Desert Isle Keeper

The Guy Who Died Twice

Lisa Gardner’s D. D. Warren is one of my favorite detectives and this short story contains all the elements that have lofted her to that elevated position. Humorous, clever and intriguing, The Guy Who Died Twice presents D.D. with her ‘strangest case’ ever.

This is number 9.5 in the series and while it can certainly be read as a standalone, it doesn’t serve as a good introduction to the characters or the author’s writing style. It is simply too short to be anything other than a quick, satisfying read for fans of the series.

D.D. was confident she’d seen it all until the dead man walked into her office. Convinced that he is a hazard to himself and others, Adam LaToile tells D.D. and her squad that he has a contagious case of death. He believes a group of righteous people had killed him for being a scourge on the earth. Lifting his prints from a glass of water they give him and thereby confirming his identity, the detectives return Adam to his next of kin. Just a few hours later they receive a second call: Adam LaToile is dead. The cause, this time, is obvious. He has a knife sticking out of his back.

D.D. has an instant pool of suspects in the wealthy widow, personal doctor, and household staff. It doesn’t take her long to figure out who, but the why surprises even this unflappable homicide cop.

Told from the comfort of her own sofa as she sips a glass of red wine and cuddles with husband Alex, D.D. spins a story that takes the reader from France to Boston and back again. There is little character building since this story serves simply as filler between book nine in the series – Look for Me – and the upcoming book ten – Never Tell. There is also no real purpose to the story. It’s a clever, unique little snippet out of D.D.’s endless list of cases but it doesn’t shed new light on old mysteries or give us insight into what’s coming. Its sole purpose is to entertain and it does an excellent job of that, providing a thought provoking, albeit quick, mystery which is sure to delight the author’s fans.

The Guy Who Died Twice is only sixty pages long, so it’s an excellent pre-bedtime read for those who want something fun and engaging that won’t keep them reading into the wee hours. I certainly enjoyed it and think other devotees of the D.D. Warren series will as well.