A Safe Place for Dying

This is a fun caper, especially if you enjoy a Chicago setting and an investigator bogged down by a mix of bad luck and bad decisions, some of the latter outrageously funny. Dek Elstrom, whose heiress wife has not so surprisingly divorced him, is called back to her exclusive gated community, Crystal Waters. His reputation as an investigator may be in the dumpster, but Dek is hired to track down a blackmailer who has blown up one mansion in Crystal Waters, a sanctuary for the ultra wealthy. Dek starts his investigation by enlisting the help of his childhood chum, Leo, one of the book's several colorful characters. A documents expert, Leo favors discounted Hawaii shirts and frequent trade-ins of his Porsche to please his brilliant and gorgeous girlfriend, Endora. At Kutz's Wienie Wagon under the shelter of an overpass, Dek and Leo discuss the oddities of the blackmailer's message while consuming enough cheese fries and hotdogs to give the reader heartburn. Dek suspects the mystery of the explosions at Crystal Waters may be buried in the past, but his findings are no consolation when he is framed as number one suspect. He must also fight city hall for the right to update his crumbling home, the turret that his grandfather, the bootlegger, built. The city claims the turret is "historic" and that means no repairs, much less a shower. In the end, Dek proves to be a resourceful hero who solves the decades-old mystery of the explosions at Crystal Waters. This reader looks forward to reading more about Dek's adventures, his quest to woo back his ex-wife, and yes, those hot dogs and cheese fries from Kutz's Wienie Wagon.

A Safe Place for Dying is a fast paced, enjoyable old fashioned mystery with a new century twist. Dek Elstrom gains your trust and empathy by his straight forward nature and quirky observations of everyone. "Even on his best day Stanley Novak looked lumpy, like a failed attempt to jam toothpaste back in a tube.." or "After lunch, I went to the bank drive-up, pleased I remembered the way. It had been two months since my last deposit...and watched the vacuum suck it (a check) up like a Kansas tornado." Jack Fredrickson knows how to move a story along from explosion to explosion with personal misery and a little romance mixed in. The Chicago back drop is nicely peppered throughout the story and makes one wonder where Gatesville really is. I personally hope that this is just the first in the Dek Elstrom mystery series and that there are more to come. I haven't laughed, been on edge and then smiled with satisfaction while reading a book in a long time. I highly recommend this fun and easy read for anyone who loves mysteries.

I can't remember the last time a book made me laugh out loud, but there are some scenes here (e.g., underwear on the line and a particularly fun Halloween) where I had to stop and catch my breath before reading on. I don't really read a lot of mystery novels, but I particularly enjoyed this one. If you're looking for a gory story, this book isn't for you. It's just a fun read and I love this guy Dek. I'm sure that in the next book Mr. Fredrickson will get Dek back together with his wife. I don't know how anyone could resist that sense of humor! Well done.

Fredrickson's debut features a strongly voiced private investigator, knocked down by life but far from out of the game. It's impossible not to like Dek Elstrom as he negotiates Chicago's class and ethnic divisions. Frederickson is like a careful golfer, sending Dek from scene to scene with careful chip-shots and humorous asides. Plot, character, and setting are so tightly woven in this tale you're sure to be carried along with Dek and rooting for him on every page. Clear a few hours of reading time for this one.

In Chicago a blackmailer stalks the affluent residents of Crystal Waters by threatening to blow up the multimillion dollar mansions of those who fail to pay his or her fee. Feeling safe behind their walled community nicknamed "Gatedville", the rich and famous who reside there ignore the threat as that of a crackpot. Not long afterward the extortionist blows up the home of the Farradays to the shock of everyone; no one was hurt as the owners were away. Crystal Water Chief of Security Stanley Novak asks Vlodek "Dek" Elstrom to join in as added security because he once lived there so he knows the place first hand and has investigative experience. He insists that he is the wrong person for the job as his residence was shorter than a cup of coffee so he does not know the community and that he has only investigated paper not humans. For some unknown reason Stanley hires him anyway. Dek accepts the case more for his desire to redeem himself with his ex-wife who he let down and still resides there than with the money he needs. However, Dek quickly realizes that the prime suspect is himself. The hero no longer has any confidence in his skills after badly messing up in business and in his personal life, but sees this as the first step to redemption. However, when he concludes that he is being set up, Dek wants to run away and hide, but puts on "Depends" in order to uncover who is framing him. Dek makes this a fabulous private investigative tale that sub-genre fans will fully appreciate and want more stories starring this fascinating hero. Harriet Klausner