Dead in the Water: A Space Team Universe Novel

I’ll admit, I went into *Dead in the Water* expecting more of the same from the Space Team universe—snappy dialogue, ridiculous sci-fi tropes, and a protagonist who’s equal parts lovable and exasperating. What I *didn’t* expect was how effortlessly Hutchison would weaponize Dan Deadman’s undead status to skewer everything from police procedurals to interstellar politics. The opening scene, where a suspect detonates mid-interrogation, sets the tone: this isn’t just a comedy, it’s a farce with teeth. Dan’s voice—equal parts Sam Spade and a guy who’s *really* tired of being dead—is so distinct that Thron’s narration feels less like a performance and more like eavesdropping on a very weird, very funny internal monologue. That said, the book isn’t without its stumbles. The middle act occasionally gets bogged down in bureaucratic satire that, while hilarious in small doses, starts to feel like a bit too much of a good thing. And while Thron’s character voices are generally stellar, a few secondary characters blur together in pitch, making it hard to track who’s speaking in crowded scenes. But these are quibbles. The real magic is in how the audiobook *feels*—like a late-night, whiskey-fueled rant from your most jaded friend, if your friend happened to be a zombie solving crimes in space. The production is crisp, the pacing relentless, and the sheer *fun* of it all is infectious. If you’ve ever wanted a sci-fi audiobook that feels like a cross between a noir detective story and a *Monty Python* sketch, this is it. Just maybe don’t listen to it on public transit unless you’re prepared for odd looks.