Dead First by Johnny Compton is a moody, genre-blending horror that has a truly killer premise, a private investigator hired by a man who can’t die. The story is equally supernatural thriller as well as detective noir, with an eerie atmosphere to boot.
When private investigator Shyla Sinclair is invited to the looming mansion of eccentric billionaire Saxton Braith, she’s more than a little suspicious. The last thing she expects to see that night is Braith’s assistant driving an iron rod straight through the back of his skull. Scratch that—the last thing she expects to see is Braith’s resurrection afterward.
Braith can’t die, it turns out, but he has no explanation for his immortality, and very few intact memories of his past. Which is why he wants to pay Shyla millions to investigate him, and bring his long-buried history to light.
Shyla can’t help but be intrigued, but she’s also trapped by the offer. Braith has made it clear that he knows she’s the only person he can trust with his secret, because he knows all about hers.
Dead First has a fresh premise and a truly eerie atmosphere that hits a bunch of the right notes. Taking the concept of a private investigator hired by a billionaire who can’t die was enough to draw me in. As a fan of horror stories as well as mysteries, this blend of the two penned by Bram Stoker award nominated author Johnny Compton to create a supernatural/noir hybrid was something I could not let pass me by.
While the plot itself, along with the creepy mansion-mystery vibe had me going and kept me curious to find out more, but what we end up getting just didn’t land for me as well as I had hopes for. The execution fell short of the stellar premise. The pacing dragged on in places, some plot threads felt a bit loose, and the payoff didn’t feel as strong as the setup. This all made for someone let down by the end. As someone who typically enjoys Compton’s work, personally loved Spite House, this was not a paragraph I wanted to write.
While I admired the ambition and unique plot of Dead First, the pacing and payoff didn’t quite work for me. Johnny Compton crafts a solid, imaginative read, just one that doesn’t realize the potential of the intriguing setup. However, as with most stories this is objective and still recommend horror fans give this novel a read.
Dead First hits bookstores everywhere on February 10, 2025 from G.P. Putnam’s Sons. The audiobook is available for preorder via Libro.fm!
