raced over to Amazon, intrigued by the title ‘Corpses Say the Darndest Things’. This story definitely has elements of horror, but it’s different from the other three in that it has a lighter, almost comedic, side that I found refreshing.
Katherine Delp is the wife of Chicago’s biggest, most popular, televangelist. Nod Blake is a private investigator who is hired—against his wishes through his over-eager secretary—to keep an eye on the soon-to-be-dead Mrs Delp. But her death is only the beginning, and the person who stands at the top of the police suspect list is Blake himself. This is only the beginning of Blake’s problems however. A nasty bump on the head seems to have opened a door for murdered victims to communicate with him, and they do so by forcing Blake to live through their murders as if he is the one being killed, feeling every second of their pain as they died.
I chuckled through some parts, enjoying the sharp wit of this old style detective story, while flinching through others. The plot remained complex, the characters 3D and fun to follow, as we watch Blake try to get to the truth of what’s taking place. The scenes where he experienced the murders personally were well-written, realistic and definitely able to make me cringe. Every time I thought I knew who the killer was, another bump was placed in the road, tossing everything back up into the air again. I enjoy trying to play the ‘who did it’ game with mystery detective stories, but I admit the twists and turns in this one kept me guessing right up until the end. A fast and fun read that I think fans of horror and mystery will both enjoy.
Katherine Delp is the wife of Chicago’s biggest, most popular, televangelist. Nod Blake is a private investigator who is hired—against his wishes through his over-eager secretary—to keep an eye on the soon-to-be-dead Mrs Delp. But her death is only the beginning, and the person who stands at the top of the police suspect list is Blake himself. This is only the beginning of Blake’s problems however. A nasty bump on the head seems to have opened a door for murdered victims to communicate with him, and they do so by forcing Blake to live through their murders as if he is the one being killed, feeling every second of their pain as they died.
I chuckled through some parts, enjoying the sharp wit of this old style detective story, while flinching through others. The plot remained complex, the characters 3D and fun to follow, as we watch Blake try to get to the truth of what’s taking place. The scenes where he experienced the murders personally were well-written, realistic and definitely able to make me cringe. Every time I thought I knew who the killer was, another bump was placed in the road, tossing everything back up into the air again. I enjoy trying to play the ‘who did it’ game with mystery detective stories, but I admit the twists and turns in this one kept me guessing right up until the end. A fast and fun read that I think fans of horror and mystery will both enjoy.
December 9, 2014
Non-stop wit: Tremendous imagery… in this book you are along for the ride inside the head of an irreverent, wise-cracking private eye on the trail of a murderer or two. It’s a solid who-done-it with a good twist in its tale. There’s a dash of the supernatural, which our down-to-earth, straight shooting (although gun-less) hero is completely unsuited to dealing with. There’s a whole lot of great stuff here: The depiction of his mother is brilliant. The clashes with an adversarial detective. Nod Blake’s assistant, our heroine, makes this book in the end… This is a terrific read – had me flicking pages, chuckling all the while, and powering on to find out what was going to happen next.
July 19, 2015
Crafty and slick
This book reminded me of an old detective movie when it points to the seemingly obvious person to be the killer and you find out it is the person who seemed above reproach. A great story with psychic flashes from an unexpected source.
This book reminded me of an old detective movie when it points to the seemingly obvious person to be the killer and you find out it is the person who seemed above reproach. A great story with psychic flashes from an unexpected source.
August 11, 2015
Good but painful
Story was good, could use less of the old detective type talk. Painful because this guy is constantly in need of Tylenol for good reasons. Don't know how he kept moving, but he did.
Story was good, could use less of the old detective type talk. Painful because this guy is constantly in need of Tylenol for good reasons. Don't know how he kept moving, but he did.
May 21, 2016
What an interesting book this was to read. Not normally my favorite genre but I found the author to have such sarcasm and humor that it made this book a fun read. I will post a full review of the book here shortly! ~J
July 18, 2016
Wow! A real live gumshoe solving a mystery that isn't of the paint-by-number variety. I really enjoyed reading this well-written book...and almost want to kick myself for saying so, but it would make a fantastic movie!
September 3, 2016
Great story
As far as detective novels go, this one is really different. I liked the poor man and wishes he wasn't always getting beat to a pulp. Very interesting idea about his visions.
Does have some rude language, but I still give it five stars.
As far as detective novels go, this one is really different. I liked the poor man and wishes he wasn't always getting beat to a pulp. Very interesting idea about his visions.
Does have some rude language, but I still give it five stars.
February 12, 2015
enjoyable read. witty
December 2, 2015
I enjoyed this book. Found it hard to put down. I liked the style and would like to read more about the adventures of Blake.
March 2, 2016
Wow!
What a fun read! I loved every minute of this writing style. You just have to read it with a smile on your face. I highly recommend this book.
What a fun read! I loved every minute of this writing style. You just have to read it with a smile on your face. I highly recommend this book.
September 2, 2016
Cool idea that has been better executed and realized many times over. Especially for stories of its type set in Chicago. Still enjoyable. Just realize we've been here before.
November 24, 2016
Ha! Quite a roller coaster ride! Not exactly a para psychic book, but definitely visited by "the other world" with a bit of Sam Spade mixed in! A fun read!
January 9, 2019
I just read this book for the second time. It lost nothing in the second reading! If you are a fan of the hard-boiled detective genre, then this book will make you happy!
Complete with fisticuffs, sexy dames, a good whodunit and some truly scary moments, the story does not disappoint. Mix that in with some horrifying paranormal activity and you have a book you won't want to put down!
Corpses truly do say the darndest things, and lucky for them, they have Nod Blake to help them out.
