The Road of the Dead

Written by Kevin Brooks

Narrated by Paul Thornley

On a storm-ravaged night, a nineteen-year-old girl is murdered. Three days later, her two younger brothers set out in search of her killer. Cole is a dark-eyed devil who doesn't care if he lives or dies, while Ruben is a strange child who sometimes, inexplicably, experiences sensations above and beyond his own.

This is the story of the boys' journey from their half-gypsy home in a London junk yard to the ghostly moors of Devon, where they hope and fear to find the truth about their sister's death. It's a long road. It's the road of the dead...

• Language: English
• Publisher: W. F. Howes Ltd
• Release date: Feb 1, 2008
• ISBN: 9781407416205

Kevin Brooks

Kevin Brooks is the critically acclaimed, prize-winning author of books for young adults, including the Carnegie Medal-winning The Bunker Diary. These have been translated into many different languages and published with great success around the world. He has also written thrillers for adults. The Travis Delaney series, The Ultimate Truth, The Danger Game and The Snake Trap, is Kevin's first foray into fiction for younger readers. Having worked in places as diverse as a zoo and a crematorium, Kevin now writes full-time. He lives in Richmond, Yorkshire, with his wife.

Reviews for The Road of the Dead

[brittaniethekid · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book was interesting enough to keep me reading it, but it took me such a long time to make myself get through it that I became rather bored.
Kavin Brooks is hit or miss with me. I liked Lucas but Candy and Martyn Pig were impossible to read. I don't think I'll attempt to read Being.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have mixed feelings about The Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks, while I loved the idea of it, the actual execution left a lot to be desired. The story of two brothers setting out for a small village on Dartmoor in order to speed up the release of their sister’s murdered body, was original and intriguing. They didn’t care about who killed her, they just wanted to be able to bring their sister Rachel’s body home to their mother for a proper burial. It turned out that her body was being held until the crime was solved so the half gypsy brothers set out to find the murderer. The brothers are very different from one another, where Cole is absolutely fearless, Ruben is the one who thinks things through. Ruben has also inherited the ability to experience members of his family’s sensations and can see events that affect them even when he is miles away. This strong connection to his sister allowed him to visualize her murder and his connection to his brother is going to enable him to help find a resolution to their difficulties.Although they are warned off by the police, the brothers travel to the remote village of Lychcombe but the questions they ask only seem to stir up the locals and it soon becomes apparent that there are some very violent types who are opposed to any further investigation into the rape and murder of their sister. Of course they keep pushing and their efforts lead to pain and torture as they slowly uncover the secrets that will eventually lead to the truth.While I found this story of vigilante justice plausible and interesting, there was a great deal that one had to accept at face value and not question. First and foremost, the paranormal twist felt forced and unbelievable as it took most of the mystery out of the story. I also thought that the characters could have been a little better developed as they all seemed one dimensional. While I enjoyed the many twists that The Road of Dead offered up, this isn’t a book that I can fully recommend to others.

[evilkutie45 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is about horror, death and sadness. Rube's sister died in a city where her best friend lives. This book its a Omnisciet and limited point of view story. the main characters name is Ruben. Its a good horror book. I don't really like Ruben because he's kind of emo. He doesnt like much. He doesn't like it loud or quiet. so i don't really understand him. The setting is like mostly at this city where her best friends live. Him and his brother Cole are investagating. I think that the place is gloomy and dark also very scary. This book is mostly about Ruben and Cole trying to find out what really happend to her. This book reminds me of a book called Sisters Grimm becasue they are investagating who took they're parents and whos the scarlet hand.

[gayldashersmith · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Brooks does a great job getting the reader inside the head of this character who can see so much from inside. You feel the creepiness of this town that is almost a character in itself.

[gnork · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

it's a really good book. and not as disgusting as you think it's gonna be when yo read on the cover

[kaburns · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A haunting story about two brothers trying to find out who killed their sister. I normally do not like books with a lot of violence, but it fits with the story and the characters.

[edspicer_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The brilliant, evocative sense of place that Brooks established in his book, Lucas, returns to us in The Road of the Dead. Along with a fabulous setting, readers will discover well-rounded characters and a page-burning thriller. This is Brooks’ finest book to date. Ruben senses the death of his sister, Rachel and this surprises him. Normally Ruben is only tuned into his older brother Cole. Ruben and his brawling brother Cole journey onto the moors to track down a killer. Needless to say, this journey is fraught with danger for these two half gypsy boys. Readers will need seatbelts for this powerful and surprisingly lyrical story. Recommended for all high school libraries.

[4sarad_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I thought this book had a lot of potential, but just sort of puttered out. I liked the characters, but it wasn't enough. we never "meet" the girl who dies... so it doesn't really bother you. They go on and on about the main boy's "power" of being "with" someone... and then later on in the book, a couple of other characters are "with" someone. It's completely stupid. Plus you never find out how they get the body of the killer. There is also a lot of gratuitous violence.

[techimi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ruben Ford has always felt things. Other people's thoughts, other people's feelings... It makes him different, but he's never minded it, really. Until the night he's alone in the backseat of a car in the rain, and alone in the dark on a deserted moor with his sister Rachel, about to be dead.The police don't seem to know what they're doing when it comes to investigating Rachel's death. Ruben's brother, Cole, has taken to assaulting the press, and his mother just wants to be able to bury her daughter. With their father in jail, the boys knows it's up to them.Cole sets his mind to going out to where it all happened, and following in Rachel's footsteps. Ruben sets his mind on going with him, with or without Cole's approval. Along the way they uncover a great deal--about themselves, about their past, about life, and the conspiracy of events into the middle of which their sister just happened to fall.