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Death & Default: A Great Recession Murder Mystery
In 2010, losing millions was just the beginning...
Brad and Wendy Delevan built their real estate empire the old-fashioned way—from the ground up with blood, sweat, and tears. For two decades, the couple dominated the luxury home industry in the Chicago suburbs, gaining respect and riches.
The Delevans couldn’t lose—until America’s real estate market crashed. Toxic assets. Subprime mortgages. Foreclosure lawsuits. Before long, Brad and Wendy are swept up in the devastation as their company faces ruin at the hands of a callous banker and his cunning lawyer. The couple isn’t afraid to play hardball and fight dirty, betting everything on an ambitious, last-ditch project.
Desperate to save his fortune, Brad keeps watch over a volatile business partner and navigates the world of shady pawn brokers and low-rent riffraff while trying to stay one step ahead of his creditors. The pressure mounts and the noose tightens, threatening to reveal family secrets and even expose a 35-year-old unsolved murder. Soon, Brad and Wendy’s lives are turned upside down with little hope to prevail.
The wife. The business partner. The banker. The lawyer. Not everyone can weather the storm.
The American Dream will be foreclosed.
Brad and Wendy Delevan built their real estate empire the old-fashioned way—from the ground up with blood, sweat, and tears. For two decades, the couple dominated the luxury home industry in the Chicago suburbs, gaining respect and riches.
The Delevans couldn’t lose—until America’s real estate market crashed. Toxic assets. Subprime mortgages. Foreclosure lawsuits. Before long, Brad and Wendy are swept up in the devastation as their company faces ruin at the hands of a callous banker and his cunning lawyer. The couple isn’t afraid to play hardball and fight dirty, betting everything on an ambitious, last-ditch project.
Desperate to save his fortune, Brad keeps watch over a volatile business partner and navigates the world of shady pawn brokers and low-rent riffraff while trying to stay one step ahead of his creditors. The pressure mounts and the noose tightens, threatening to reveal family secrets and even expose a 35-year-old unsolved murder. Soon, Brad and Wendy’s lives are turned upside down with little hope to prevail.
The wife. The business partner. The banker. The lawyer. Not everyone can weather the storm.
The American Dream will be foreclosed.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 9, 2023
1 person is currently reading
4 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 31, 2025
page turner set in great Midwest town and unique era in time
Death and Default feels strikingly real, grounded in authentic financial mechanics and believable human stakes. The plot is tightly constructed, unfolding with steady tension rather than gimmicks. Cisowski’s command of place makes the setting vivid and consequential, anchoring the story and elevating the suspense throughout from first page onward consistently.
Death and Default feels strikingly real, grounded in authentic financial mechanics and believable human stakes. The plot is tightly constructed, unfolding with steady tension rather than gimmicks. Cisowski’s command of place makes the setting vivid and consequential, anchoring the story and elevating the suspense throughout from first page onward consistently.
March 8, 2023
A great read that everyone will love. Cisowski did a great job of keeping me in suspense. Much like a good Agatha Christy book, I was sure who the killer was and I was wrong - about three times. Well written and fun to read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews