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Silence the Dead
The new mayor of a small town in Illinois unearths a series of devastating secrets when he re-opens a 30-year-old murder investigation
17-year-old Betty Jo Dean was abducted and murdered thirty years ago. It took two days to find her body. She was found, fully dressed apart from her slacks, beneath a gnarled, stunted tree, shot in the back of the head. No one was ever charged with her murder.
Now, following an appeal from one of his constituents, Mayor Mac Bassett has called for the case to be re-opened. But when the body is exhumed, it is revealed that the skull, found loose in the coffin, does not belong to Betty Jo.
If Mac could discover why Betty Jo's head was taken, he would be one step closer to finding out who killed her. But no one in the small town of Grand Point is talking. Sheriffs, doctors, medical examiners: everyone seems to be warning Mac off. And then people start dying ...
17-year-old Betty Jo Dean was abducted and murdered thirty years ago. It took two days to find her body. She was found, fully dressed apart from her slacks, beneath a gnarled, stunted tree, shot in the back of the head. No one was ever charged with her murder.
Now, following an appeal from one of his constituents, Mayor Mac Bassett has called for the case to be re-opened. But when the body is exhumed, it is revealed that the skull, found loose in the coffin, does not belong to Betty Jo.
If Mac could discover why Betty Jo's head was taken, he would be one step closer to finding out who killed her. But no one in the small town of Grand Point is talking. Sheriffs, doctors, medical examiners: everyone seems to be warning Mac off. And then people start dying ...
- GenresMystery
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2015
15 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
About the author
Jack Fredrickson
16 books27 followersJack Fredrickson’s first Dek Elstrom mystery, A Safe Place for Dying, was nominated for the Shamus Award for Best First Novel. His short fiction has appeared in the acclaimed Chicago Blues and in Michael Connelly’s Burden of the Badge anthologies. He lives with his wife, Susan, west of Chicago, where he is crafting the next Dek Elstrom novel.
Series:
* Dek Ekstrom Mystery
Series:
* Dek Ekstrom Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
April 15, 2016
First Sentence: Betty Jo Dean lay as she had for over thirty years, shrouded in black vinyl, forever seventeen.
In 1982, Jonah Ridy, a reporter for the Chicago Sun Times, is given the chance to restore his reputation as an investigative journalist by travelling to a small town for a follow-up piece about a man who has been shot and whose girlfriend is missing. In spite of his very cold reception, he perseveres, even though people around him start dying. One death finally causes him to walk away. Thirty-years later, the town has a new mayor, an outsider. The more he learns about the town’s secrets, the more determined he is to find the answers—no matter the cost.
This is a story of three parts, each completely engrossing. In the first part, we meet Betty Jo Dean. Fredrickson makes us feel her fear and desperation. No mater her background, we empathize with her. In the second part, we come to know Jonah Ridy. We want him to be redeemed and to solve the mystery, but we greatly fear for him. In the third, and major section of the story, we have Mayor Mac Bassett who, with the support of his ex-wife, waitress and others, is determined to find the answers. Fredrickson does a masterful job of introducing us to Mac and establishing his personality, thereby explaining his actions.
The sign of a really good story is when you become so involved and invested in one time period; you are startled when there is a shift. You have to trust that the author will bring the parts together so that it all makes sense. Frederickson definitely achieved that.
The only very, very slight flaw to the book was having a prologue. Rather than having that section at the beginning, it would have been better to leave it only within the relevant section of the story. Having the prologue wasn’t really necessary and diminished the impact of the information when it did appear later. The second, itty-bitty criticism is that the final status of the main characters was a bit twee, but perhaps that’s more a reaction of jealousy.
There are some authors one discovers, and enjoys, but feels their writing could be so much “more.” This book is definitely the “more” for which one has been waiting. This book is the one from Fredrickson for which I’ve been waiting.
“Silence the Dead” is very well plotted, without any reliance on coincidences. Everything is rationally, logically, or emotionally based and appropriate. The forensic information is critical, well-explained, and fascinating. The level of suspense is ratcheted up at a steady pace with excellent twists right up to the very end. Highly Recommended.
