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Death Never Sleeps
Veteran Homicide Detective James "Big Jim" Donegan and his partner, Detective Chris Hunter, have been called to scene of their latest case, a strangled call girl who has been put halfway through a wood chipper that was left unattended in one of the city's parks.
311 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 20, 2013
2 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
David Grace
53 books9 followersDavid M. Alexander (writing as David Grace) Biography
David Grace is the pen name for David M. Alexander. David Alexander was born in Upstate New York in the mid-nineteen forties. His family moved to Northern California in the early nineteen sixties. He graduated from Stanford University in 1967 with a major in history and a minor in economics. He received a Doctor of Laws degree from the University of California Law School, Boalt Hall, in June 1970, graduating in the top ten percent of his class. He was licensed to practice law by the Supreme Court of the State of California in January 1971 and before the Supreme Court of the United States in November, 1977.
His first novel was "The Chocolate Spy," Coward, McCann & Geoghigan, 1978. His second novel was "Fane," Pocket Books/Timescape Books, 1981.
"My Real Name Is Lisa" was published in hardcover by Carroll & Graf 1996.
The author alone and with Hayford Peirce has published
10 pieces of short fiction in "Analog Magazine" and "Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine."
The complete list of David Grace novels available from Wildside Press (print) and as ebooks from Amazon, Smashwords and other ebook distributors are:
"The Accidental Magician"
"The Concrete Kiss"
"Daniel"(ebook only)
"A Death In Beverly Hills"
"Doll's Eyes"
"Easy Target"
"Etched In Bone"
"Fever Dreams"
"The Forbidden List"
"Shooting Crows At Dawn"
"Stolen Angel"
"The Traitor's Mistress"
"True Faith"
Mr. Grace's latest novel is "The Concrete Kiss."
David Alexander shared story credit with Dan Wright and Sam Egan for the Outer Limits TV series episode, "Joyride," starring Cliff Robertson and broadcast during the 2000 season.
David Grace is the pen name for David M. Alexander. David Alexander was born in Upstate New York in the mid-nineteen forties. His family moved to Northern California in the early nineteen sixties. He graduated from Stanford University in 1967 with a major in history and a minor in economics. He received a Doctor of Laws degree from the University of California Law School, Boalt Hall, in June 1970, graduating in the top ten percent of his class. He was licensed to practice law by the Supreme Court of the State of California in January 1971 and before the Supreme Court of the United States in November, 1977.
His first novel was "The Chocolate Spy," Coward, McCann & Geoghigan, 1978. His second novel was "Fane," Pocket Books/Timescape Books, 1981.
"My Real Name Is Lisa" was published in hardcover by Carroll & Graf 1996.
The author alone and with Hayford Peirce has published
10 pieces of short fiction in "Analog Magazine" and "Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine."
The complete list of David Grace novels available from Wildside Press (print) and as ebooks from Amazon, Smashwords and other ebook distributors are:
"The Accidental Magician"
"The Concrete Kiss"
"Daniel"(ebook only)
"A Death In Beverly Hills"
"Doll's Eyes"
"Easy Target"
"Etched In Bone"
"Fever Dreams"
"The Forbidden List"
"Shooting Crows At Dawn"
"Stolen Angel"
"The Traitor's Mistress"
"True Faith"
Mr. Grace's latest novel is "The Concrete Kiss."
David Alexander shared story credit with Dan Wright and Sam Egan for the Outer Limits TV series episode, "Joyride," starring Cliff Robertson and broadcast during the 2000 season.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 15, 2013
Death Never Sleeps by David Grace is an excellent detective story that is captivating right from the beginning of the story with a wood chipper murder and stays just as interesting right until the end.
The author has the right amount of events so the reader isn't overwhelmed and the story even though there are more mysteries than who put the person in the wood chipper. There are plots and sub-plots in this story.
I am not saying there is nothing but this crime solving subject in it either; it does have personal/career relationships that are developed. In other words, not only are the main characters developed as detectives, their working/social relationships are developed as well. Not everything is a good groundbreaking events either, disaster does strike which only adds to the believability of the characters, story and life as a whole.
The pace of the book was consistent from beginning to end. I liked that the author was able to bring these character's lives to life without slowing the pace down to a crawl. It kept me turning page after page and I do recommend this book.
*I received a free copy of this book for my honest review. This did not affect my review at all.
The author has the right amount of events so the reader isn't overwhelmed and the story even though there are more mysteries than who put the person in the wood chipper. There are plots and sub-plots in this story.
I am not saying there is nothing but this crime solving subject in it either; it does have personal/career relationships that are developed. In other words, not only are the main characters developed as detectives, their working/social relationships are developed as well. Not everything is a good groundbreaking events either, disaster does strike which only adds to the believability of the characters, story and life as a whole.
The pace of the book was consistent from beginning to end. I liked that the author was able to bring these character's lives to life without slowing the pace down to a crawl. It kept me turning page after page and I do recommend this book.
*I received a free copy of this book for my honest review. This did not affect my review at all.
September 3, 2013
Death Never Sleeps is another great detective story from David Grace. He always has interesting twists and surprise connections in his stories, and Death Never Sleeps is the perfect example of this style. There are two murders, seemingly unconnected, with nothing but a gut feeling that leads the detectives to believe they are connected. There are also previously unsolved cases that haunt the detectives.
The main characters, Big Jim and Chris are both interesting and likable. Big Jim is a more traditional detective, but with secrets. Chris is very intelligent, but his social skills and interpersonal associations are limited. The characteristics of these two men blend well together to create a great partnership.
This is a good story with complex and unusual characters. It has the prefect balance of dialog and narration, and the story held my interest throughout. I read mainly in the mystery and police genres so it is difficult to surprise me, but this book certainly did.
The main characters, Big Jim and Chris are both interesting and likable. Big Jim is a more traditional detective, but with secrets. Chris is very intelligent, but his social skills and interpersonal associations are limited. The characteristics of these two men blend well together to create a great partnership.
This is a good story with complex and unusual characters. It has the prefect balance of dialog and narration, and the story held my interest throughout. I read mainly in the mystery and police genres so it is difficult to surprise me, but this book certainly did.
October 30, 2014
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. That was quite some time ago and when David Grace asked me to review a new book, I realized I read this one and then never wrote a review.
So, I re-read it (because, of course, with almost 100 books in between, I’d forgotten the details), and I enjoyed it all over again. I rarely read a book twice anymore, so the fact that I read every single word a second time, rather than skimming through to refresh my memory, is a huge endorsement for this book.
I’m always looking for the trifecta of character, story and setting. This book hits all the marks. I live in Los Angeles, so I always enjoy stories set in LA. At times, the author seems to want to disguise the location, changing names of streets and some other locations, but for me, it wasn’t a distraction.
I realized how much I enjoy the character of Chris Hunter, and how Big Jim Donegan carefully schools the boy he sets out to mentor, to shape into a man who is not only a good person, but good for something. The reader sees how still waters run deep in the character of Chris, and how successful Big Jim has been in shaping his life.
For me, the story was mostly about character, and the characters. Each character is carefully constructed, serving as a foil for both Chris Hunter and the story.
The story could plod, yet it doesn’t. It flows steadily and thoughtfully from start to finish, mirroring Chris Hunter’s personality. It starts with the murder of a prostitute, and as the bodies start piling up, Chris finds himself having to sort through the data points, which he understands, and human nature, which he doesn’t, to solve the case. But this story isn’t just about solving a murder, it’s about how lives are shaped and about doing what’s right.
I definitely recommend this book. It’s well written, and there’s more here than just a murder and a police procedural on solving it.
So, I re-read it (because, of course, with almost 100 books in between, I’d forgotten the details), and I enjoyed it all over again. I rarely read a book twice anymore, so the fact that I read every single word a second time, rather than skimming through to refresh my memory, is a huge endorsement for this book.
