Welcome to the world of Allie Nighthawk, corpse whisperer and bad ass zombie hunter.
The Corpse Whisperer
An Allie Nighthawk Mystery Book 1
by H.R. Boldwood
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Mystery
Zombie hunting just got wicked fun!
Welcome
to the world of Allie Nighthawk, corpse whisperer and bad ass zombie
hunter.
“If you raise deadheads, you’d better be able
to put ‘em down. Nobody said it was pretty. But in this day, when
vampires aren’t just for breakfast anymore, and the dead are
disposable pawns for necromancers, someone has to ante up. Looks like
I won the lotto. Imagine my delight. You should thank me, really,
because the world is batshit crazy.”
When the zombie
population spikes and no one knows why, it’s up to Allie to solve
the mystery. But there’s a hitch. She’s stuck babysitting Leo
Abruzzi, a zombie-bitten gangster who’s turning state’s evidence.
But the mob and a powerful necromancer will stop at nothing to take
Leo and Allie down.
Allie Nighthawk is Anita Blake on
steroids, with a fondness for leather and Jack on the rocks. She has
a healthy dose of Stephanie Plum and Rachel Morgan in her, too,
though she’d never admit it. The battle between good and evil just
got wicked fun.
Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Bookbub * Goodreads
The cemetery would be a freaking obstacle course, but Rico insisted we wait until sundown to raise our rotter. As we climbed over the retaining wall, he explained that mommies don’t want their children watching me chase decomped deadheads down Central Parkway with a flamethrower.
I get that. I got no problem being discreet. It’s not like I want to do this work in the daylight anyway. You spike one zombie’s head, the ACLU and the paparazzi are all over you like stink on a flesh-eater. Besides, biters tend to hole up during the day, since they can’t see in sunlight. Wrangling them is easier in the dark, when they’re on the prowl.
Fallen tombstones, mole holes, and titanium flower vases all vying to take out my knees are the problem. That’s why the art of negotiation comes in handy.
“Hire me,” I said as we sprinted though the headstones. “I’m tired of this independent contractor shit. I want double-time for field work, full medical coverage, and disability benefits. Call it hazardous duty pay.”
Rico stopped and swung his flashlight in my direction. “Captain Dorsey said you’ve already discussed that with him. You’re not in the budget.”
“Really, De Palma? It’s not smart to screw with the one person who can keep your ass from getting corpsified.”
“That’s Cap’s call, not mine,” Rico said, taking off with long, powerful strides toward the gravesite.
The backhoe had done the hard work. I stared at McCoy’s low-rent casket shining in the moonlight and gave Rico one last chance to bail.
“You know, this isn’t as easy as I make it look. Raising a rotter is a lot like doing a rain dance. You might get a drizzle or you might need a freaking ark. McCoy’s a freshy. He hasn’t even been dead a week. Raising him will screw with the cognitive function of his brain—the part that processes information. He won’t be capable of lying, that requires deliberation and intent. But whatever else happens is anybody’s guess. You sure you want to do this?”
“She’s six years old, Nighthawk. We don’t have a choice.”
“Open the lid.” I closed my eyes and let the power surge through me like God’s own hand.
Make no mistake, the ability to raise the dead is a God-given gift that comes with a moral obligation to protect the living and the dead. The gift itself isn’t evil, but misuse of that gift is as ugly as it gets.
The mortician had done an impressive job, given the circumstances. McCoy looked like he was napping, like his eyes could open at any moment, and he’d be confused by his surroundings. Sometimes appearances aren’t deceiving.
“Cephas Allen McCoy, in the name of God, I command you to rise!”
Cephas moaned low and steady.
I spread my hands over him and whispered a single word. “Awaken.”
Tiny rivers of light streamed from my hands into his body, causing him to pitch and thrash. Teeth clenched, limbs flailing, he sprang upright and opened his eyes—crazed, animal-like eyes that showed fear but nothing else.
He grabbed the edge of the casket and leapt to the ground above. Shit. That’s what I’d been afraid of. His muscles still had memory. The .32 he took to the heart didn’t cause peripheral tissue damage. Climbing out of that grave, for him, was no more difficult than climbing out of bed to take a leak.
We stood, face to face—almost. He looked about six-two, giving him a good eight inches on me.
“Cephas, stop!”
He froze and stared at me, like he was trying to figure out who I was, trying to use the cognitive part of his brain that no longer worked. Then he twitched.
God. I hate when they twitch.
“Cephas, where’s Twila Harris?”
He growled and drooled on my feet.
“Answer me, damn it!” I pulled the bag of barbecue chips out of my pocket, opened it, and waved it under his nose. “Tell me where she is and they’re yours.”
Rico’s eyes went wide. “Potato chips? You’ve got to be—”
“Hey. You mind? I’m working here.”
Cephas grabbed at the chips and slurred, “Duck blind on Lake Chetak. Shush…it’s a secret.”
Now for the tough question. “Is Twila still alive?”
“Yes. Yes. Pretty. Go play with her. Need to play. Need her.” His mouth quivered, and a long string of saliva that dangled from his lip bounced like a bungee cord. Then he snarled, snatched the chips out of my hand, and bolted across the cemetery.
“Ah, shit!” I took off after him, the freaking twitcher.
Corpse Whisperer Sworn
An Allie Nighthawk Mystery Book 2
Zombies, Voodoo, and Hoodoo-what would you do?
Follow Allie Nighthawk to exciting New Orleans where she raises the dead, puts down rotters, and dabbles in the mystical world of hoodoo. She’s on the trail of an evil necromancer who will stop at nothing to rule the world with his army of deadheads. Is her magick strong enough to save the day? Or will this necromancer from her past kill her before she gets the chance? She figures she’s got a fifty-fifty shot. Make that forty-sixty.
Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Bookbub * Goodreads
Life Among the Tombstones
An Allie Nighthawk Mystery Prequel
Freelance zombie hunter seeking full-time employment-benefits required.
In this prequel to The Corpse Whisperer series, financially challenged zombie hunter, Allie Nighthawk, returns to her hometown of Cincinnati and finds herself knee-deep in murder, mayhem, and zombies. Can she solve not one but two murders, and get away unscathed — when the good guys might not be so good, and a presence from her past returns for revenge?
**Get it FREE!**
Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Bookbub * Goodreads
Corpse Whisperer Torn
An Allie Nighthawk Mystery Book 3
Zombie hunting 101: Never tell your neighbors what you do for a living.
“Just
after sunrise, I jumped on my Harley and hurtled toward Templeman’s
Funeral Home, packing Hawk, my custom 9mm, a backup Glock, and a
seven-inch Ka-Bar knife—the standard-issue zombie-hunter’s tool
kit. Not that I’m standard-issue, by any stretch. I was born with
the ability to raise the dead. It’s a genetic thing. Don’t ask me
how it works. I didn’t write the playbook. I’m just living the
dream."
Allie Nighthawk faces a ghost from her past
as she explores the fascinating and historic world of Cincinnati’s
underground. When the Z-virus threatens world-wide contamination,
it’s up to Allie to save the day. Is her magick strong enough to
turn the tide? Or will doubt and inner demons stand in her way? And
will those she loves survive?
Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Bookbub * Goodreads
H.R. Boldwood, author of the Corpse Whisperer series, countless short stories, and Imadjinn Award finalist, is a writer of horror and speculative fiction. In another incarnation, Boldwood is a Pushcart Prize nominee and winner of the 2009 Bilbo Award for creative writing by Thomas More College. Boldwood’s characters are often disreputable and not to be trusted. They are kicked to the curb at every conceivable opportunity when some poor unsuspecting publisher welcomes them with open arms. No responsibility is taken by this author for the dastardly and sometimes criminal acts committed by this ragtag group of miscreants.
I think this series sounds good. I like the cover art. Looks great.
ReplyDelete