SILENCE THE DEAD (Trad Myst – Jonah Ridl/Mac Basset – Illinois – 1982/Contemp) – VG+
Fredrickson, Jack –Standalone
Severn House, January 2015
In 1982, Jonah Ridy, a reporter for the Chicago Sun Times, is given the chance to restore his reputation as an investigative journalist by travelling to a small town for a follow-up piece about a man who has been shot and whose girlfriend is missing. In spite of his very cold reception, he perseveres, even though people around him start dying. One death finally causes him to walk away. Thirty-years later, the town has a new mayor, an outsider. The more he learns about the town’s secrets, the more determined he is to find the answers—no matter the cost.
This is a story of three parts, each completely engrossing. In the first part, we meet Betty Jo Dean. Fredrickson makes us feel her fear and desperation. No mater her background, we empathize with her. In the second part, we come to know Jonah Ridy. We want him to be redeemed and to solve the mystery, but we greatly fear for him. In the third, and major section of the story, we have Mayor Mac Bassett who, with the support of his ex-wife, waitress and others, is determined to find the answers. Fredrickson does a masterful job of introducing us to Mac and establishing his personality, thereby explaining his actions.
The sign of a really good story is when you become so involved and invested in one time period; you are startled when there is a shift. You have to trust that the author will bring the parts together so that it all makes sense. Frederickson definitely achieved that.
The only very, very slight flaw to the book was having a prologue. Rather than having that section at the beginning, it would have been better to leave it only within the relevant section of the story. Having the prologue wasn’t really necessary and diminished the impact of the information when it did appear later. The second, itty-bitty criticism is that the final status of the main characters was a bit twee, but perhaps that’s more a reaction of jealousy.
There are some authors one discovers, and enjoys, but feels their writing could be so much “more.” This book is definitely the “more” for which one has been waiting. This book is the one from Fredrickson for which I’ve been waiting.
“Silence the Dead” is very well plotted, without any reliance on coincidences. Everything is rationally, logically, or emotionally based and appropriate. The forensic information is critical, well-explained, and fascinating. The level of suspense is ratcheted up at a steady pace with excellent twists right up to the very end. Highly Recommended.
SILENCE THE DEAD (Trad Myst – Jonah Ridl/Mac Basset – Illinois – 1982/Contemp) – VG+
Fredrickson, Jack –Standalone
Severn House, January 2015
November 26, 2014
This small town is witness to a disturbing chain of deaths and unpalatable truths. A reporter becomes convinced that the police are covering up something - what could be worse than what is already on court record? But it's only years later when a mayor is facing impeachment over a financial matter and has nothing to lose politically, that anyone is brave enough to conduct a full investigation. The mayor is approached by a lady with a hint about the cold case and a small team of researchers grows, dogged and unsure at the same time.
The imagery is at times gruesome so this is no cosy mystery, and we find an underlying acceptance that in open-road America, sometimes people who murder teenagers get away with it. I would have given this book more stars if I had got on better with the style, but as I am not into horror I had enough of severed heads, exhumed bodies and gritty details quite quickly. I think there is a fine line between sufficient post-mortem detail and the macabre, and for me this book went too far. But other readers who are more comfortable with this aspect might well give the book more stars as a classic cold case pursued by an amateur sleuth, or two.
The imagery is at times gruesome so this is no cosy mystery, and we find an underlying acceptance that in open-road America, sometimes people who murder teenagers get away with it. I would have given this book more stars if I had got on better with the style, but as I am not into horror I had enough of severed heads, exhumed bodies and gritty details quite quickly. I think there is a fine line between sufficient post-mortem detail and the macabre, and for me this book went too far. But other readers who are more comfortable with this aspect might well give the book more stars as a classic cold case pursued by an amateur sleuth, or two.
November 22, 2014
Jack Fredrickson’s Silence the Dead is told in two distinct parts.
Jonah Ridy is a disgraced investigative journalist wallowing in the features section of the Chicago Sun Times newspaper when his editor requests he follow up a story. Ridy half-heartedly sets off to small town in Illinois where a man’s been shot and his date (the possible killer) has gone missing.
To say that Ridy is unwelcome in Grand Point would be a mammoth understatement. The local police’s antipathy towards the out of town journalist would set anyone’s spidey senses tingling and it only makes Ridy more determined.
When his investigation results in the death of someone helping him, Ridy files his story and walks away.
Fast Forward 30 years and we meet newly appointed Mayor Mac Bassett. A new arrival – he’s intrigued by some of the town’s secrets – including Betty Jo’s still-unsolved murder and the countless discrepancies uncovered during the investigation.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I really liked both lead characters (Ridy and Mac) and it was interesting to see the two men doggedly trying to get justice for a woman they didn’t know.
Read the full review in my blog: http://www.debbish.com/books-literatu...
3.5 stars
Jonah Ridy is a disgraced investigative journalist wallowing in the features section of the Chicago Sun Times newspaper when his editor requests he follow up a story. Ridy half-heartedly sets off to small town in Illinois where a man’s been shot and his date (the possible killer) has gone missing.
To say that Ridy is unwelcome in Grand Point would be a mammoth understatement. The local police’s antipathy towards the out of town journalist would set anyone’s spidey senses tingling and it only makes Ridy more determined.
When his investigation results in the death of someone helping him, Ridy files his story and walks away.
Fast Forward 30 years and we meet newly appointed Mayor Mac Bassett. A new arrival – he’s intrigued by some of the town’s secrets – including Betty Jo’s still-unsolved murder and the countless discrepancies uncovered during the investigation.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I really liked both lead characters (Ridy and Mac) and it was interesting to see the two men doggedly trying to get justice for a woman they didn’t know.
Read the full review in my blog: http://www.debbish.com/books-literatu...
3.5 stars
October 6, 2014
There are times when a book just hits on all cylinders. This is one of those times.
An excellent suspense that opens with a Film Noir feel, but progresses into a modern day story.
A book with all the pieces in the right places.
Characters that leap from the pages and take root in your mind. These are people you will swear you know by the end of this book.
Is this a new storyline, no. But this sets the bar high for the ones that try to follow or even the ones that came before.
This girl's life touches everyone in this book, and it will touch you as well.
The mystery holds you to the end. Sure, you'll figure it out but you won't feel it in your gut until the final pages.
This is the Smalltown story with big time impact.
An excellent suspense that opens with a Film Noir feel, but progresses into a modern day story.
A book with all the pieces in the right places.
Characters that leap from the pages and take root in your mind. These are people you will swear you know by the end of this book.
Is this a new storyline, no. But this sets the bar high for the ones that try to follow or even the ones that came before.
This girl's life touches everyone in this book, and it will touch you as well.
The mystery holds you to the end. Sure, you'll figure it out but you won't feel it in your gut until the final pages.
This is the Smalltown story with big time impact.
February 8, 2015
Solving a 30 year old murder of a 17 year old girl is a difficult task, especially when covered up by those whose purpose is to protect and serve. The ending left me wondering, and was disappointing basis other stories I've read by this author. The story was well thought out and delivered, but due to the odd ending this one earns 5 out of 10 stars for me.
July 14, 2017
Frederickson delivers with a fast-paced page-turner. I picked the book up on a whim because I liked the title, not knowing what to expect, and I was anything but disappointed.
Silence the Dead revolves around the story of Betty Jo Dean, who was killed, along with her boyfriend. Through shoddy investigative work, lies, manipulations, and mysterious deaths, the case quickly becomes a taboo subject in Grand Point. So much so that anyone who starts nosing around about generally disappears in some fashion or other, only sometimes to be seen again. Enter Mac, the new mayor, who very quickly learns to what extent the town will take it to discourage him from pursuing the matter.
Frederickson's cast of characters is fabulous and relatable, from the first reporter, Jonah Ridl, who refuses to be scared away from the story, to Mac Bassett, who is learning just how dirty politics can be, and even Mac's ex-wife, April. There was something I found to love in just about all of the characters. Their personalities were unique and genuine and sucked me in.
The plot itself was every bit as full of twists and turns as one might expect. I'm usually pretty good about guessing endings ahead of time and figuring out whodunnit, but it took me a good two-thirds of this book before forming an educated guess as to who the murderer was, and even then I wasn't sure. Every time I thought someone was getting close, of course there was another piece of evidence or something to complicate things further, and once I started reading, I couldn't get to the end fast enough because I just had to know.
Would highly recommend this for any fans of murder mysteries who enjoy fast plots and solid characters.
Silence the Dead revolves around the story of Betty Jo Dean, who was killed, along with her boyfriend. Through shoddy investigative work, lies, manipulations, and mysterious deaths, the case quickly becomes a taboo subject in Grand Point. So much so that anyone who starts nosing around about generally disappears in some fashion or other, only sometimes to be seen again. Enter Mac, the new mayor, who very quickly learns to what extent the town will take it to discourage him from pursuing the matter.
Frederickson's cast of characters is fabulous and relatable, from the first reporter, Jonah Ridl, who refuses to be scared away from the story, to Mac Bassett, who is learning just how dirty politics can be, and even Mac's ex-wife, April. There was something I found to love in just about all of the characters. Their personalities were unique and genuine and sucked me in.
The plot itself was every bit as full of twists and turns as one might expect. I'm usually pretty good about guessing endings ahead of time and figuring out whodunnit, but it took me a good two-thirds of this book before forming an educated guess as to who the murderer was, and even then I wasn't sure. Every time I thought someone was getting close, of course there was another piece of evidence or something to complicate things further, and once I started reading, I couldn't get to the end fast enough because I just had to know.
Would highly recommend this for any fans of murder mysteries who enjoy fast plots and solid characters.
March 5, 2019
The year is 1982 in a small town 100 miles west of Chicago. Betty Jo didn't come home. Betty Jo's mother knows in her head and heart that the only way Betty Jo wouldn't come home is if she were dead. She can't make anyone in the town believe her. [Silence The Dead] is based on a real-life murder case. Eventually she is found and buried. Years pass with no one brought to justice. In 2013 the authorities in Grand Point, Illinois eventually listen and exhume the corpse of Betty Jo Dean who was just 17 years old at the time of her murder. They see that she was buried only in her underwear. Grand Point’s mayor, Mac Bassett, who “had imagined all sorts of horrors,” insists that the flesh-less, loose skull in the coffin is not Betty Jo’s. Flash back to 1982: on the last night of her life, Betty Jo hooks up with a new boy friend. The following day, after Betty Jo has gone missing and the boy is also found dead, Chicago reporter Jonah Ridl arrives in Grand Point to investigate, only to learn that local law enforcement is concealing the truth. Back to the present... Bassett discovers that the cover-up is still going on after nearly 20 years and is still just as deadly. The ending was a bit of a let down...but life sometimes is just not nearly as exciting as fiction. Perfect for real crime fans
May 11, 2018
This was a pleasant surprise! Found it at the Library. Loved the cover and title.. and lo and behold, the story is even better than both! "Silence the Dead" is a enticing page-turner! I just couldn't put it down (though I sadly had to too many times for my liking!!). Really great. Highly recommend.
August 13, 2017
Couldn't really get into this properly. Just found the plot to be a bit convoluted and unbelievable
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2019
Couldn't get into it. Got to page 100, gave up. Didn't grab me, went on and on when nothing really happened. Maybe it gets better, but I will never know
January 5, 2020
Grabbed this book on a whim at the library and was very pleasantly surprised! The story started out slow at first but by the halfway point I was way too interested to put it down. Would recommend!
May 8, 2015
one of the best suspense authors today!. I enjoy his works because every story is an original and doesn't follow the same old plot lines. The book opens following Betty jo Dean a few days before we find out she went missing and was found murdered. A reporter comes to town and is appalled by the small town investigation and conclusion, but is helpless to do anything about it. The story then jumps to current day when a newcomber to town becomes the mayor of this small town. When a waitress asks him to investigate the Betty jo Dean murder, the mayor suddenly comes under attack for simply asking questions.
As usual Jack Fredrickson has blended multiple plot twists and turns which are all related , and slowly unravels them for the reader. I can never guess the endings which is why I enjoy his books so much. When something becomes so obvious in a book, I will quit reading before the end. This has never happened with this author.
As usual Jack Fredrickson has blended multiple plot twists and turns which are all related , and slowly unravels them for the reader. I can never guess the endings which is why I enjoy his books so much. When something becomes so obvious in a book, I will quit reading before the end. This has never happened with this author.
