Tom Harris, a flamboyant nightclub owner with a harem of ex-wives and a penchant for jazz; Max Jackson, a young ex-actor with an old, self-deprecating, cynical soul; two men who couldn?t be more different yet bond over two common traits: A morbid curiosity, and….

Well, I?d tell you the other, but that would ruin part of the fun of Deadbeat: Makes You Stronger, an exciting and laugh out loud hilarious mystery-thriller from British author Guy Adams.

The story opens with Max and Tom attending a funeral out of sheer politeness. They barely knew the woman and just want to get on with their day. The woman is cremated and Tom and Max go out drinking at Tom?s nightclub, called Deadbeat.

When the night is over, they go wandering around town and come across two burly men manhandling a coffin into a van. The men accidentally drop the coffin and out comes a 30-something year old woman?s body. And she?s still breathing.

Tom, having read far too many detective novels, decides to investigate and Max, being the loyal friend that he is, reluctantly tags along.

From there, Adams sends both the duo and the reader on a thrilling ride. Tom and Max prove easy to like thanks to snappy and frequently funny dialogue. The novel is primarily narrated by the pair, with both characters having a separate, yet equally charming voice. The shifts in perspective prove easy to swallow barring the one chapter that bafflingly switches to third-person.

The first two-thirds of the novel are brilliantly suspenseful, a standout setpiece being a scene in which Max infiltrates a sinister undertaker?s office by hiding in a coffin. But even in such moments, where our heroes could be caught at any moment, the novel never loses its biting wit.

Said wit comes primarily from the relationship between the two characters. They tease each other and really get on each other?s nerves, but their friendship runs deep and they?re never afraid to stick their necks out for one another.

The story doesn?t skimp on the action either, especially in the intense final third. Tom and Max are chased, shot at, dangled off rooftops, all that good stuff. It?s all told with intricate detail and thrilling urgency and the non-linear structure helps add to the page-turning quality.

There is however, one problem I had with Deadbeat, and it?s a pretty big structural one. I feel that the novel?s transition from detective story to paranormal thriller could have been handled with a bit more grace. The villain is introduced as a nice and innocent guy, so innocent that of course he is secretly super sinister. And sure enough, later on in the very same chapter he was introduced and BAM! He becomes evil. It just feels a little jarring and I feel like the reveal could have been handled a bit better.

However, despite that issue, I still look forward to the further adventures of Tom Harris and Max Jackson. They?re really fun guys to hang out with.

Deadbeat: Makes You Stronger is available for purchase on Amazon or at local bookstores for between eight and ten dollars.

This writer can be reached via Twitter: @slithersloth. Follow The Feather via Twitter: @thefeather.

For more reviews, read the Oct. 21 article, First novel excites reader to continue series.