Chasing the Dead

John Standard #1

by Tom Towslee

Is Allison Shafer dead or alive? Finding the answer may be the only thing that will save John Standard's life.

Standard is a freelance writer who believed he had chronicled the last days of a beautiful woman dying of cancer and determined to end her life using a physician-assisted suicide law. But did she really die? Standard believes she did. Shafer's gangster boyfriend isn't so sure and thinks Standard may be in on the hoax.

The search for the truth takes Standard back to when he first met Shafer and eventually halfway around the world ... chasing the dead.

Genres: Mystery, Ebooks, Thriller

319 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 6, 2023

Reviews

[John Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

As journalist John Standard describes terminal cancer victim Ali Shafer’s use of Oregon’s assisted suicide law, he’s totally unprepared for the world of illusions he’s about to walk into – where fact is fiction and fiction is fact. Author Tom Towslee spins a web of intrigue that takes the reader through a maze of twists and turns with an ending none will see coming. Chasing the Dead is highly recommended. I anxiously await Towslee’s next release – and you will, too.

[Veronica Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I confess to knowing the author and working on putting it together for publisher, Taylor & Seale Publishing, LLC. While I am listed as the editor, you should know that there was very little to do to this story to "make it better." Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Dan A. Foster · Rating 1 out of 5]

Chasing and caught bad language!

There may be more f-bombs in this than the word ‘and’. Combine that with the profane use of the names of deity, and this book rapidly became not worth chasing.

[Frank T · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely not what I expected from this book, a brilliant read and a brilliant author. A very easy to read book and a book where I really engaged with the characters and what happens to them. When you look at the 5* rating you have to understand that I am an avid reader and I don't give too many 5* reviews because more often than not I am disappointed with a lot of books and never finish them. It's always heartwarming to discover a new author to follow and to be thoroughly entertained.
This is a book well worth reading, you won't be disappointed.

[Scott Torok · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Book

This Book is Not for Everyone. It is an R-Rated Book. It has Sex, Gruesome Violence, and a Dark plot.

It kept my attention. Books that don't keep my attention I often Stop reading halfway through. If the overall writing quality is Good (What I mean by this is a well written book is: A Book that has definite Plot Storyline to follow. The Characters in the Book are realistic people I care to get to know more about. The Pace is reasonable not too slow. Some Books run in too many different directions and the main Plot becomes invisible and sometimes I don't care about finishing it because the Author doesn't stay focused on his established main Plot.) I will typically finish every Book I start. This Book gave me a reason to finish it, because the writing is Good and I was interested in discovering how it would end.

[Peggy Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twists and Turns

I expected a run-of-the-mill who done it. Oh, was I wrong!! Mr. Toddler kept me on the edge of my seat from page one. I highly recommend Chasing the Dead to anyone who enjoys pages turning thrillers.

[diannscollins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is She Really Dead

This story had a different plot so it had the ability to be good. But it got bogged down with needless details. This reader stuck with the book, and it had a good ending.

[Mrs Barbara Cunliffe]

Brilliant

Oh wow, what a book. Down loaded it for my husband, he loved it and recommended that I read it, absolutely spell binding ,want to read more by this author

[Hrn1947 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know which is worse, Standard’s nicotine addiction or his infidelity. He tries to have moral fiber, but fails miserably. Other than that the story is pretty good.

[GERRY Hermans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Assisted suicide, money laundering, murder, weird individuals, tropical islands, makes for a good plot

[SUSAN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and contained several unique elements. The writing was good and the story engrossing but the book deserves much better editing than it has received. More attention needed!

[Sonia Gatchair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twists and turns

Twists and turns some a bit rough and implausible but overall riveting. Will keep you entertained. Enjoyed reading this book.

[Sonia Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling

This story was a,thriller from beginning to end. It was engaging and entertaining. I loved the plot twist and turns.

[Barry Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, read more by this author

[pamela marks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly good

Didn't know what to expect with this book. Pleasantly surprised with a well written, tightly plotted story. Worth your while to read. Strongly recommend.

[Sarah Krehnke · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking, intriguing and a fantastic read. In the beginning not sure where this was going but stick with it. Just when you thought it was the end, it's not!!

[Len Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Standard is a wonderfully tormented protagonist: slightly cracked but not broken, at times corrupt but always just, a sucker for love but somehow clear-eyed in his life decisions. One can’t help root for him as he navigates unrelenting peril, even as he’s momentarily stopped in time by a lover’s “hypnotic gap” in her teeth. Author Tom Towslee’s “Chasing the Dead” is an intimate yet hard-boiled thriller that draws sustained power from careful plotting, highly original characters and lean language trapped somewhere between gimme-the-facts, m’am wire service copy and wry bar-room ruminations. The result is utterly gripping and satisfying: for story junkies and for those stuck on a sense of place, in this case Portland and Oregon – with a foray, hauntingly hypnotic in its own right, in the South Pacific. -Len Reed