October 19, 2015
A somewhat standard plot device, that of the insular small town run by self-interested local biggies, is used cleverly here. Seventeen year old Betty Jo was abducted and murdered in 1982. Despite the hard work of a reporter from Chicago, the case was never solved. Fast forward thirty years and a new mayor is elected in Grand Point. When someone asks him about the unsolved mystery of Betty Jo's death, Mac becomes obsesses with finding out what happened. With a failing restaurant business. a lawsuit filed by a dedicated enemy and much local opposition, Mac persists in his one person dogged pursuit of the truth. When the body is exhumed and the head is missing, Mac knows he is on the track of a killer who still rules the town.
Well done characters and a neat resolution for Mac and his allies, a good read!
Well done characters and a neat resolution for Mac and his allies, a good read!
January 1, 2015
There are times when a book won't let you put it down. It calls you to come, sit, read.... This is definitely one of those books.
The suspense is palpable as it begins with a "Film Noir"feel, as I've seen it referred to in past reviews but before you know it you've slipped into the present day.
The characters are realistic and you identify with them immediately. It's almost as though you live in that town and are going through everything with them.
I gave this book 5 stars but would have given 10 or more if I could. I highly recommend this book and this author as a must read and a must follow!
The suspense is palpable as it begins with a "Film Noir"feel, as I've seen it referred to in past reviews but before you know it you've slipped into the present day.
The characters are realistic and you identify with them immediately. It's almost as though you live in that town and are going through everything with them.
I gave this book 5 stars but would have given 10 or more if I could. I highly recommend this book and this author as a must read and a must follow!
April 19, 2015
A 17yr old girl & her current beau are murdered & no killer was ever found, well that had me hooked right away. I really like that the story was told in two distinct parts & that the 'current' part was the more detailed. As Mac tried to unravel a 3 decade old mystery, as well as keep himself out of jail & his floundering business afloat, you were kept wondering whodunnit too. Literally you were kept guessing right up to the last few pages (unless you were an uber-sleuth) who was behind it all & how far who they go to keep it all a secret. Great read that certain had me wanting more
May 4, 2015
Jack is such a wonderful story teller. This is a change from his fictional murder mysteries and I loved it. Historical Fiction told about the murder of a teen girl and young man in a small town outside of Rockford. Thirty years of unsolved murders that turned into many more and the final justice for the young woman. All of this is due to the new mayor in town hearing about the old murders and starting to ask questions.
Jack put his heart and soul into this book and told a wonderful story that deserved telling. Justice is Served!
Jack put his heart and soul into this book and told a wonderful story that deserved telling. Justice is Served!
January 5, 2016
Had never read anything from this author before this one. I really enjoyed the development of the plot, past and present, and all of the characters. It proved a difficult task for a mayor to look into 2 deaths from 1982. More lives were lost and many threatened along the way. Good ending also. It proved to be a winner in my eyes and I have already ordered another effort from this author from my library.
February 24, 2015
I had a hard time putting it down. It is a fictionalization version of an ongoing case in Illinois from 1948, and it draws you in from the first chapter, and won't let you go until the last word of the last chapter.
November 4, 2015
Really good mystery. Might be based on a real life story, the preface alludes to that. I've read the Dek Elstrom series from this author and enjoyed them all. This is a stand-alone, and very enjoyable. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
July 18, 2015
This probably deserves a 3.5 star rating, a good mystery, well written though it felt slightly dragged out at times. The book told a story over 30 years and was broken into parts for each different time period. The central characters were interesting but the ending was a little twee
February 24, 2015
I'm very impressed by Jack Fredrickson's novels. Each have been so different from each other and Silence The Dead was so suspenseful that I couldn't put it down!
August 25, 2016
Atmospheric mystery set in rural Illinois; great plotting, intriguing characters and a terrific sense of place. I enjoyed this book very much.
April 2, 2015
****1/2
July 6, 2016
Once it got moving I was hooked! A great book and I look forward to reading his other works!
May 21, 2015
The best of all his books thAt I've read. Chilling story about murder and conspiracy in Illinois.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews