Fatal Dead Lines

Rating:
Summary: An Original and Entertaining Read
Review: After being a reporter for over forty years, Lenny Holcomb is as dead inside as the people whose obituaries he writes. He drinks too much, his wife has left him, he has no friends, and his career has dead-ended in the obits he writes for Pennsylvania�s The Harrisburg Herald. This all changes when, in the midst of writing yet another obituary, Lenny drifts off and suddenly notices that he�s revealing secrets about the deceased that were never disclosed and he should not know. When Lenny discovers that what�s he�s writing is true, he is at a loss at how to use this information until a prominent supporter of the current governor and presidential hopeful dies and Lenny�s fugue obit writing reveals financial fraud and scandal.

Now back on page one, Lenny is teamed with the young Jacquelyn �Jack� Towers, a reporter who is everything Lenny is not. She�s impulsive, ambitious, confident, and decisive. Their investigations seem to be leading towards the taking down of the governor until suddenly Lenny finds his career derailed and he�s back to writing obits. Additional deaths and their revealing obits spur Lenny back into the investigation though, and he and Jack are soon in the midst of political manipulations, sexual scandals, and a threat that endangers their careers and their lives.

While the fugue writing � a result of Lenny�s drinking, his subconscious, or his reporter�s instinct � is an interesting gimmick, far more intriguing is the behind-the-scenes look at a newspaper and its reporters. Their investigations, how they legitimize information from sources, and the reporters themselves are all fascinating and stem from John Luciew�s experiences as a journalist. Luciew has also created an original character in Lenny Holcomb, a burned out reporter who is neither attractive, overly intelligent, or particularly ambitious. What he does want is to be a representative of the dead and speak for their truths, and this is what makes him such a likeable character. I look forward to seeing where Luciew takes Lenny next, as this appears to be the beginning of an extremely original and engaging series.

Rating:
Summary: An Original and Entertaining Read
Review: After being a reporter for over forty years, Lenny Holcomb is as dead inside as the people whose obituaries he writes. He drinks too much, his wife has left him, he has no friends, and his career has dead-ended in the obits he writes for Pennsylvania's The Harrisburg Herald. This all changes when, in the midst of writing yet another obituary, Lenny drifts off and suddenly notices that he's revealing secrets about the deceased that were never disclosed and he should not know. When Lenny discovers that what's he's writing is true, he is at a loss at how to use this information until a prominent supporter of the current governor and presidential hopeful dies and Lenny's fugue obit writing reveals financial fraud and scandal.

Now back on page one, Lenny is teamed with the young Jacquelyn 'Jack' Towers, a reporter who is everything Lenny is not. She's impulsive, ambitious, confident, and decisive. Their investigations seem to be leading towards the taking down of the governor until suddenly Lenny finds his career derailed and he's back to writing obits. Additional deaths and their revealing obits spur Lenny back into the investigation though, and he and Jack are soon in the midst of political manipulations, sexual scandals, and a threat that endangers their careers and their lives.

While the fugue writing ' a result of Lenny's drinking, his subconscious, or his reporter's instinct ' is an interesting gimmick, far more intriguing is the behind-the-scenes look at a newspaper and its reporters. Their investigations, how they legitimize information from sources, and the reporters themselves are all fascinating and stem from John Luciew's experiences as a journalist. Luciew has also created an original character in Lenny Holcomb, a burned out reporter who is neither attractive, overly intelligent, or particularly ambitious. What he does want is to be a representative of the dead and speak for their truths, and this is what makes him such a likeable character. I look forward to seeing where Luciew takes Lenny next, as this appears to be the beginning of an extremely original and engaging series.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining Read
Review: I had a little trouble getting into the story at first, due to some minor stylistic choices which jarred me. But, I must say, I think that it was more of my personal quirks than bad writing.

After the first few pages, this baby took off like a roller coaster, and I found myself rooting for the 60 something protagonist, Lenny Holcomb, who ressurects his career, and in effect himself. He slowly changes from being a numb zombified shell back to a man who loves his work, and is starting to remember what it is to live.

The political intrigue is great, written by Luciew, who has covered Harrisburg for the real life daily, The Patriot-News. Luciew has plenty of first hand work at the paper, so needless to say, the interaction of the reporters, editors, and politicians rings very true.

I originally bought this book to support a local writer who set a novel in the area I was born and raised, but quickly found that I would have liked this book if it was set in South Dakota by someone I could care less about.

Buy this book, you won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: offbeat paranormal investigative journalist political thrill
Review: 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 shell 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

Rating:
Summary: offbeat paranormal investigative journalist political thrill
Review: 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 shell 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

Rating:
Summary: Political Thriller With a Dash of the Supernatural
Review: When you're writing a thriller, a helpful rule to follow is that the protagonist is generally trying to overcome nigh-unbeatable odds to achieve his/her objective. In the case of FATAL DEAD LINES 's Lenny Holcomb, a burned out sixty-year-old obituary writer burdened by debt and an absentee money-siphoning spouse, the odds are definitely against him from the start.

The main conceit of the novel kicks in near the beginning. Lenny's role as speaker-for-the-dead via his obituary column takes on a morbidly literal quality as he finds he can transpose actual thoughts of the deceased while typing. The exact nature and origin of this ability is kept vague and never fully explained, which is fine as it isn't really a necessary component of the story.

Luciew paints an interesting and entertaining collage involving Pennsylvania state politics, apathy & corruption in journalism and the potential threat that exists at Three Mile Island. The book is highly entertaining and reads very quickly. I look forward to the next installment of Lenny's adventures and hope he continues on the developmental road as he learns to further utilize his gift for getting at the truth.

Rating:
Summary: Political Thriller With a Dash of the Supernatural
Review: When you're writing a thriller, a helpful rule to follow is that the protagonist is generally trying to overcome nigh-unbeatable odds to achieve his/her objective. In the case of FATAL DEAD LINES 's Lenny Holcomb, a burned out sixty-year-old obituary writer burdened by debt and an absentee money-siphoning spouse, the odds are definitely against him from the start.

The main conceit of the novel kicks in near the beginning. Lenny's role as speaker-for-the-dead via his obituary column takes on a morbidly literal quality as he finds he can transpose actual thoughts of the deceased while typing. The exact nature and origin of this ability is kept vague and never fully explained, which is fine as it isn't really a necessary component of the story.

Luciew paints an interesting and entertaining collage involving Pennsylvania state politics, apathy & corruption in journalism and the potential threat that exists at Three Mile Island. The book is highly entertaining and reads very quickly. I look forward to the next installment of Lenny's adventures and hope he continues on the developmental road as he learns to further utilize his gift for getting at the truth.