In TASTES LIKE CHICKEN Dan Chambeaux has a million different things vying for his attention -- feral chickens, missing members of the unnatural community, redneck vampires causing a ruckus, and tedious Chamber of Commerce meetings. Amid all the supernatural crime and craziness, a 10yr old vampire, who may or may not be his daughter, is dropped into his life. While her paternity may be in question, little Alvina turns out to be a major character in TATES LIKE CHICKEN and a plot stirrer without bogging the story down in unnecessary melodrama. Alvina fits in well with this cast of heroes, and I hope she sticks around for future stories.

As with previous Dan Shamble, Zombie PI books, there are plenty of laughs in TASTES LIKE CHICKEN but there is also a satirical edge thrown in with the goofy. Through the delightful microcosm that is the Unnatural Quarter, Kevin J. Anderson often casts the greedy as villains -- whether they be big business tycoons, civic-minded schemers, or more transparently evil criminals. From the moment the oily yet ingratiating Monster Chow spokesman Cyrus Redfarb appears on the page, you know he's a secret baddie. It's up to the reader and Dan to uncover exactly how bad he is, and what his secrets are. Ma Hemoglobin and her gang are familiar faces to fans of this series, and she makes an entertaining and wily secondary villain. Ma and her boys are in the thick of a lot of trouble in the Unnatural Quarter, so it's an intriguing puzzle trying to sort out which things she may be involved in, and to what degree.

TASTES LIKE CHICKEN is a rollicking detective yarn, with villains galore, and a story you can sink your teeth into. While this Dan Shamble, Zombie PI series doesn't have the same level of brutality as THE WALKING DEAD, some of the things in TASTES LIKE CHICKEN are truly horrific. The humor and fun characters help balance the horror with great storytelling. For returning fans, and readers new to this series, settings like the Goblin Tavern, the Ghoul's Diner, the Overbite Lounge, and the many upscale blood bars create a vivid and quirky landscape. These books are addictive and I can't wait for the next Dan Shamble, Zombie PI book!

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