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Don of the Dead (Pepper Martin Mysteries, No. 1): A Pepper Martin Mystery Kindle Edition

by Casey Daniels (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.2 131 ratings

Part of: Pepper Martin Mysteries (10 books)

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She sees dead people

Beautiful, smart, and chic, Pepper Martin never had to work a day in her life -- until her surgeon daddy was convicted of fraud, her wealthy fiancé took a powder, and the family fortune ran bone dry.

Suddenly desperate, the inexperienced ex-rich girl was forced to take the only job she could get: as a tour guide in a cemetery. But a grave situation took a turn for the worse when a head-on collision with a headstone left her with an unwanted ability to communicate with the disgruntled deceased . . . and now Pepper has a whacked Mafia don demanding that she hunt down his killers -- and threatening to haunt her until she does.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Combining elements of a cozy mystery and a paranormal romance, this debut aims for fresh and sassy; while it delivers fare both conventional and canned, it's redeemed in the end. The book's big flaw is its unappealing protagonist, Pepper Martin, a cemetery tour guide in Cleveland who thinks her best asset is her big chest. She wields the power of the twins often while investigating the death of former mob boss Gus Scarpetti—at the behest of the wise guy himself. Ever since Pepper hit her head on Gus's mausoleum, she's been able to see and talk to his ghost. Pepper would rather nab a job in Saks's shoe department and a handsome man with deep pockets than turn amateur sleuth. But in the absence of Prince Charming, she settles for investigating Gus's 30-year-old murder and lusting after a gorgeous cop and an enigmatic brain doctor. Without an engaging voice, the first third of the book drags; when it heats up, though, the carefully woven mystery helps compensate for what Pepper lacks, as does the well-defined and likable Gus. Indeed, despite some plot holes and flimsy characterizations, Daniels pulls the mystery together in the end, showing promise for a better book two. (May 30)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“There’s not a ghost of a chance you’ll be able to put this book down. Write faster, Casey Daniels.”

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000WCWV8A
Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow Paperbacks (October 13, 2009)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 13, 2009
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2163 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 339 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #781,247 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #1,013 in Women's Detective Fiction
- #5,446 in Ghost Mysteries
- #9,426 in Vampire Romances

Customer Reviews:
4.2 131 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5

131 global ratings

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Gregg Hierholzer

Awesome Series. This is book one of many

Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2013

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I have read all the novels by Casey Daniel (You can find her on facebook). I love the Pepper Martin Series as who wouldn't love to be able to speak to the dead. Well in this case it is Pepper, she doesn't want the talent but apparently after a minor mishap with fashion meets mausoleum wall she finds out she is receptive to the dead and their wishes.

It is both funny, and educational, many times I have been able to figure out who did the deed but not why, then it becomes clear. Other times I knew who did it only to find out I was completely wrong. So even if you think you are a great sleuth give these books a read they are both fun and entertaining and Casey is such an awesome author to speak with on facebook.

One person found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Enjoyable

Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2022

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Cute/enjoyed /fun to read story. Likeable characters.
I enjoy this series. Wish the entire series were available in ebook. I would love to have them all.

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Howard B. Holliday

Just read for the pure joy.

Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2012

Verified Purchase

A very interning book, lots of fun about a very serious subject. This is about an investigator before she knew she was an investigator. A lot of book are just like an appetizer and others your want to save for the main meal, but this book is a very, very good dessert that you want to get to first. No need to nit pick this book, just sit down and injoy a good read. bon appetit

Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2006

Verified Purchase

Who hasn't wondered what it would be like to see a ghost? Well, maybe not Pepper Martin, whose existential thoughts revolve around Prada, Armani and finding a hot guy with a bank account. Then Pepper "stumbles" on to a world she'd rather not think about. Talk about a reluctant sleuth?

I was hooked from page one. I love the premise, the plot, and the colorful characters. I laughed my way through the book and can't wait for the second. Thanks, Casey Daniels, for a cozy series to look forward to.

One person found this helpful

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Janice King

Don of the Dead

Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2013

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This book was an easy read. While I might not recommend it to others, I would probably read another by the author.

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Jacquie Lee

Thoroughly enjoy this series

Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2014

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I started with a more recent book, then went back and got all of the series and read them in order.
These are interesting, fun books that take unexpected twists and turns.

Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2016

Verified Purchase

I was looking up something else and stumbled on to this book. It is very well written and reads easily and is compelling... in a light sort of way. I read heavy material often and this was a wonderful " vacation "..I'm looking forward to the second book of the series...

One person found this helpful

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DJ

A Really Fun Read

Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2017

Verified Purchase

This book was wonderful. The characters were delightful. The dialogue engaging and the story fun to read. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.

One person found this helpful

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AyJay

Who you gonna call?

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 9, 2011

Verified Purchase

Penelope 'Pepper' Martin is a upper middle class society princess, who doesn't need something as silly as a job. Or rather, she was until her plastic surgeon father is sent to prison for embezzlement and her embarrassed mother promptly leaves the state. To add even more insult to injury her fiance dumps her like a hot potato as a direct result of this, as he doesn't want to marry a common penniless jailbird's daughter [not spoilers, both are on the back cover blurb].

With no family or friends to lean on for support Pepper has to leave her old lifestyle behind and enter the real world. She rents a small apartment and takes the only job she can find - a tour guide at Cleveland's Garden View Cemetery.

But Pepper's life has got a little bit further to fall yet. Literally. Whilst giving a tour one day Pepper takes a tumble and whacks her head on the steps in front of the mausoleum of infamous gangster Gus Scarpetti. Once she returns to work at the cemetery after her tumble she says goodbye to her sanity as she makes the acquaintance of Gus himself.

Gus has spent the thirty years since his unsolved murder waiting for someone to aid him with solving the crime and now he has Pepper firmly in his sight and won't take no as an answer...

I wasn't expecting too much from a story centering around a former pampered princess, who uses her boobs and flirting to get out of tight spots, rather then use her brain. And as for whacking your head and being able to see and communicate with a ghost as a result? Yes, I know that this is termed as 'light fluff' and it's not meant to be realistic and everything, but I was still rolling my eyes before I'd even started DON OF THE DEAD.

This book is in first person so obviously the narrator is the most important character here, with that said lets take a look. Pepper is a former pampered society princess, but she is made likable by the fact that she is fully aware of the fact that she can be shallow and is a bit on the dim side. Still - despite of her self awareness - it did take me a few chapters to warm to her and the author herself doesn't make it easy at times. The biggest example of this is how over the length of the book the author repeatedly informs me that Pepper owns a 38C chest and that men like boobs. Now I'm not trying to brag or anything, but I make her look flat chested and I can attest that [most] men don't go all glazed eyed, drool and/or talk to my cleavage. There's nothing wrong with flirting to get out of a tight spot per say, but when it's repeatedly used as her go-to solution to a problem Pepper starts to come of as a flake.

But as I said it's hard to be dislike someone who displays self awareness and don't forget that she is unfairly paying for other peoples actions. She freely admits to being out of her depth and being frightened; for example the times that she does make a dumb move [e.g. driving into a cul-de-sac whilst being followed] that would usually make me growl in frustration, she will call herself dumb and will simply admit that she panicked. I mean who wouldn't panic and make a rash decision [or two] if they found themselves in the situations she does? I also love that Pepper doesn't stomp her feet and whine on about her father being framed or anything like that; the only one time that she thinks about his incarceration she acknowledges that he is greedy and is paying the price for it.

She doesn't simply hit her head, see Gus and decide to help him move on; the book does display a bit of realism in how Pepper - after a hospital visit and realising that she isn't hallucinating - refuses to get involved in something so dangerous, that she knows nothing about. From here Gus refuses to leave her alone and piles on the guilt, until she is worn down. If I were in her place I'd give in and try to help him solve his murder too, so the author has done a good job in this aspect.

Speaking of Gus; well, there really isn't too much to say. Agustino 'Gus' Scarpetti is a mafia don and proud of it. There are times when he drops the gruff attitude and shows us that he does seem to care about Pepper's well being and safety, but at the end of the day he has told her to do something and she is a woman, so she better had meekly go and do it. His character is surprisingly not on every other page, even though his character is central to the main plot. We know that he isn't tied to the cemetery, but we never learn what he has been doing all of these years - the author really shouldn't have dug that hole and the left it.

Whilst parts of the book are played out for laughs the author has portrayed the mafia - as well as Gus - in a realistic light: sexist murderers and other unpleasantness. The contrast between the hi jinks and ridiculous premise, with the playing-it-straight murder mystery is abrupt and that makes it more shocking, and that in turn leaves a lasting impression. For the most part I found the mystery surrounding Gus's murder to be well done; I worked everything out at the same Pepper laid out all of the clues and pieced everything together. The only negative I have to say is that I thought that the pacing was a bit uneven and the plot did drag a bit in the middle as Pepper works alone for the majority of the story. I'd have liked Gus to be involved a bit more, so Pepper would have had someone to bounce ideas off and keep everything a bit more lively.

DON OF THE DEAD does feature multiple love interests - like every other female lead book series these days. There isn't any romance is this book through, doctor/medical researcher Dan and homicide detective Quinn take back seats to allow central character Pepper to be fleshed out, and to allow the mystery of Gus' death to take centre stage.

By the end of the book I still don't know a lot about them, save that Pepper meets Dan whilst having a check up and Quinn in a crime museum, that is attached to a police station. Oh Yeah - they both are hiding big secrets from her. All I've gathered is that Quinn is a typical alpha male, so I've taken an instant dislike to him.

This is where the author lets herself down; since I don't know a lot about them, I'm not particularly bothered by the promise of learning either of their Big Secrets in future books.

I did enjoy DON OF THE DEAD, despite the fact that the central character took a little while to grow on me and the murder mystery dragged a bit during the middle. Whilst there is definite room for improvement, there is also a lot of potential.

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Don of the Dead (Pepper Martin Mysteries, No. 1): A Pepper Martin Mystery Kindle Edition

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