Book Review: The Dead Guy by Doug Hewitt

Looking for suspense? Looking for action? Looking for an intense read? You'll find it in The Dead Guy by Doug Hewitt.

Jack Thigpen is sent on what he believes is a routine car insurance scam investigation. But on this one, Jack gets more than he bargained for.

His investigation targets him for death soon after Jack discovers he's dying from an untreatable, debilitating illness. When Jack's best friend, Hal, is caught in the line of fire, Jack vows to track down Hal's killer, as he struggles to accept the fact that he's going to die--slowly and painfully.

The Dead Guy is one of those books that will leave you begging for more. Jack is a likable, tough character who is put in a position no human being should ever be--feeling responsible for his best friend's death when he, himself, is at death's door. Hewitt's masterful storytelling allows the reader to experience everything with Jack as he uncovers the evil underbelly of Detroit, which is consumed by corruption, fraud, and organized crime.

Other memorable characters include Jack's brother, Tom, the only other person who knows of Jack's illness, and who is forced to cope with the impending loss of his brother while struggling to sit back and let Jack deal with things his own way; Octavia, a tennis champion who Jack used to mentor; and Blalock, whose own complex story unfolds in the background.

This book is a roller coaster ride of action, intrigue, and mystery. Just when you think Jack has it figured out, something throws a monkey wrench into his theory and things are no longer as they seem. The reader will unconciously be biting off fingernails as he follows Jack from car dealerships to body shops to riverboats.

If this book hasn't won any awards yet, it should!

Riveting, intense, and action-packed, The Dead Guy by Doug Hewitt keeps you hanging on the edge of your seat and turning the pages.


Title: The Dead Guy
Author: Doug Hewitt
Publisher: Aberdeen Bay
ISBN-10: 0981472575
ISBN-13: 978-0981472577
SRP: $15.00 (U.S.)

This review first appeared at The Book Connection.