by John Scalzi
Part of The Dispatcher, book 2
First published 2021
Tony Valdez works as a Dispatcher in a world where murder victims return to life 99.99% of the time. Only natural deaths or accidents stay permanent. Financial pressures have pushed Tony toward increasingly questionable assignments. When he witnesses a crime that goes badly wrong, people in his circle start dying for good. These permanent deaths point suspicion directly at him. Tony must uncover who is killing people in ways that bypass the usual resurrection rules. The investigation becomes a race against time. He needs to protect potential victims while clearing his own name. The police grow more suspicious as the body count rises. Tony discovers that someone has found a method to make murders look like natural deaths. This knowledge puts his own life at risk.
Genres: science-fiction, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, race-against-time
192 pages · Hardcover · Subterranean Press
Content warnings: murder, violence