It gets 5 stars from me, because it was good enough to read twice and I know I'll enjoy it again in the future!
He also writes horror, and while it is not my cup of tea, so to speak, if his horror novels are anything near this good, you'll love them as well. Go check out all the works of Doug Lamoreux!
Complete with fisticuffs, sexy dames, a good whodunit and some truly scary moments, the story does not disappoint. Mix that in with some horrifying paranormal activity and you have a book you won't want to put down!
Corpses truly do say the darndest things, and lucky for them, they have Nod Blake to help them out.
It gets 5 stars from me, because it was good enough to read twice and I know I'll enjoy it again in the future!
He also writes horror, and while it is not my cup of tea, so to speak, if his horror novels are anything near this good, you'll love them as well. Go check out all the works of Doug Lamoreux!
May 9, 2022
Here’s a “Nod” to “Blake”
I read both books in the Nod Blake mystery series, and loved them. It is everything I want in novels. The way the stories are told, the main characters, the antagonists, the scene settings, and the plots. I did find the bad guy in the first story fairly quick; but struggled in the second story, and talk about the twist and turns. Wildly unpredictable. The highlights for me was the sarcasm and humor. The lowlights are that Blake never seems to eat or sleep. I also liked the lack of repetition of verbiage common in series books; or that it was spread out and sprinkled in where it made sense. Both stories are well worth your time and money.
I read both books in the Nod Blake mystery series, and loved them. It is everything I want in novels. The way the stories are told, the main characters, the antagonists, the scene settings, and the plots. I did find the bad guy in the first story fairly quick; but struggled in the second story, and talk about the twist and turns. Wildly unpredictable. The highlights for me was the sarcasm and humor. The lowlights are that Blake never seems to eat or sleep. I also liked the lack of repetition of verbiage common in series books; or that it was spread out and sprinkled in where it made sense. Both stories are well worth your time and money.
July 7, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is written with the flair of an old gumshoe novel of yesteryear. As I read, I could hear the Humphrey Bogart-type voice of a narrator escorting me along the captivating story. This novel is suspenseful and interlaced with a lair of sarcastic humor, which keeps you chuckling along with the sloughing element of the read. The style of this author is unique and entertaining, and it keeps the reader turning the pages and enjoying every sentence. It is well written with fully developed characters who take a life of their own. The suspense keeps mounting along with every paragraph. I look forward to reading more books by Doug Lamoreux.-- Julie Belmont, author of Bad Blood in the Bayou-Framed.
May 26, 2019
I finished this book while my husband was playing golf today. It was a fun read with twists and turns about a televangelist whose wife is having an affair. Wife turns up dead and subsequently her young lover as well. Nod Blake is hired by the televangelist's secretary to solve the murder but it is just smoke and mirrors on her part. The book is humorous with many witty sayings throughout. I selected it from my Fussy Librarian feed based on its cute title.
October 26, 2019
This is one of those dry witted detective novels that you can’t help but read with a smirk on your lips. The banter between characters is superb & unpredictable. Blake is no ordinary private eye & takes on the murder of Katherine Delp with a laid back approach which tends to get him into hot water on quite a few occasions. Fun, well-written & an intriguing plot see this novel fully deserving five stars.
February 15, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. The sassy detective banter reminded me of a Micky Spillane=s Mike Hammer, character. The mystery was puzzling and there were many suspects to choose from. Nod (learn the mystery of his name) was likable and fallible, which endeared him to me. It was fast moving and did not require much deep thought to enjoy the Mega Church evangelist and the cast of characters that contributed to clues about his wife's murder. Enjoy!
October 7, 2018
A gunshot with a one track mind, getting framed for multiple murders, doggedly following the clues til he solves the crimes.
Doug Lamoreux can write a gritty detective story filled with solid characters that you can see, and scenes right out of an old movie. A solid novel to be enjoyed another time around.
Doug Lamoreux can write a gritty detective story filled with solid characters that you can see, and scenes right out of an old movie. A solid novel to be enjoyed another time around.
January 5, 2019
Great read
Through and through a great read. Like the classic noir detectives, Blake has a lingo that echoes of his time. Set at the tail end of the seventies instead of the thirties, this tale hits all the marks of a great detective tale mixed with the future of urban fantasy. Looking forward to more Blake, don't use his first name.
Through and through a great read. Like the classic noir detectives, Blake has a lingo that echoes of his time. Set at the tail end of the seventies instead of the thirties, this tale hits all the marks of a great detective tale mixed with the future of urban fantasy. Looking forward to more Blake, don't use his first name.
September 2, 2024
Ok story that had great potential. The characters were not well developed, I didn’t understand the characters’ motivations and backgrounds. The setting is great, you cannot beat 1979 era Chicago for atmosphere. The prose was good but lacking description of key action sequences. I wanted more but there is a lot to like.
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December 1, 2025Super Quirky Murder Mystery...
This was a great, well written murder mystery! Great characters, great location, and great story! Hard to put down, a very compelling read... Would recommend to murder mystery buffs, has some swear words and gory details but still a great story... 5 Stars from me... 😄
This was a great, well written murder mystery! Great characters, great location, and great story! Hard to put down, a very compelling read... Would recommend to murder mystery buffs, has some swear words and gory details but still a great story... 5 Stars from me... 😄
November 10, 2018
Book Noir
Being a fan of film noir I loved this book's style. The stories hero got the crap beat out of him so much in such a short period of time that it was hard to believe he was still capable of walking by the end of the story. A hell of a way to earn a living.
Being a fan of film noir I loved this book's style. The stories hero got the crap beat out of him so much in such a short period of time that it was hard to believe he was still capable of walking by the end of the story. A hell of a way to earn a living.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews