This was a case of the wrong book at the wrong time. While I read this in print, I was also reading an e-ARC of a book I ended up loving to bits. So pretty much anything it could've come up against couldn't compete, and unfortunately FUNERAL PALLOR ended up looking worse for wear. Bad luck.
But for what it is, it's a good time. I'm not usually one for magic, but forget Harry Dresden - I'd rather hang out with Valerie Stevens. She doesn't need to kick arse to be strong - she just is. She's an affable lass with friends in...well, not high places, but together they get the job done. This episode has a curious case of people being zombified BEFORE death, but the most awesome thing in this novel is that Caroline the zombie EMBALMS HERSELF. That is gold, and I'd love to read more about that kind of weird shiz.
Valerie makes new allies - middle-aged metal-heads and a dude named Tim Reaper - but I didn't warm to them. And all the firearms and weaponry didn't appeal to me, either, but I'm not comfortable around gun-nuts.