I’m always looking for the trifecta of character, story and setting. This book hits all the marks. I live in Los Angeles, so I always enjoy stories set in LA. At times, the author seems to want to disguise the location, changing names of streets and some other locations, but for me, it wasn’t a distraction.
I realized how much I enjoy the character of Chris Hunter, and how Big Jim Donegan carefully schools the boy he sets out to mentor, to shape into a man who is not only a good person, but good for something. The reader sees how still waters run deep in the character of Chris, and how successful Big Jim has been in shaping his life.
For me, the story was mostly about character, and the characters. Each character is carefully constructed, serving as a foil for both Chris Hunter and the story.
The story could plod, yet it doesn’t. It flows steadily and thoughtfully from start to finish, mirroring Chris Hunter’s personality. It starts with the murder of a prostitute, and as the bodies start piling up, Chris finds himself having to sort through the data points, which he understands, and human nature, which he doesn’t, to solve the case. But this story isn’t just about solving a murder, it’s about how lives are shaped and about doing what’s right.
I definitely recommend this book. It’s well written, and there’s more here than just a murder and a police procedural on solving it.
September 19, 2023
Death Never Sleeps written by the author David Grace is the first installment in the Chris Hunter book series. The story features Detective James "Big Jim" Donegan and his partner Chris Hunter. The latest case is about a call girl who was strangled and then put into the wood chipper.
While solving the case, Big Jim often asks questions from Chris. Chris knew that these questions were a test to teach him something. While investigating and questioning Johnny-Boy Watkins, they found out that the strangled girl was one of Johnny-Boy's girls. Darja Novoriska was roommates with Fatima. They both worked for Johnny-Boy and had plans to leave him soon. Darja was making good money for Johnny-Boy but who killed her?
The writing style of the author is nice. The language used in the book is lucid and I was able to follow the story easily. This book kept me on the edge the whole time. The way Big Jim kept on teaching something to Chris is something I really liked. The story is well paced. Those who love reading crime fiction should definitely get their hands on this book.
While solving the case, Big Jim often asks questions from Chris. Chris knew that these questions were a test to teach him something. While investigating and questioning Johnny-Boy Watkins, they found out that the strangled girl was one of Johnny-Boy's girls. Darja Novoriska was roommates with Fatima. They both worked for Johnny-Boy and had plans to leave him soon. Darja was making good money for Johnny-Boy but who killed her?
The writing style of the author is nice. The language used in the book is lucid and I was able to follow the story easily. This book kept me on the edge the whole time. The way Big Jim kept on teaching something to Chris is something I really liked. The story is well paced. Those who love reading crime fiction should definitely get their hands on this book.
March 19, 2025
A nerd for a detective instead of some macho gun-slinger. Who would of thought. I really liked the idea. Very good read.
November 25, 2013
This book opens with a real shocking scene when Homicide Detective James "Big Jim" Donegan and his partner, Chris Hunter, are called to a park where a body was found in a wood chipper. Chris can barely look at the woman, and I couldn't blame him. This was one crime scene I was not eager to visualize.
The dead woman turns out to be a prostitute who was strangled, and this discovery sends the detectives on a quest to find the killer. When a high school principal is found strangled and hanging from the school's flagpole a few weeks later, at first there seems to be no connection between the two murders. However, the investigation proves otherwise, and adds yet another murder to the mix, this one a cold case.
The two central characters in the story have all the grit it takes to be a cop, but they also have softer sides that make them almost like heroic knights who slay dragons and save damsels in distress. Big Jim has been a mentor to Chris for many years, and continues to help the younger man learn how to be a better cop and a better man.
I enjoy reading police procedural mysteries, and on many levels this was a satisfying read. The cop behaviors and jargon was spot on, and the convoluted mystery was well done, with enough twists to keep me guessing.
The sub-plot, dealing with the relationship between the two men outside of the job, was also well done, and there was a particularly nice wrap up to that at the end of the story. I really can't say what that was without a major spoiler, so I will leave it to you, kind reader, to find out for yourself, should you get the book.
