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Bluff
Lark Chadwick is back!
From the small town environs of Wisconsin to the ancient cities and mountains of Peru, the intrepid reporter for The Pine Bluff Standard
is freshly embroiled in another tale of intrigue – the mysterious death of the daughter of her boss -- where Lark shockingly becomes a target.
“Lark Chadwick is my hero! A true investigative reporter in every sense of the word. Lark reminds me of me in the early days of my career, driven by curiosity and the need to unravel true and compelling stories. It’s no surprise that veteran journalist John DeDakis so accurately depicts the life and work of a reporter and how a complicated mystery gets solved. But how DeDakis can so accurately write from a woman’s point of view - with all the intrinsic curiosity, emotion and passion - is nothing short of astounding. The public rarely gets a glimpse of what an investigative reporter’s life is the curiosity-propelled pursuit of a story, the loneliness and the inherent danger in many assignments. That’s the real untold tale of how meaningful journalism gets to the public. I want more Lark Chadwick adventures!”
Diane Dimond
Author and Investigative Journalist
From the small town environs of Wisconsin to the ancient cities and mountains of Peru, the intrepid reporter for The Pine Bluff Standard
is freshly embroiled in another tale of intrigue – the mysterious death of the daughter of her boss -- where Lark shockingly becomes a target.
“Lark Chadwick is my hero! A true investigative reporter in every sense of the word. Lark reminds me of me in the early days of my career, driven by curiosity and the need to unravel true and compelling stories. It’s no surprise that veteran journalist John DeDakis so accurately depicts the life and work of a reporter and how a complicated mystery gets solved. But how DeDakis can so accurately write from a woman’s point of view - with all the intrinsic curiosity, emotion and passion - is nothing short of astounding. The public rarely gets a glimpse of what an investigative reporter’s life is the curiosity-propelled pursuit of a story, the loneliness and the inherent danger in many assignments. That’s the real untold tale of how meaningful journalism gets to the public. I want more Lark Chadwick adventures!”
Diane Dimond
Author and Investigative Journalist
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 6, 2010
1 person is currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
John DeDakis
15 books67 followersJournalist, novelist, and writing coach John DeDakis is a former Senior Copy Editor on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer." DeDakis (pronounced deh-DAY-kiss) is the author of five novels in the Lark Chadwick mystery-suspense-thriller series.
His fourth novel, Bullet in the Chamber, is the winner of Reviewers Choice, Foreword INDIES, and Feathered Quill book awards.
His most recent novel, Fake, is a winner of the 2020 Reviewers Choice Award. In Fake, Lark is a White House correspondent dealing with “fake news” in the era of #MeToo.
During his award-winning 45-year career in journalism (25 years at CNN), DeDakis has been a White House Correspondent and interviewed such luminaries as Alfred Hitchcock, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan.
DeDakis has taught journalism at the University of Maryland–College Park, and American University in Washington, D.C. He now regularly teaches novel writing online, at literary centers, writers’ conferences, and bookstores around the country and abroad.
He is currently at work on a memoir, working title: Pivot Points: A Life of Plot Twists
In his spare time, DeDakis is also a jazz drummer.
Website: www.johndedakis.com
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 29, 2013
John DeDakis is one of my favorite author. His writings are fascinating.. I recommend Bluff that will keep you turning page after page It's about .. Lark Chadwick is back From the small town environs of Wisconsin to the ancient cities and mountains of Peru, the intrepid reporter for The Pine Bluff Standard is freshly embroiled in another tale of intrigue-the mysterious death of the daughter of her boss -where Lark shockingly becomes a target."
Laureen Sonia
Laureen Sonia
June 16, 2020
Every time I read and review a book I like to read a few other reviews just to see if most people are on the same wavelength. Almost every reviewer says Bluff is a fast-paced hard to put down read and I have to agree with them. Bluff, John DeDakis' second novel, is extremely well written and the editing is phenomenal. A book like Bluff does not come along very often. In fact in today's world I believe it's quite rare, speaking of the quality of the writing and the editing thereof.
It amazes me that John DeDakis is able to be so intune with Lark, his female protagonist. I just don't know how he does it. The depth of emotion that Lark goes through as she deals with the losses in her life, the ups and downs of daily activities and other traumas is mind-boggling and John has a firm hand on all of it. Each one of his characters, mainstream or otherwise, comes alive in his vivid word picture. A good writer wears many hats and one important task of a good writer is to make the reader feel like he or she is that fly on the wall. I attended the Landscam news conference, in fact I was sitting next to Lark and Jonathan Anderson. They didn't happen to glance my way. I sat across from Lark while she was having tea with Muriel and Loinel; I wasn't thirsty.
Reading John's books, this is the fourth out of five, has been quite the eye-opener; I can picture the inside of a TV studio. I now see two sides of real journalism, the objective side (The Pine Bluff Standard) and the ultra seedy side (Jonathan's underhanded tactics used to sell more news print). Bluff is a great book on so many levels. Bluff's front and back covers are strikingly colorful. You won't miss it on the bookstore shelf. While there may be a few too many words on a page (just my humble opinion) it certainly does not take away from the read. I can't wait to read the next one. Keep writing John, I'm loven it.
It amazes me that John DeDakis is able to be so intune with Lark, his female protagonist. I just don't know how he does it. The depth of emotion that Lark goes through as she deals with the losses in her life, the ups and downs of daily activities and other traumas is mind-boggling and John has a firm hand on all of it. Each one of his characters, mainstream or otherwise, comes alive in his vivid word picture. A good writer wears many hats and one important task of a good writer is to make the reader feel like he or she is that fly on the wall. I attended the Landscam news conference, in fact I was sitting next to Lark and Jonathan Anderson. They didn't happen to glance my way. I sat across from Lark while she was having tea with Muriel and Loinel; I wasn't thirsty.
Reading John's books, this is the fourth out of five, has been quite the eye-opener; I can picture the inside of a TV studio. I now see two sides of real journalism, the objective side (The Pine Bluff Standard) and the ultra seedy side (Jonathan's underhanded tactics used to sell more news print). Bluff is a great book on so many levels. Bluff's front and back covers are strikingly colorful. You won't miss it on the bookstore shelf. While there may be a few too many words on a page (just my humble opinion) it certainly does not take away from the read. I can't wait to read the next one. Keep writing John, I'm loven it.
January 4, 2019
Bluff
By John DeDakis
This book should come with a warning: Don't start until you have time to finish. From the moment I started reading this story I was hooked. The book instantly grabbed my attention with action in the first few pages. And before I knew it , it was 2 am and i had set and read the whole book straight through in one setting.It is a fast paced, a page turner and a compelling mystery - one that you wont want to put down.So Make sure you have some free time when you read the book . Rule one ,
Never assume anything in this book. Every time I thought I had something figured out, DeDakis threw in a curve and took me in a whole different direction and i Loved it! It is packed full of twists and turns. Just in case you're wondering if John DeDakis' book is worth it -- I can tell you without hesitation YES! The plot is great. I highley recommend this book . The ending was just as great and was one I never saw coming, There is 2 more in this series you will want to grab.
#Bluff #JohnDeDakis
By John DeDakis
This book should come with a warning: Don't start until you have time to finish. From the moment I started reading this story I was hooked. The book instantly grabbed my attention with action in the first few pages. And before I knew it , it was 2 am and i had set and read the whole book straight through in one setting.It is a fast paced, a page turner and a compelling mystery - one that you wont want to put down.So Make sure you have some free time when you read the book . Rule one ,
Never assume anything in this book. Every time I thought I had something figured out, DeDakis threw in a curve and took me in a whole different direction and i Loved it! It is packed full of twists and turns. Just in case you're wondering if John DeDakis' book is worth it -- I can tell you without hesitation YES! The plot is great. I highley recommend this book . The ending was just as great and was one I never saw coming, There is 2 more in this series you will want to grab.
#Bluff #JohnDeDakis
July 7, 2018
John further explores the characters from Fast Track and touches even more emotions and sensations felt by many, including family quarrels, regrets, and the family bonds of love that cannot be extinguished. Lark continues to grow and learn, and once again at the very end as with Fast Track, poetic justice is done for those characters who unjustly lost their lives.
October 8, 2018
No matter who you think did it, you're most likely wrong.
If possible, this book is better than the first book in the series, Fast Track. Excellent plot twists and character development. While it stands alone, read the books in the order they were written. You'll thank yourself.
If possible, this book is better than the first book in the series, Fast Track. Excellent plot twists and character development. While it stands alone, read the books in the order they were written. You'll thank yourself.
July 11, 2020
An interesting plot.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews