Already Dead

infobox Book |
name = Already Dead
orig title =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Charlie Huston
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Noir, Thriller, Horror
publisher = Del Rey
release_date = 27 December 2005
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages = 288 pp (first edition, hardback)
isbn = ISBN 978-0345478245 (first edition, hardback)
preceded_by =
followed_by = No Dominion

"Already Dead" is the Horror and pulp-noir novel by Charlie Huston and published in 2005. This is the first of the Joe Pitt casebooks.

Plot summary

"Already Dead" follows the adventures of a vampire named Joe Pitt as he tries to figure out a mysterious zombie epidemic stemming around New York. He has connections in Manhattan Underworld which makes him a valuable item for clans. Joe is then asked to find the gothic daughter of a rich man, and is pressured to do the work. Meanwhile, a disease is spreading zombie like symptoms around the town, causing whoever is bitten (or infected) by this disease into "Shamblers", and it's up to Joe to find the mysterious carrier of this sickness.

Aside from his line of work, Joe has a girlfriend named Evie, a human that is HIV positive, is currently terrified of any sexual contact since she's afraid of infecting him with the sickness. Joe knows how to cure her HIV, but fears the side effects; so he tries his best to keep his vampirism a secret from her.

Characters

Joe Pitt: The main protagonist; a Vampire who works as a freelance detective doing odd jobs for other clans around New York for some blood; namely The Society and the Enclave, but occasionally, The Coalition. He has a human girlfriend named Evie, who is HIV positive. However, he keeps his vampirism secret from her.

Evie: Joe's girlfriend, who's a redheaded waitress down at a bar he regulars at. She's also HIV positive, and refuses to get intimate with Joe out of fear of infecting him. Even though Joe knows the ultimate way to cure her, he's afraid of infecting her with the Vyrus and transforming her into a Vampyre.

Philip Sax: Joe's pompadoured "sidekick" of sorts, but he's mainly is used for syphoning information for Joe's various cases. Unfortunately, he's rather dimwitted and flaky, which angers Joe most of the time and ends up getting beaten if he doesn't do as Joe asks. He wants to become a Vampyre (or as Joe refers to him, a "Renfield"), but Joe believes he's far too dumb to be given that privilege.

Dexter Predo: A very powerful Vampyre in charge of running The Coalition; the most prestigious clan in New York. Sometimes Joe takes odd jobs for him if he's in need of blood.

Terry Bird: Head of The Society; a vampire with a hippie-like complex. He harbors a fondness for Joe, and unlike Predo, Terry can see Joe's got a sharp wit, and acts as a bit of a father-figure to vampires in need. His main three cohorts are Lydia, a gay and lesbian rights activist, Tom, an anarchist who has an extreme hatred for Joe, and his burly, Irish bodyguard, Hurley.

Daniel: Leader (and Elder) of the Enclave; a very old, decrepit vampire, but possibly one of the single most dangerous Vampyres in Manhattan. He and his followers have made an art out of "starving" the Vyrus, so it could be stretched to its full potential in combat and survival. Tends to refer to Joe as his real name of "Simon", which usually aggravates him, but he believes Joe will be the one that eventually takes his place as leader.

Film

American screenwriter and actor Scott Rosenberg bought an option on the book in February 2007, for possible release in 2009.