Max Booth III is the author of several novels, including
Carnivorous Lunar Activities.
At CrimeReads he tagged "ten crime books that a) feature supernatural elements and b) are a shitload of fun." One title on the list:
Duane Swierczynski, Secret Dead Men (2005)
On top of having a very intimidating surname, Duane Swierczynski has also managed to pen some of the best crime novels of the last decade (I’m looking at you, Revolver). Comic book fans will no doubt recognize his byline among various titles like Birds of Prey, Moon Knight, Cable, 
and so forth. His debut novel, Secret Dead Men, came out nearly fifteen years ago. As of this writing, it’s no longer in print, and it’s a goddamn shame. This is a story about Del Farmer, a dead man disguised as an FBI agent. He also collects souls and stores them in his Brain Hotel, where there’s plenty of booze and even a bartender. This guy, Del, he can drive a soul just as well as you can drive a Datsun. It’s impressive, the strength of Swierczynski’s writing even back in his first book. There’s a reason he’s considered one of the best in the game today. He can take a premise as silly as Secret Dead Men and make it work. Nothing here reads as farfetched. It all feels genuine—and awesome. If you come across a used copy, scoop it up while you can.
Read about
the other entries on the list.
--Marshal Zeringue
Max Booth III is the author of several novels, including Carnivorous Lunar Activities.
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