Charlie Parker is a reformed alcoholic who left the NYPD for PI work when his wife and daughter were brutally murdered by a would-be serial killer. While pursuing other cases, he is always looking for connections to the killer who took his family. Little does he know, the killer is closer than he thinks.

No doubt, John Connolly is a good storyteller. He manages to make Charlie’s less than moral choices feel justified given the potential outcome (the ends justify the means, etc.). And despite these highly questionable decisions, it’s hard not to like Charlie, to empathize with him, to support him in his cause. There was plenty of suspense and drama, quite a bit of grit, and since I’m a sucker for the supernatural/paranormal, I loved his openness to the idea that some people are extra “sensitive”.

However. This should have been two separate books. To me, it read like two separate books. When the first part of the story ended, I thought somewhere along the way there would be some connection to the two stories that was SO strong, it would make sense to tie the mostly unrelated stories together. Yes, there was a connection. No, it didn’t warrant including the second story in the same book. Two great stories, mind you, but I felt like I was being tricked into reading a second in series. Had they been separated, there would have been room for a little more development in the first story, and a great cliffhanger at the end. Just sayin’.

I also felt like the relationship building between Charlie and (sorry, no spoilers) was a little rough. Fortunately, I don’t usually read these types of books for the romance aspect, but that coupling becomes an important part of the story at the end, and I just wasn’t feelin’ it the way I would expect. Don’t even get me started on the sex scene…

Certainly, I enjoyed this book and I’ll read more in the series. It’s a perfectly fine mystery/thriller, and I understand the paranormal aspect is brought more to the forefront later in the series (yay!), and I’m sure the series finds its groove along the way because it certainly has excellent ratings. At some point in the future, I’ll rejoin Charlie Parker. I just don’t know when.

Every Dead Thing is the first in John Connolly’s Charlie (Bird) Parker series. Bird is a former New York cop whose wife and daughter were brutally murdered while he was at the local getting drunk. He quit the force and without getting a license or anything official, starts doing a few investigative jobs. One for a bail bondsman gets him into a huge shootout with the mob. This gets him hired to find a Catherine Demeter who, like Bird, lost family to a monster–a serial killer who preyed on children.

Of course, all the time he is also thinking about and looking for the monster who murdered his family. The trail leads him to New Orleans, called their by the daughter of a woman who told him of another victim, a victim she has never seen, but whose ghost haunts the swamps. When he goes, she and son are murdered–clearly by the man who killed Bird’s family.

There is much for a mystery reader to love about Every Dead Thing. The mysteries are complex and fair. You can connect the dots with the information available to you, the readers. Connolly has an eye for detail and paints a picture with his prose so you can see it in your mind’s eye whether describing the trees and wildlife of the bayou or the bars and the people of New Orleans. The story is rich with complex and interesting characters, particularly Louis and Angel, his friends on the wrong side of the law.

However, and this is huge however, this is some grim and gruesome stuff. It took me far longer than usual to read Every Dead Thing as I would have to put it aside and read something else. I read four books while reading it because I could not take the unrelenting violence that was far too detailed. Our serial killer likes to flay people and pose them in a tableaux. It’s gross. The killer of Demeter’s sister like to torture children. It’s gross. It’s hard to take.

There is also the need to suspend disbelief that goes too far, expecting too much of us. No, I am not talking about the psychic swamp woman or the ghostly visions that Bird has. I am talking about Bird shooting people here and there and never getting arrested for it. Oh, he gets questioned but someone always vouches for him and he’s released. He leaves the scene of multiple murders and would in any normal course of events be a prime suspect…and it’s all okay. It beggars belief far more than the paranormal elements of the story.

There’s also a bit of wallowing in the gore. Connolly will never “fade to black.” Instead he goes too far the other direction, to the point of prurience. There’s a chapter describing an autopsy juxtaposed with memories of his family. There’s just too much loving detail of the unlovely elements of murder.

So here’s the thing, it’s a good, complex mystery. The writing is excellent in terms of character development and sense of place. The plot is complex. These are all great. But I don’t know if I have any yen to read another in this series. The murders and murderers are just too gruesome for me.

I received an e-galley of Every Dead Thing from the publisher through NetGalley.

John Connolly. Need I say more? His books are brilliant. The Charlie Parker series is a gutwrenching, thrill ride. Every Dead Thing will literally keep you up at night. It's a dark read but oh so worth it.

I love hos writing. Keeps you on the edge every minute and this one is amazing! So much love in it...

The first book in John Connolly's long running Charlie Parker series introduces the character in a sprawling, multiple mystery story that incorporates a few too many backstory tangents to keep the narrative moving at a strong pace. Lush settings with vivid descriptions and memorable characters it is a worthwhile read for hard boiled detective fans.

This book requires a crib sheet - there are that many characters. However, this book was very enjoyable and just when I thought I had it figured all out - I was wrong. Very well written and if you enjoy a good thriller - pick it up.

Deliciously sinister and absolutely the best Birdman Parker book ever. I should note that I devour John Connolly books as some inhale air, and was so pleased to find this for review on Netgallery. I had been hearing rumblings that there was to be a re-issue of his first book with added content and was looking forward to it. There was no disappointment. Charlie Parker is a man with demons, imagined and real, demons, that thankfully most of us can not imagine, but will never know in our lifetime. He is also a man who inspires loyalty either because of or in spite of those demons, and truthfully, I'm not sure we'll ever know which. I only know that if I were fighting a battle he would be someone I'd want beside me.. He dispenses justice as it should be meted out, with the help of Angel and Louis, two of the best sidekicks you'll ever have the pleasure to meet. Every Dead Thing is a masterpiece and it is difficult for me to believe it is a first for an author. Fill an empty space on your bookcase with this book, gift it to a friend but whatever you do, not neglect it. Your life will be less if you do.

This novel, John Connolly's first, is really two books for the price of one. It's very lengthy and split into two distinct parts (even if this was not the author's intention) which made for a very long reading experience. In the first "half," former NYPD detective Charlie Parker is roped into finding a missing young woman, the girlfriend of prominent NYC socialboy. During this first part, we are also introduced to Parker's own mystery, that of who brutally killed his wife and young daughter. Parker is haunted by this and his search leads him down to the bayous of Louisiana in the second part as he follows a lead that his family's killer is in fact a ruthless serial killer. While hunting the killer he also gets roped into a local bayou gang war. Needless to say this was a very dense and complicated plot, often twisty, gory, and full of red herrings. I couldn't quite tell if I liked this book, to be honest, simply because I found myself getting exhausted but I cannot deny how tightly-crafted and well-written this book was. For a first novel, this was quite an epic of a mystery novel. One final note... John Connolly is an Irish author and his capture of the American cities and qualities was striking.

This book spooked the pants off me and I don’t normally get spooked by books. From the beginning, when Charlie’s wife and daughter were murdered to the end…..I got chills. Put it this way, I couldn’t read this book at night because of how creepy it was. The one time I did, all I dreamed about was human beings being cut open and flayed. So yeah, I read this book during the day.

I felt awful for Charlie. I mean, I can’t imagine coming home to my family murdered. I don’t even think I could cope. Actually, I know I couldn’t cope. So I was a little surprised when it looked like he had moved on. New job, new house. Then everything came to a head when he takes a job to find the missing girlfriend of the son of an influential women and clues show up about his wife and daughter.

My favorite characters had to have been Angel and Louis. A thug and an assassin in a relationship, yes please!!! Louis I liked because of his fashion style and the fact that nothing seemed to phase him. Also, I think I would want him as a back up when things when south. Angel was very cute (but also very dangerous) and you could tell that he genuinely loved Louis.

The action in this book was insane. It went from zero to bloodshed within a chapter. Which is OK with me. Sometimes I need that!!!

I liked that the author really didn’t play up the paranormal part of the book until the end. And even then, it was understated. Creepy but understated. With everything else that was going on in the book, I liked that.

I will say that the author did have me going about who The Traveling Man was until the end of the book. I did have a suspicion as to who it was but with everything that was going on in the book, I kinda said “Nah”. Well, color me surprised when it ended up being who I originally thought it was.

The end of the book was very good. All of the storylines were tied up, for the most part, and I could see where the author left an opening for the next book. Which I am going to have to read because I got hooked on this series!!

How many stars will I give Every Dead Thing: 4

Why: A very intense mystery will kept me guessing and I refused to read at night. The violence and bloodshed might be a little much for some people but I didn’t care.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sexual situations, violence and language

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Great read. Fascinating plot. Great characters. Fabulous read!!

Great crime novels have a detective with his or her own problems (murdered wife and daughter here), a race against the Kiler striking again (check), an unusual criminal profile that keeps you guessing (check), lots of danger (check), sidekicks and a love interest and some sort of love/hate relationship with the local or Federal authorities. All here in great quantities, especially for a debut novel. The gruesomeness of the crimes is not for everyone and there are a few rough edges that keep this from being 4* but this is a great series starter.

I had actually read this book before and never ever read a book a second time but I did this book and can honestly say I loved it more than the first time.

To say there is a lot going on in Every Dead Thing (book #1 in the Charlie Parker series) is an understatement. There are numerous subplots and characters that at times make it hard to keep track of who’s who and what’s what. However, the constant is Charlie Parker. His character grows and evolves in this mystery, transforming from a shell of a man into something much more.

When Detective Charlie Parker comes home one evening to discover his wife and young daughter have been brutally murdered, he loses himself. He gives up his job and devotes his life to finding “The Traveling Man,” the serial killer thought to have killed his family. At the same time, an old friend asks him to find a missing woman, Catherine Demeter.

Parker’s search for Demeter takes up about the first half of the book. I found this portion of the book a bit muddled and messy. However, when Parker focuses his energy back on finding The Traveling Man, things start to come together and tighten up.

Parker’s search for The Traveling man takes him to New Orleans. Connolly captures the essence of New Orleans, from the energy and the people to the food and the smells that make up this wonderful city.

Every Dead Thing isn’t for the faint of heart. The gruesome murders of The Traveling Man are described in vivid detail and there is a great deal of death and violence. I started this series by reading the most recent book, A Time of Torment, so my experience might be a bit different than others. I loved seeing characters like Angel and Louis and learning more about their history with Parker.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Hard to follow the plot. Not one of Connolly's best. ok story.

I’m a big fan of the Harry Bosch books by John Connolly, so I decided to take a chance on the Charlie Parker series. This one was different from Bosch, but I really enjoyed it. I do love a good written detective mystery genre and this one did not disappoint. It had good character development, good story, and it was a solid page turner. I would recommend this mystery/detective novel to anyone who enjoys the genre.
**A special thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review**

I am a latecomer to the long-running series Charlie Parker and I confess I don’t care for them much. This is the third I've read, although chronologically it is the first.

My main complaint is that these books are too long for this class of story; too many episodes throw off the pace. And I can't take in the need to bring the supernatural into what are basically detective thrillers. Why?

I received a review copy of "Every Dead Thing: A Charlie Parker Thriller" by John Connolly (Atria) through NetGalley.com.

This book was sick, in both a good and bad way. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and makes you want to throw the book across the room. It is complex and well written, but ultimately disturbing -- in the best way possible. The only reason this isn't a 5-star book is because it was a bit slow in parts. Ultimately, it was about 75-100 pages too long because of some of the rambling.

I have now read two books in the Charlie Parker series (this one and A Time of Torment). Excellent story and equally excellent author. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a well told detective tale with a bit of a macabre twist. I will seek out and read the remainder of this series. (Just my opinion.)

Master Writer and author John Connolly. I think I could spot his writing anywhere. Although sometimes I think Connolly puts too much detail in his writing and sometimes you get lost in the characters and details (sometimes unnecessary characters and details), But, you have to give the guy credit for his talent. This author always keeps you on the edge of your seat to see how the book ends.

I don't care for murder mysteries so I didn't enjoy this book. However, my patrons love this genre so I will be purchasing it. John Connolly is a favorite author, too.