If you are looking for a laugh-out-loud escape from reality, this I See You’ve Called in Dead review is your sign to pick up John Kenney’s sharp, fiercely funny dark comedy. The book tackles the ultimate midlife crisis loophole, diving into how a massive administrative glitch can accidentally give a guy his life back. Our main character, Bud Stanley, writes obituaries for a living, but his personal life is the thing that really needs a pulse. After his wife leaves him and his dating life bottoms out, a late-night bender leads him to write and publish his own obituary. While his bosses are ready to throw him out on his ear, the company’s automated computer system already registers him as dead. The catch is that legal and HR cannot fire someone who doesn’t exist on paper, leaving Bud physically sitting at his desk in a state of living-dead limbo.
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The Most Outrageous Blind Date in Fiction
What makes this book work so well is how Kenney balances existential dread with pure, unadulterated absurdity. Bud’s dating life is highlighted by a blind date so wild and unbelievable that it borders on chaotic evil. The woman he meets doesn’t just have emotional baggage—she literally brings her ex-boyfriend along for the ride. The experience is so incredibly cringeworthy of a laugh-out-loud sequence that perfectly captures the absolute madness of trying to find love again, and it serves as the definitive rock-bottom moment before Bud’s accidental digital “suicide.”
The Glitch that Paralyzed the System
The narrative really hits its stride when exploring the ridiculous corporate red tape. Watching a massive company completely freeze up because a computer script says a living, breathing employee is dead is pure satirical gold. It is a brilliant poke at how modern workplaces are governed by unyielding technology rather than common sense. Yet, underneath all the corporate gridlock and the funny moments, the book has a surprising amount of heart. Guided by his wise, art-dealer best friend Tim, Bud starts crashing the funerals of total strangers to learn how to live. It sounds like a morbid premise, but this dark comedy twist gives the story a genuinely warm, touching core that balances out the cynicism.
The Final Verdict
Ultimately, writing this review of I See You’ve Called in Dead only made me appreciate Kenney’s brilliant comedic timing even more. This is a fantastic pick for anyone who loves deadpan wit, sharp workplace satire, and beautifully flawed characters. It is a quick, highly entertaining read that proves sometimes you have to legally “die” before you can actually figure out how to live. Check this one out. You will love it.
Thanks to Zibby Publishing for this #gifted book for this review.
