The Wrong Dead Guy

The Wrong Dead Guy picks up where The Everything Box left off, as we join a thief named Coop in his work for a shadowy government office, using his immunity to magic and ability to plot insane heists in order to save the world. This time around, Coop must outwit an ancient Egyptian mummy who curses him, an undead agent with a vendetta against him, and his overly bureaucratic boss who seems to vacillate between supporting him and measuring his head for a spot on the trophy wall.

A terrific ensemble book with kickass sidekicks — including a scientist/cat/TV/robot — The Wrong Dead Guy offers a totally different vibe from Kadrey’s Sandman Slim series, while still allowing him to indulge in hilariously snarky one-liners.

Unfortunately, the Egyptian curse (and, come to think of it, the medium’s magic as well) only came into play once or twice, which felt like a missed opportunity. Then again, with someone as characteristically unlucky by nature as Coop, maybe Kadrey just didn’t go far enough in raising the bar to make the curse noticeable amid all the other chaos.

Nonetheless, this book is great fun. Kadrey makes magic, humor, and crime mix effortlessly.