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| Plot Summary of Fatal Dead Lines |
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"
Pocket, Nov 2003, 6.99, 336 pp.
ISBN: 0743471415
Sixty-one years old Harrisburg Herald obit columnist Lenny Bascomb thinks back to his last meaningful assignment reporting the Three Mile Island incident over two decades ago. Though he reflects on his glory days, he knows that now he is a shadow of what he was. While working on the obituary of a young girl, Lenny goes into a fugue trance. During this state, he types the hidden truth from the public person though he never met her or her family. The deceased killed herself because she could not cope with her sexual predator father. Though he hands in the glowing obit, Lenny gains revenge for the victim.
Everyone praises political powerhouse Herb Butcher for his behind the scenes, emperor making when he suddenly dies from a heart attack. However, Lenny goes into another trance. He soon realizes that the idol who got Governor Lowell elected and turned him into a possible contender for president, stole millions for personal use from the campaign funds of the Keystone State's chief executive. Lenny and reporter Jacqueline Towers start to expose Herb as an embezzler and begin to shred Lowell's ambitions too.
FATAL DEAD LINES is an offbeat paranormal investigative journalist political thriller that will remind readers of the Hopper film Witch Hunt. The story line grabs the audience as the tired Lenny suddenly regains his energy with his first satisfying efforts in over twenty years. Besides my bias of having lived in Harrisburg during the late March '79 near meltdown this reviewer found John Luciew's tale fun and gripping in a refreshing way. No obit for Lenny who deserves future truth finder tales.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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"Lenny Holcomb, an over-the-hill obituary writer, begins receiving messages while writing obituaries. While writing the obituary of a political fund-raiser for the governor of Pennsylvania, who is also an aspiring presidential candidate, Lenny's journalistic spirit is revitalized by a "message" to investigate fiscal misconduct in the governor's campaign funds.
When the young, beautiful press aide to the governor becomes an apparent suicide, Lenny (aided by clues in his obituary messages) digs deeper and uncovers a conspiracy to promote the governor's political political career--masterminded by an ambitious young political reporter from his own newspaper.
With the help of his own journalistic instincts, a dedicated County Coroner, and a sexy young female reporter, Lenny discovers and delivers the truthful story to the readers of his newspaper. But not before two more deaths and almost losing his life to the ambitious young villian."
Mike Hill, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Fatal Dead Lines |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 60%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
Tone of story
- Dry-cynical
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- politics
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- journalist
Age:
- 60's-90's
Has special powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character:
- clairvoyant
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- politician/elected ruler
- journalist
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- power
The antagonists are:
- evil politicians
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
City?
Yes
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Person
- mostly 1st
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 0 (not a murder mystery)
- 3-4
Sex
Yes
What kind of sex:
- descript of kissing
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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John Luciew Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Mike Hill
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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