There were a few places where the main story, the focus on the investigation, got bogged down in back story. That was especially true when the reader was given a lot of detail about other detectives- even full scenes that were only barely connected to the main story. What the reader needed to know about these detectives and the cold case could have been summed up in a few paragraphs.
However, that was not enough of a problem to spoil the read. This was an entertaining story with some memorable characters.
The dead woman turns out to be a prostitute who was strangled, and this discovery sends the detectives on a quest to find the killer. When a high school principal is found strangled and hanging from the school's flagpole a few weeks later, at first there seems to be no connection between the two murders. However, the investigation proves otherwise, and adds yet another murder to the mix, this one a cold case.
The two central characters in the story have all the grit it takes to be a cop, but they also have softer sides that make them almost like heroic knights who slay dragons and save damsels in distress. Big Jim has been a mentor to Chris for many years, and continues to help the younger man learn how to be a better cop and a better man.
I enjoy reading police procedural mysteries, and on many levels this was a satisfying read. The cop behaviors and jargon was spot on, and the convoluted mystery was well done, with enough twists to keep me guessing.
The sub-plot, dealing with the relationship between the two men outside of the job, was also well done, and there was a particularly nice wrap up to that at the end of the story. I really can't say what that was without a major spoiler, so I will leave it to you, kind reader, to find out for yourself, should you get the book.
There were a few places where the main story, the focus on the investigation, got bogged down in back story. That was especially true when the reader was given a lot of detail about other detectives- even full scenes that were only barely connected to the main story. What the reader needed to know about these detectives and the cold case could have been summed up in a few paragraphs.
However, that was not enough of a problem to spoil the read. This was an entertaining story with some memorable characters.
July 22, 2013
I belong to this great group Books, Wine and Girl Talk where I was given the opportunity to read this book and provide a review.
Thanks David!
I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good crime story. Elements of suspense and drama kept me entertained throughout the read (aside from a few chuckles over the lack of social smarts of Detective Hunter). David is an excellent story teller. I have read a number of “who dunnit” type books over the years and it has taken much longer to be engaged or I could predict what was going to happen next. There were many that were so dry that I couldn’t get past the first few chapters but David’s book got me from the wood chipper!! There wasn't a character in this book that I didn't love or love to hate. This is an addictive read. The only reason that this was not a five star read is that one of the subplots was not tied into the ending and that’s purely a personal thing.
Thanks David!
I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good crime story. Elements of suspense and drama kept me entertained throughout the read (aside from a few chuckles over the lack of social smarts of Detective Hunter). David is an excellent story teller. I have read a number of “who dunnit” type books over the years and it has taken much longer to be engaged or I could predict what was going to happen next. There were many that were so dry that I couldn’t get past the first few chapters but David’s book got me from the wood chipper!! There wasn't a character in this book that I didn't love or love to hate. This is an addictive read. The only reason that this was not a five star read is that one of the subplots was not tied into the ending and that’s purely a personal thing.
August 6, 2013
I was given the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
In Death Never Sleeps, Chris Hunter is a detective with the Major Crimes Unit, an incredibly intelligent "tech" guy, and a bit socially awkward. His mentor, Jim, took Chris under his wings when he was young and taught him how to become people smart. This was a wonderful suspense novel, the author did a great job of keeping me entertained through the twists and turns of figuring out who done it. I enjoyed the character development, while the novel was mainly about Chris, it was insightful to read bits in the other character's voice. I would recommend this to anyone who likes suspense novels, this contained suspense and just enough gore to tell the story. I'm looking forward to reading more novels by David Grace!
In Death Never Sleeps, Chris Hunter is a detective with the Major Crimes Unit, an incredibly intelligent "tech" guy, and a bit socially awkward. His mentor, Jim, took Chris under his wings when he was young and taught him how to become people smart. This was a wonderful suspense novel, the author did a great job of keeping me entertained through the twists and turns of figuring out who done it. I enjoyed the character development, while the novel was mainly about Chris, it was insightful to read bits in the other character's voice. I would recommend this to anyone who likes suspense novels, this contained suspense and just enough gore to tell the story. I'm looking forward to reading more novels by David Grace!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews