Dead Reckoning

The Freeman Files #14

by Ted Tayler

Kendal Guthrie could start an argument in an empty room, but who killed him and why? Guthrie argued with five people in a remote country pub on the night he died. Gus Freeman believed distance, time, and locations were the key to solving the mystery. How could the killer reach Guthrie’s farm ahead of him? It seemed impossible.

A Crime Review Team member has a hunch and ventures onto Salisbury Plain alone. The Plain is a dangerous place to be after dark.

Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2025

About the author

Ted Tayler is the international best-selling indie author of the Freeman Files and Phoenix series. Ted lives in the English West country, where his stories are based. He was born in 1945 and has been married to Lynne since 1971. They have three children and four grandchildren.

His thought-provoking mysteries appeal to readers of Sally Rigby, Joy Ellis, Pauline Rowson, and Faith Martin. His action-packed thrillers are a must for fans of Mark Dawson and J C Ryan.

Gus Freeman’s cold case investigations are carried out with reasoned deduction rather than bursts of frantic action. In each of the 24 books, unsolved murders are accompanied by romance, humour, and country life. The core message in the 12 Phoenix novels is that criminals should pay for their crimes. Unfortunately, the current system fails to deliver the correct punishment, so Phoenix helps redress the balance.

Reviews

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gus Freeman and his crew are back again with a three-year-old cold case. It should have been an easy case to solve, but for some reason no one was ever charged.

Kendal Guthrie was last seen in a tavern. A man of wealth, he was always quick to flaunt it. It was no different this night. But then he went one step even further and argued with the five other customers ... getting personal and just plain mean. He was already not a well-liked man and this made it worse.

The fiercest storm of the season was raging outside. Guthrie was first to leave, but he stuck around long enough to "wave" goodbye as three of the others were also leaving. A couple of them were driving .. one was on a bike. The waitress was one of the last other than the owner/bartender.

Shortly after reaching home, Guthrie was bludgeoned to death in his own garage. The evidence showed that someone was waiting for him and caught him unawares.

Local police ruled out the five people at the bar as they had all left after the victim and had no way to get to his house before him.

So who wanted the man dead? Almost everyone it seems. If it was one of the five, how did any of them get to his house before him? His neighbors were suspected, but they all had solid alibis.

It's a conundrum and Gus and the crew have a few sleepless nights ahead of them as they try to solve this case.

As with all the books in this series, the plot is well-crafted, the cold cases are intriguing, and it's intriguing to see how Gus and his crew go about solving a case. The characters are all finely drawn. I really enjoy how the personal lives are blended with the professional. It moves at a fast pace with twists and turns that lead to a surprising resolution. Although 14th in the series, it is easily read as a stand alone.

Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Amy Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read

Dead Reckoning by Ted Tayler is another superb story in the Freeman Files Series. This one is book 14 (and I hope more to come). Crime Review Team has another case led by Gus, and the stories keep getting better and better. I think Tayler writes them faster than I can read them. This author has a great imagination and I'm glad it's being shared with stories. How to solve a cold case for a person that argued with everyone possible? There are roadblocks, clues, and wonderful twists within the story that not only help the Crime review team, but also show themselves not just as investigators, but as people with lives. This is a magnificent story, kept this reader turning the pages. A definite attention grabber, so much I couldn't put it down. The thrills and intrigue is written clearly and the characterizations are engrossing. This read is more than just words on a page. Dead Reckoning is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author.

[Habit_of_book_reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best books in this series. The narrative itself was different then the rest of the books. We get to see the full on investigation done by the original investigation as compared to rundown version provided by the ACC on other cases. Atlast a bit of action in the book. And hope blessing found her boyfriend.

[Cynthia Hendricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner from Ted Tayler

Gus Freeman and his team of experts are working on the Fourteenth cold case. A very rich farmer is brutally killed in his garage. It has been three years since the death of Kendall Guthrie. No one like the man, not even his children. Who did it?

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blessing follows Gus!

This is a very convoluted story! There are many characters that all seem to be hiding something! Gus and his team work on alibies and eliminate people, but Blessing figures it using Gus' teachings! Great mystery and great writing!

[Mrs A. J. Turbfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant.

Wt a triumph for the incorrigible Gus Freeman and his trusty band of misfits. Wonderful and beautifully reverberation to this exciting series.
Long may it continue.

[Linda Autrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book. Can’t wait for the next one.

[Charlene Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

#14

I've read14 books in the series. They all have the same format, but, they are
Not the same story. Figure out the killer before Gus does!!!!!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

See private notes

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read