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Getting Dunn
TJ Dunn knew the risks when she enlisted for duty in Iraq. People die in war. And like she saw with her army veteran father, the scars of war can be fatally deep. But TJ is determined to carry her weight as a female MP. When her team is ambushed, TJ is the sole survivor. Struggling to come to terms with the loss of her battalion, she receives more devastating news: her fianc?, stationed in Afghanistan, has committed suicide. Back home, TJ drifts indifferently from one dead-end job to another until an anonymous phone call shocks her back to life: a top military official is allegedly executing soldiers and masking their deaths as suicides, all to cover up an elaborate heroin-trafficking operation. Determined to avenge her fellow soldiers, TJ vows to bring the traitor to justice ? no matter the cost.
310 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2012
4 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Tom Schreck
47 books94 followersTom is the author of "On the Ropes," "TKO,""Out Cold" and "The Vegas Knockout,"all "Duffy Dombrowski Mysteries". His stand alone thriller, "Getting Dunn" was released in 2012.
The Duffy mysteries chronicle the life of a not-so-social social worker, always on the brink of getting fired, who is a bad professional boxer at night and whose best friends are a collection of lovable drunks.
Duffy is part philosopher, part Robin Hood and all heart as he throws himself into helping those who can't help themselves.
Then there's Al--his obstinate basset hound who prefers cheeseburgers, barking at Duffy and naps. But Al seems to show up exactly when it matters.
Often described as a modern day, hipper and less perfect Spenser, Duffy Dombrowski knows the ghetto street and just how unforgiving they can be.
The Duffy mysteries chronicle the life of a not-so-social social worker, always on the brink of getting fired, who is a bad professional boxer at night and whose best friends are a collection of lovable drunks.
Duffy is part philosopher, part Robin Hood and all heart as he throws himself into helping those who can't help themselves.
Then there's Al--his obstinate basset hound who prefers cheeseburgers, barking at Duffy and naps. But Al seems to show up exactly when it matters.
Often described as a modern day, hipper and less perfect Spenser, Duffy Dombrowski knows the ghetto street and just how unforgiving they can be.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 20, 2012
I read Tom Schreck's prior novel, "Vegas Knockout" and loved it, so I eagerly anticipated another action-filled, somewhat humorous, life with a grain-of-salt-and-two-grains-of-aspirin sort of escapade in his newest novel, Getting Dunn (Thomas & Mercer 2012). The title even sounds that way, doesn't it? Like a fast-moving action novel interlaced with enough humor to keep it from being frightening.
And that's how it was for the first 2/3rds. An ex-military MP-turned stripper--TJ Dunn--and suicide hotline host struggles to come to grips with the death of her fiancee. Despite being two years in her rear view mirror and weekly therapy, she can't move on. It haunts her days and dreams. When she finds out he might have been murdered, she reluctantly joins his ex-best friend to uncover the truth.
Schreck does his usual superb job of sketching out TJ's character, with riveting details about her experience in Afghanistan, the dance hall she performs at several times a week, and her day job as a suicide hotline counselor. He spends much time (maybe more than necessary, but I kept reading) detailing the motivations and emotions that drive her, enough so that I find myself believing she could be real. Why not? Those two jobs aren't that contrary, are they? He does equally well with the other central figures. I'd say character development is one of his strengths, one many authors struggle to achieve.
Just as the pace begins to drag (because I'm already convinced of TJ's motivations and don't need another example to drive the point home) and I start wishing there was more action than stripping, talking suicidal victims down from the ledge and TJ crying over the depth of emotion she continues to carry over the disasters of her past life, the action begins. Duffy (the lovable boxer from Vegas Knockout) appears as a potential love interest. He's always fun, especially with his sidekick, Al. I like authors who tie together characters developed in other books with new ones. It makes the whole fictional world so much more real. And then Forbus appears--an emotionless killer who I can almost empathize with through Schreck's writer's lens:
'Forbus found Dunn a fascinating quarry. First of all, having an opponent who was a woman was different and presented Forbus with different variables. Second, and maybe this was related to being a woman, Dunn was fired with emotion. It made it difficult to predict her behavior or call her next move. Third, she seemed to have this outdated Hollywood version of honor.'
Doesn't that make you want to get to know Forbus better. Certainly, I'd never want to be in her cross hairs, but reading about her--that feels safe. I wriggled into my reading chair and ignored the clock's call to bed.
About 3/4ths of the way into the story, the plot took a dangerous turn from willing suspension of disbelief to, well, skepticism. A plot twist (which I won't reveal because I don't want to spoil the story) turned the story's entire theme on end, so significantly it now required a different sort of reader to enjoy the new direction. I consider Schreck's audience to be thriller/action readers--kind of like TJ, with a sense of honor, belief in country, a bias for action. The change required a conspiracy theory believer--someone who was willing to believe concepts like the American government actively caused 9/11. Yes, that's a valid audience, but not the one who picked up this book. I liked the book greatly up to this point, and now it seems ridiculous, like I was tricked.
The odd part is, what that twist accomplished could have been done with any number of other devices that were true to the theme of the story. I don't understand why Schreck selected this one, unless he has some political point he wants subtly to make.
I was prepared to award 4/5 stars (Schreck is still developing his plotting techniques as a writer which cost him a star. I expect each book, he'll be stronger in that area), but now I'm struggling to give 3/5. And, I'm not sure I'll read any more of his books. I feel sad about that. I'll miss Duffy.
And that's how it was for the first 2/3rds. An ex-military MP-turned stripper--TJ Dunn--and suicide hotline host struggles to come to grips with the death of her fiancee. Despite being two years in her rear view mirror and weekly therapy, she can't move on. It haunts her days and dreams. When she finds out he might have been murdered, she reluctantly joins his ex-best friend to uncover the truth.
Schreck does his usual superb job of sketching out TJ's character, with riveting details about her experience in Afghanistan, the dance hall she performs at several times a week, and her day job as a suicide hotline counselor. He spends much time (maybe more than necessary, but I kept reading) detailing the motivations and emotions that drive her, enough so that I find myself believing she could be real. Why not? Those two jobs aren't that contrary, are they? He does equally well with the other central figures. I'd say character development is one of his strengths, one many authors struggle to achieve.
Just as the pace begins to drag (because I'm already convinced of TJ's motivations and don't need another example to drive the point home) and I start wishing there was more action than stripping, talking suicidal victims down from the ledge and TJ crying over the depth of emotion she continues to carry over the disasters of her past life, the action begins. Duffy (the lovable boxer from Vegas Knockout) appears as a potential love interest. He's always fun, especially with his sidekick, Al. I like authors who tie together characters developed in other books with new ones. It makes the whole fictional world so much more real. And then Forbus appears--an emotionless killer who I can almost empathize with through Schreck's writer's lens:
'Forbus found Dunn a fascinating quarry. First of all, having an opponent who was a woman was different and presented Forbus with different variables. Second, and maybe this was related to being a woman, Dunn was fired with emotion. It made it difficult to predict her behavior or call her next move. Third, she seemed to have this outdated Hollywood version of honor.'
Doesn't that make you want to get to know Forbus better. Certainly, I'd never want to be in her cross hairs, but reading about her--that feels safe. I wriggled into my reading chair and ignored the clock's call to bed.
About 3/4ths of the way into the story, the plot took a dangerous turn from willing suspension of disbelief to, well, skepticism. A plot twist (which I won't reveal because I don't want to spoil the story) turned the story's entire theme on end, so significantly it now required a different sort of reader to enjoy the new direction. I consider Schreck's audience to be thriller/action readers--kind of like TJ, with a sense of honor, belief in country, a bias for action. The change required a conspiracy theory believer--someone who was willing to believe concepts like the American government actively caused 9/11. Yes, that's a valid audience, but not the one who picked up this book. I liked the book greatly up to this point, and now it seems ridiculous, like I was tricked.
The odd part is, what that twist accomplished could have been done with any number of other devices that were true to the theme of the story. I don't understand why Schreck selected this one, unless he has some political point he wants subtly to make.
I was prepared to award 4/5 stars (Schreck is still developing his plotting techniques as a writer which cost him a star. I expect each book, he'll be stronger in that area), but now I'm struggling to give 3/5. And, I'm not sure I'll read any more of his books. I feel sad about that. I'll miss Duffy.
February 24, 2024
After rereading this…I think through the tears and joy of seeing her father and Trent, TJ should have decked both of them. To really bring home to them that their subsequent survival methods of their bad decisions seriously fucked up the lives and mental health of TJ and her mother.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2012
There's a good story in GETTING DUNN, nut it could have used a few more edits and some tightening up.
TJ Dunn is ex-military, a veteran of the Iraq war. The only survivor in her patrol of an ambush, she got word while recovering that her fiance had committed suicide in Afghanistan.
It left her an emotional wreck. She got into the military after her career officer father had committed suicide.
These days she works as a stripper and volunteers for a suicide hotline and visits a therapist.
The story is slowed down at the beginning with too many scenes at the strip club, too many sessions with her therapist, and too many phone calls on the hotline, all to establish her fragility.
But a hundred pages before the main story gets going.
Some of her phone calls come from a mechanically disguised voice warning her that the suicides are nit what they seem.
The author throws several twists in. Only one surprised me. It didn't take me long to figure out the identity of the bad guy's mysterious killer and the serendipitous sniper that shows up to save the day a few times in the finale I guessed immediately.
A decent story with a slow beginning and a bad end.
TJ Dunn is ex-military, a veteran of the Iraq war. The only survivor in her patrol of an ambush, she got word while recovering that her fiance had committed suicide in Afghanistan.
It left her an emotional wreck. She got into the military after her career officer father had committed suicide.
These days she works as a stripper and volunteers for a suicide hotline and visits a therapist.
The story is slowed down at the beginning with too many scenes at the strip club, too many sessions with her therapist, and too many phone calls on the hotline, all to establish her fragility.
But a hundred pages before the main story gets going.
Some of her phone calls come from a mechanically disguised voice warning her that the suicides are nit what they seem.
The author throws several twists in. Only one surprised me. It didn't take me long to figure out the identity of the bad guy's mysterious killer and the serendipitous sniper that shows up to save the day a few times in the finale I guessed immediately.
A decent story with a slow beginning and a bad end.
May 13, 2013
This was an action packed story with an interesting set of characters. The main character, TJ, is a veteran of the Afghanistan war and is having difficulty adjusting to civilian life. She has lost both her father and her fiance to war, both suicides. As she tries to assimilate back into civilian life, she has three basic activities: stripping, volunteering for a suicide hotline, and running/working out. She becomes embroiled in a situation that involves all three of these activities. The book consists of 77 short chapters each of which are filled with action.
January 2, 2013
This just didn't do it for me....I liked the parts that take place in the suicide hotline and think more of that setting would have made for a better story. The detailed scenes in the strip club did not advance the story in my opinion. I never did fully engage with either the story line or the characters. I also did not buy into the ending.
November 2, 2014
A departure from his usual work, but a worthy read. It's nice to see an author leave his comfort zone, this time choosing a woman as his protagonist. There is not enough out there surrounding the plight of veterans, particularly in how traumatic war is and the PTSD they have to live with. This book addresses the issue and gives us a great story at the same time.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews