Description
Description
From the Bram Stoker award-nominated author of The Spite House comes a bone-chilling new novel about a private investigator hired by a mysterious billionaire to discover why he can't die. When private investigator Shyla Sinclair is invited to the looming mansion of eccentric billionaire Saxton Braith, she's more than a little suspicious. The last thing she expects to see that night is Braith's assistant driving an iron rod straight through the back of his skull. Scratch that--the last thing she expects to see is Braith's resurrection afterward. Braith can't die, it turns out, but he has no explanation for his immortality, and very few intact memories of his past. Which is why he wants to pay Shyla millions to investigate him, and bring his long-buried history to light. Shyla can't help but be intrigued, but she's also trapped by the offer. Braith has made it clear that he knows she's the only person he can trust with his secret, because he knows all about hers. Bold, atmospheric, and utterly frightening, Johnny Compton's Dead First is spine-chilling supernatural horror about the pursuit of power and the undying need for reckoning.
About the Author
About the Author
Johnny Compton is the author of The Spite House, which was nominated for a Bram Stoker award, and Devils Kill Devils. His short stories have appeared in Pseudopod, Strange Horizons, The No Sleep Podcast and several other publications. His fascination with frightening fiction started when he was introduced to the ghost story "The Golden Arm" as a child.
Critical Reviews
Critical Reviews
"I've been psyched to witness hometown horror hero Johnny Compton's rise, especially as Compton is dedicated to crafting stories that incorporate ongoing central Texan concerns (and colorful characters) . . . Imagine Groundhog Day, but Elon Musk is the one driving off that cliff with a prognosticating rodent. A nice image, isn't it?" --Crime Reads "This is a must for fans of noirish horror novels, such as Simon R. Green's Something from the Nightside (2003), Richard Kadrey's The Pale House Devil (2023), and Ian Rogers' Sycamore (2024). Long-time Compton fans will be delighted to spot a connection to his first novel." --Booklist "An emotionally charged supernatural mystery featuring a private eye readers will want to hear from again." --Library Journal "[T]his taut mystery . . . [is] a wickedly satisfying whodunit for genre fans looking for something off the beaten path." --Publishers Weekly "[A]n intense psychological horror thriller that starts off fast and never lets up. Filled with shocking twists, this is one not to be missed." --Red Carpet Crash
"In Dead First, Johnny Compton deftly mixes horror, Texas history, and the detective story. His Shyla Sinclair is my favorite horror detective since Clive Barker's Harry D'Amour. A gory, rollicking ride." --Paul Tremblay, New York Times bestselling author of Horror Movie "Dead First is a propulsive and eerie tale that questions the true price of revenge. Gripping to the final word, this is my favorite kind of supernatural thriller." --Erin E. Adams, author of Jackal
"If Easy Rawlins investigated the uncanny, it would read very much like Dead First, a fast-moving, violent, vivid piece of hard-boiled supernatural fiction. Get your rest beforehand, you'll be up reading long past midnight." --John Hornor Jacobs, author of The Night That Finds Us All "Dead First is creepy and disturbing in all the best ways. Johnny Compton has crafted a rich and complex private investigator who's as haunted by her past as she is by what she uncovers on her latest case." --Kellye Garrett, award-winning author of Missing White Woman "This take on immortality is raw, original, and unapologetically Compton. Dead First is a reckoning of desire and decay, where even love isn't spared from the price of knowing too much." --Peter Rosch, author of What the Dead Can Do "Dead First is a sharp supernatural noir about mortality, obsession, and the cost of knowing what should stay buried" --Cynthia Pelayo, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Vanishing Daughters "A hypnotic descent into mystery and immortality, Dead First is gothic horror reimagined for the modern age. I could not put it down!" --Yigit Turhan, author of Their Monstrous Hearts
"In Dead First, Johnny Compton deftly mixes horror, Texas history, and the detective story. His Shyla Sinclair is my favorite horror detective since Clive Barker's Harry D'Amour. A gory, rollicking ride." --Paul Tremblay, New York Times bestselling author of Horror Movie "Dead First is a propulsive and eerie tale that questions the true price of revenge. Gripping to the final word, this is my favorite kind of supernatural thriller." --Erin E. Adams, author of Jackal
"If Easy Rawlins investigated the uncanny, it would read very much like Dead First, a fast-moving, violent, vivid piece of hard-boiled supernatural fiction. Get your rest beforehand, you'll be up reading long past midnight." --John Hornor Jacobs, author of The Night That Finds Us All "Dead First is creepy and disturbing in all the best ways. Johnny Compton has crafted a rich and complex private investigator who's as haunted by her past as she is by what she uncovers on her latest case." --Kellye Garrett, award-winning author of Missing White Woman "This take on immortality is raw, original, and unapologetically Compton. Dead First is a reckoning of desire and decay, where even love isn't spared from the price of knowing too much." --Peter Rosch, author of What the Dead Can Do "Dead First is a sharp supernatural noir about mortality, obsession, and the cost of knowing what should stay buried" --Cynthia Pelayo, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Vanishing Daughters "A hypnotic descent into mystery and immortality, Dead First is gothic horror reimagined for the modern age. I could not put it down!" --Yigit Turhan, author of Their Monstrous Hearts
Publishing Information
Publishing Information
Publisher:
G.P. Putnam's Sons
Pub date:
2026-02-10
Length:
368 pages
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