We meet Arthur who has a seemingly perfect life and then the next thing he knows he’s hiding from the bad guy that blew his world away by shooting Arthur and his wife. Arthur slowly recovers but revenge is always in the forefront in his mind. This is a new feeling and want for Arthur and he puts it to the bullet that was dug from his brain…new thought but not entirely unwelcome and so Arthur begins to use his computer skills and some new friends to set in action a plan that may just finish the job that the shooter started…but does it really matter? He knows that he’s “Dead Anyway”. I thoroughly enjoyed the intricacies of the plot. It was witty and cleverly done and kept me guessing throughout yet the resolution of the storyline was weirdly believable. Not a heavy mystery but it was fun watching Arthur work. ( )

This was a ridiculously improbable plot that was really a very entertaining read. There are two more in the series and they are now in my to read list. ( )

From Goodreads:
Imagine this: You have a nice life. You love your beautiful, successful wife. You're an easygoing guy working out of your comfortable Connecticut home. The world is an interesting, pleasant place.

Then in seconds it's all gone. You're still alive, but the world thinks you're dead. And now you have to decide. Make it official, or go after the evil that took it all away from you.

Arthur Cathcart, market researcher and occasional finder of missing persons, decides to live on a fight, by doing what he knows best - figuring things out, without revealing his status as a living breathing human being. Much easier said than done in a post- 9/11 world, where everything about yourself and all the tools you need to live a modern life are an open book. How do you become a different person, how do you finance an elaborate scheme without revealing yourself? How do you force a reckoning with the worst people on earth, as a dead man?

My Thoughts:
I liked this book quite well, it was quick to get rolling and dive into the action. I enjoyed the characters well enough, the ones you got to know anyway. I also like that you start to like people you probably shouldn't, that is always fun for me. I will probably continue with the series at some point, but don't feel the need to rush right in. ( )

In DEAD ANYWAY by Chris Knopf (©2012), Arthur has a great life, until he nearly loses it. Dragging himself back to the living, he sets out to find who is responsible. Although we know, generally, what he’s up to, it’s fascinating how he goes about trying to identify the culprits. I suppose if I’d stopped reading and thought about it, I might have deduced more of his plan; but I couldn’t stop reading. Arthur’s way of narrowing the probabilities to figure out what to do next is very engaging. He has a tidily precise mind, which is devious and obsessive. We zip through the details of his plan like we’re hanging on at the back of a speedboat.

And the sometimes-likeable supporting characters are icing on the cake.

Hope you enjoy DEAD ANYWAY as much as I did. ( )

Excellent reader, superb story, although one key bit of motivation was missing & this leaves a cliff hanger. Why did Florencia steal from her own company? This does give the author room to expand to another book, but this was originally written in 2005 & he has written other books & at least one series since then, so I guess this is a dead end. I'm tempted to take away a star for that. Oh well, it wasn't that bad & expanded a major player, even if she did die early on. She'd been a bit of a caricature until this revelation. This rounded her out well.

I liked the hero a lot. As a heroic figure, Arthur truly is although he's no he-man. His atypical body type & physical issues really make the suspense & trials pop. He's exactly the sort of man that would be a force to reckon with today. He's an obsessive computer geek with a wide range of knowledge & interests. His job as a market researcher was unexpected & a perfect fit.

Even better, most of the computer stuff was very well done. There were a few things I didn't care for, but I doubt most would notice them. This is what I do for a living, though. I have to say he did far better than most & some could have been done simply because it would fit the average reader's knowledge better or saved him from getting into a confusing mess. At least he kept his logic consistent, even if a few basic things were wrong.

I loved the way all the characters were drawn. Quite an interesting assortment with a mystery & thrilling search. Well worth reading.

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