Dead Set: A Novel

Publication: 29th October 2013
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Pages: 320
Genre: Fantasy/Mythology
Age Appropriate: Young Adult
Buy It: Amazon Barnes & Noble The Book Depository

After her father’s funeral, Zoe and her mother moved to the Big City to start over. But life’s not so easy, the money is tight, and a new school brings trials. Fortunately, she has an escape: her dreams. A world of freedom and solace removed from the loneliness and anxieties of real life, Zoe's dreamscape offers another, more precious, gift: It is the only place where she can spend time with her closest companion — her lost brother Valentine.

Yet something is very wrong. An unfamliar — and univited — presence has entered her private realm to threaten Zoe and Valentine, a disturbing turn of events that is compounded by an impossible discovery. A chance encounter at a used record store where the grooves of the vinyl discs hold not music, but lost souls, has opened up a portal to the world of the restless dead. Now, the shop’s strange proprietor is offering Zoe the chance to commune with the father whose passing took a piece of her heart. The price? A lock of hair. Then a tooth. Then...

How far into this eerie world will Zoe go to discover what she truly needs? And once she does, will there be enough left of her to come back?

My Thoughts.

Dead Set is Richard's first foray into the YA genre, and what a fantastic debut it is, full of intrigue and nail-biting tension that will have you on the edge of your seat as you travel along with Zoe on her journey.

Richard has crafted an originally fresh and exciting read, which culminates in this story all being fit into a stand alone novel which seems to be rare these days.

Zoe and her Mother have moved to a new town after the death of her Father, money is very tight and Zoe and her Mother aren't getting along at all.

One day while skipping school, Zoe finds herself at a store that sells vinyl records, but these aren't normal records, each has the soul of a deceased person stuck in them and one of them has the soul of her Father.

To constantly keep visiting her Father, Emmett the store owner as payment requests first a lock of hair, then a tooth, some of Zoe's blood etc.

When she finds herself in Iphigene the place where lost souls end up including Zoe's Father and brother Valentine she discovers that it's ruled by Hecate (from Egyptian mythology) and she uses the souls to feed her children (her snakes and dogs) and has also stolen the sun which has left Iphigene in total darkness 24/7.

But when Hecate discovers the presence of a living girl she'll stop at nothing to catch Zoe and set in motion her nefarious plans, it ends up becoming a race against time for Zoe to find her way home, and keep her Father and brother safe in the process.

A great mix of paranormal and Egyptian mythology creates an intriguing story that you will find hard to put down once you immerse yourself in this world that Richard has created.

I give this 4/5 Stars.

Richard Kadrey is a freelance writer living in San Francisco. He is the author of dozens of stories, plus ten novels, including Sandman Slim, Kill the Dead, Aloha from Hell, Devil Said Bang, Kill City Blues, Metrophage and Butcher Bird. His Wired magazine cover story, Carbon Copy, was made into one of the worst movies of 2001. It starred Bridget Fonda. Sorry, Bridget.

He has been immortalized as an action figure. “Kadray [sic]: The Invincible Wizard” was a villain in an episode of the Blackstar animated TV series.

Kadrey created and wrote the Vertigo comics mini-series ACCELERATE, which was illustrated by the Pander Brothers. He plans to do more comic work in the near future.

He has written and spoken about art, culture and technology for Wired, The San Francisco Chronicle, Discovery Online, The Site, SXSW and Wired For Sex on the G4 cable network.

Richard has no qualifications for anything he does.

You can also find Richard online here: