Sunday, April 19, 2009

The Dead Man by Joel Goldman


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Careful What You Dream. Milo Harper wants former FBI agent Jack Davis' help. People in Harper's study of the human brain are starting to die - and dying exactly in the very ways they have dreamed...Harper wants Jack to get to the truth and counter lawsuits aimed at the foundation. But when Jack investigates, the truth explodes: a serial killer is lurking inside one of the most advanced research facilities in the world. For Jack, the case will shatter illusions, raise ghosts, and take him onto both sides of the law - and into the path of a murderer's terrifying rage. (From Amazon)

At the Institute started by Milo Harper, dedicated to the study of the human brain and dreams, something is not right. Two people who are involved in a dream study have died ~ in the exact manner that they dreamed they would. While the police don't believe either death was suspicious, Milo isn't so sure and hires former FBI agent Jack Davis (first seen in Shakedown (Pinnacle Books Fiction) ) as head of security to get to the bottom of it. After another person ends up dead, exactly as he dreamed it, there is no denying the connection to the Institute.

In the meantime both Jack and Milo are fighting their own personal demons. Milo has early onset Alzheimer's and is struggling to stay in charge of his multi-billion dollar empire. Jack has a movement disorder that causes him to jerk uncontrollably. It led to his early retirement from the FBI. He's also still dealing with the death of his daughter Wendy 10 months early and the issues surrounding her death. Namely the missing five million dollars the FBI is sure she stole and that Jack now has.

So when a third murder victim is found, clutching an empty envelope that Wendy sent to Jack before she died, they are convinced Jack more than ever that Jack has the money. No matter what Jack tells them. Now Jack must not only find out who is killing people at the institute, he must also clear his name.

Mr. Goldman has created a fascinating cast of characters. From Jack's new "roommate" Lucy - a former cop and inmate to the psychopathic killer who will stop at nothing to reach their ultimate goal. The book is fast paced with enough twists and turns with enough red herrings . While I was fairly confident I figured out who the murderer was (which is not something I can normally do with his books), I still thoroughly enjoyed the ride. This was a fantastic read where you'll find that not everything is as it seems.

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