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Chris Tullbane
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A Dead Man's Favor: A Comedic Urban Fantasy (The Many Travails of John Smith Book 5) Kindle Edition

by Chris Tullbane (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 out of 5 stars 496 ratings
Now that he's back home in San Diego, life is looking up for John Smith, hapless P.I. and supernatural mediator.

Business is booming (sometimes literally), his girlfriend is fantastic, and their mutual boss/acquaintance is thousands of miles away where she won't be able to do too much damage. And sure, there may be a few flies in the ointment, like the little matter of an ongoing goblin war, the disappearance of John's chief mediator rival, and an ever-growing list of questions about the suspicious events of the past few years, but those are all topics for another day. It's wedding season and the sun is shining, the weather is perfect, and the early fall air is thick with the scent of—

Wait. Is that rotting flesh?

Yes, yes it is. You see, a year ago, John traded away a favor for help on a case, and the owner of that favor is calling it in. San Diego's zombie prince, Simon, may be long dead, but his descendants are still around and kicking, and one of them, his great-great granddaughter, just went missing outside the town of Ghost Falls, New Mexico. Now, Simon wants John to track her down. Failure is not an option.

John has never worked across state lines before, but clearly that's going to change. And while New Mexico might not be quite as blissful as Catalina Island, it still sounds pretty sweet. A scenic drive, a week or so chasing down leads in a picturesque town, and all the Hatch chiles he can eat? It's the perfect couples vacation, really. After all, John and his friends have already survived gods, witches, werewolves, and the terrifying guacamole shortage of 2013. What sort of challenge could this case possibly offer by comparison?

He's about to find out.
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  1. Book 5 of 6
    The Many Travails of John Smith
  2. Print length
    531 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    September 26, 2023
  6. File size
    2.9 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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There are 6 books in this series.

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joel Richards was the kid who did crazy things just to have a good story to tell afterward. On deciding to make his affection his profession, he received a BFA in acting and a BA in English from the University of Utah. He has narrated over 300 audiobooks and continues to tell his original stories to live audiences.



Chris Tullbane lives in Nevada with his angelic wife and ever-expanding whisky collection and occasionally ventures outside to peer upwards, mutter to himself about "day stars," and then scurry back into the house. Chris is the author of two series; The Murder of Crows and The Travails of John Smith.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BYWN2QSP
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ghost Falls Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 26, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.9 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 531 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1955081115
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 5 of 6 ‏ : ‎ The Many Travails of John Smith
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 out of 5 stars 496 ratings

About the author

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Chris Tullbane

Chris Tullbane

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Chris began as a gleam in someone’s eye, but birth and childhood were quick to follow. He’s been fortunate enough to live in Spain, Germany, and all over the USA, and is busy planning a tour of the distilleries of Scotland.

He currently lives in Nevada with his angelic wife and ever-expanding whisky collection and occasionally ventures outside to peer upwards, mutter to himself about ‘day stars’, and then scurry back into the house.

Chris is the author of multiple fantasy series: The Murder of Crows, The Many Travails of John Smith, The Storm Who Rides, The (Second) Life of Brian, and Stories From a Post-Break World. He regularly shares status updates on his author website..

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
496 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's characters well-developed and entertaining, with interesting and fun plot lines featuring tons of crazy action. The book receives positive feedback for its readability, with one customer noting it keeps the series engaging.

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Character developmentReadabilityFun readPlot quality
16 customers mention "Character development"16 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the well-developed characters in the book.

"Funny, characters you root for. great story! Mr. Tullbane is one of my favorite authors...." Read more

"...Chris Tullbane is a master of world building and character driven stories...." Read more

"Just read it. Some of the best characters ever, a beautiful love story, tons of crazy action, and plot twists and arcs abounding throughout...." Read more

"I haven't met a Chris Tullbane novel I didn't love. His characters are well developed and unique. The plot lines are interesting and fun...." Read more

15 customers mention "Readability"15 positive0 negative

Customers love this book and the series, with one customer noting how it keeps the series interesting.

"...His books just draw you in and you find yourself 2/3 in and enjoying every page." Read more

"The John Smith series has become one my favorite Urban Fantasy series. Chris Tullbane is a master of world building and character driven stories...." Read more

"...The dialog is witty, sharp, and entertaining. Just all around wonderful books for anyone who is a fan of urban fantasy...." Read more

"This is one of my top favorite series. The author does what so many other authors find difficult to do - keep a series interesting and exciting...." Read more

14 customers mention "Fun read"14 positive0 negative

Customers find the book entertaining and funny, with one mentioning that the adventures are enjoyable to read.

"Funny, characters you root for. great story! Mr. Tullbane is one of my favorite authors...." Read more

"Super nice fun read. Had some LOL moments where my wife looked at me funny, perfect ! Keep writing and I’ll keep reading my good man." Read more

"...while John Smith's standards are relatively low, his adventures are a fun to read...." Read more

"...The dialog is witty, sharp, and entertaining. Just all around wonderful books for anyone who is a fan of urban fantasy...." Read more

14 customers mention "Plot quality"14 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the plot of the book, which features interesting and fun lines with tons of crazy action, and one customer notes it's full of twists and turns.

"Funny, characters you root for. great story! Mr. Tullbane is one of my favorite authors...." Read more

"I found this story full of twist and turns that threw our protagonist, John into a series of unexpected twists. I really like John's character...." Read more

"...With a great new mix of "monsters" and troubles, it was easy to start and finish this book in a few hours." Read more

"...Some of the best characters ever, a beautiful love story, tons of crazy action, and plot twists and arcs abounding throughout...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Frather
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Read
    Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Funny, characters you root for. great story! Mr. Tullbane is one of my favorite authors. His books just draw you in and you find yourself 2/3 in and enjoying every page.
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  • Cubertnine
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Entry in The Many Travails of John Smith
    Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    The John Smith series has become one my favorite Urban Fantasy series. Chris Tullbane is a master of world building and character driven stories. From the start, we're plugging back in where book 4 (one of my favorites of any series) left off. We get to see many of our favorite characters including the return of Bill and Tiny Flower.

    My favorite aspect of this book (and the previous) is the growth that John has as an individual. He's moving from being an uncertain young man that is overwhelmed with the world he's been thrust into and into a confident business owner and something of a leader. John seems to be recognizing that he gets things done. I also love that Chris has allowed the normal uncertainties anyone would have in a relationship to creep in, but avoids stereotypical pitfalls that we readers have all come to hate.

    Finally, shout out to Chris for continuing to be able to introduce fascinating side characters that all feel like they just have to have their own books. Yea, I'm talking about Kevin. We need a book featuring Kevin.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Starwind2
    4.0 out of 5 stars Both unusually amusing and well thought out
    Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I found this story full of twist and turns that threw our protagonist, John into a series of unexpected twists. I really like John's character. He's such a normal guy constantly thrown into one unorthodox situation after another, yet always is looking out for others, even those no one else cares for be they homeless, or not quite normal.
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  • Mark E. Gelinas, Sr.
    5.0 out of 5 stars This is perhaps my favorite of the many travails of John Smith
    Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    When I read most books these days, I try to be sensible and go to bed when I should. A Dead Man's Hand kept me reading long into the night just so I could reach a place where everyone was relatively safe.

    When a contact calls in a favor, John finds himself on the road with Juliette his business partner instead of Anastasia whom he had hoped to take with him. The ensuing story is tightly woven with crossing back and forth. And if that wasn't enough, Lucia returns from Rome to help Anastasia deal with the little problem that prevented her from going with John.

    As always, John faces mahogany, bare concrete floors, but also a being that lives under Phoenix that is vastly different than any he has encountered before.

    If you haven't read the previous books in the John Smith series, do yourself a favor and pick them up before reading this book.

    I don't read urban fantasy often, but I look forward to each John Smith book.

    Until next time!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Super nice fun read. Had some LOL moments where my wife looked at me funny, perfect ! Keep writing and I’ll keep reading my good man.
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  • John G Robert
    5.0 out of 5 stars John Smith is growing up (sort of)
    Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Urban fantasy with little to none of the pervasive slow burn romance and formulaic writing is hard to find. Throw in comedy, and very few books meet the standard. Luckily, while John Smith's standards are relatively low, his adventures are a fun to read. In this book, John almost believes in himself and while he is still coasting a bit, he is starting to become a force of something. With a great new mix of "monsters" and troubles, it was easy to start and finish this book in a few hours.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Larabobblehead
    5.0 out of 5 stars What a glorious twist!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Just read it. Some of the best characters ever, a beautiful love story, tons of crazy action, and plot twists and arcs abounding throughout. Cannot recommend this book, or this series, enough.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Mick E
    4.0 out of 5 stars slow start but worth it
    Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Story begins with a too long and inadequate recap of previous adventures. But once it gets to John Smith’s current efforts, it entertains as well as the rest of the books. Helps if you know a bit about San Diego but it’s all good fun -or near death.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Catherine
    5.0 out of 5 stars These books are great
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 26, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Such a good series, throughly recommend.
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  • Misfit Malice
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!
    Reviewed in Canada on May 18, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Urgh... When I started this series, I was sure it was already completed! I hate the wait between books, that's why I usually check that the books are all out. Guess it will worth the wait, since all the five books were excellent. But still... 😒
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  • Brian
    5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific
    Reviewed in Australia on October 1, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This was a great addition to the series. John Smith continues to grow. There is some wonderful humour as well as action.
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  • Tox
    4.0 out of 5 stars An alright sequel
    Reviewed in India on September 18, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    The last book was an absolute blast, so it is understandable that it is hard to make a sequel. Here the most of the plot feels like a filler with the ending randomly put together, but I liked the characters enough to not rate it lower. Also it is 5 books in, John either needs to stop being saved by luck and plot armor every damn time and start making sensible decisions to save his own ass OR come out as the descendant of lady luck or something.
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  • LeoCadle
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great addition to the John Smith mediator/pi series
    Reviewed in Australia on September 27, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Another great read, lots of action and comedy, bromance, the supernatural and snark. Have read all 5 books so far and they are very enjoyable.
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