Седем начина да умреш

by William Diehl, Иван Златарски (Translator)

Последният и най-интригуващ герой на Уилям Дийл е трийсетгодишният капитан Коуди от нюйоркската полиция. Той е основал специален отряд към отдел „Убийства“, известен като ОТС, който притежава изключителни пълномощия. Върховното изпитание за ОТС върлува из Манхатън и вече има три жертви, а още четири случая предстоят през четирите дни до Халоуин.

Всичко това се хроникира не без голяма доза забавление в достоен за Капоти стил от кримирепортера Уорд Хамилтън. Окуражаван и подтикван от сексуално ненаситната си партньорка, репортерът е решен да свали на колене ОТС със средствата на журналистиката.

Прякорът на Коуди е Младия вълк заради способността му да комуникира с животните и да разчита знаците на природата. И когато в Манхатън се възцарява адът, вълците в Сентръл Парк започват да вият, соколите – да предупреждават с писък, а Коуди започва да се вслушва.

„Седем начина да умреш“ е горещ трилър, в който Дийл стига до границата на онова, което е правил най-добре в кариерата си на автор на бестселъри.

Последният бестселър на големия автор!
Ню Йорк Таймс

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Amazon, Ebooks, Mystery Thriller, Thriller

347 pages, Paperback

First published March 5, 2012

About the author

William Diehl was an American novelist and photojournalist.

Diehl was fifty years old and already a successful photographer and journalist when he decided to begin a writing career. His first novel, Sharky's Machine, which became a movie by the same name was directed by and starred Burt Reynolds. Diehl saw the movie shot on location in and around his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.

Following the success of Sharky's Machine, Diehl relocated to St. Simons Island, GA in the early 80's where he lived for the next 15 years before going back to the Atlanta area. While living on St. Simons, he completed eight more novels, including Primal Fear, which also became a movie by the same name starring Richard Gere and Edward Norton. Diehl died at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta on November 24, 2006, of an aortic aneurism. He was a resident of Woodstock, Georgia at the time of his death and was working on his tenth novel.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Excellent

Seven Ways to Die was Diehl's final novel, finished by a friend and colleague after his death and published. It is an excellent top-notch police procedural of the first order. If it feels like you are reading what could be a movie, it wouldn't be too surprising as there were plans to turn it into a screenplay. Serial murders in New York City. Bizarre staged murders with a sex crime component. An elite task force run by Captain Cody, a Nez Perce Native American with an affinity for wolves. Most of all, the writing is rapid fire, action-oriented, and hard to put down.

[Tucinkata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Приятно разнообразие е, че главният детектив не е нито депресиран, нито алкохолик, нито
крие мрачна тайна от миналото си.


"Той е корпоративна акула. Не е стигнал до върховете, бозаейки от млякото на човешката добрина."

"Ами...вълците вият по различни причини. Вият по един начин, когато се загубят, по друг, когато търсят партньора си, по трети, когато са тъжни. А ако забележат плячка, вият, за да известят другите в глутницата да дойдат за преследване. - Засмя се и добави: - А понякога, когато са доволни от себе си, си вият просто така."

"Защо става така - запита се, - че някои хора успяват, а други - не? Имаме ли наистина контрол над живота си, или всичко е игра на късмета?"

"Слушай...Понякога, когато си сам, е позволено са мислиш за онова, което се е случило...В живота ти, искам да кажа. Да разбереш защо миналото става настояще. Понякога може да мислиш къде ще те отведе пътеката и защо изобщо я следваш."

[J&B Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diehl's last book is the first I've read and won't be my last.

Diehl's last book is the first I've read and won't be my last.

I often wonder how I've missed some great writers like William Diehl but I always am glad when I discover them since it will open my eyes to a lot of entertainment I have missed. 'Seven Ways to Die' is a very tight mystery masterpiece with great characters and engrossing story that twists and turns through every chapter. I particularly liked the Native American mythos that is incorporated as part of our hero's development and intertwined into the plot.

[Zornitsa Rasim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Разкошна!

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was saddened to learn the author had died before completing this book, although he'd revealed the ending to a pal who helped the co-author complete it in his style. They did a great job as it's a cracking story and a shame it couldn't be a series as it has some very memorable and really interesting personnel featured as well. Sadly, that's not to be......A few places had me sobbing as well, usually when Charley was featured, I have to say !!
The writer featured is a total reproduction of Truman Capote, even down to dress and attitude, although Hamilton had more successes under his belt than Capote.
However......whoever edited this needs stringing up and they've done Mr Diehl no favours in the least in his name by putting this out with so many mistakes. I came close to just packing it in a few times, trust me, cos' it's in a mess.
Speechmarks are either missed off altogether or bizarrely added when there's no speaking, question marks missed, apostrophes sometimes used correctly (so somebody had a clue) but just as often not, and commas used liberally BUT so many are also missing !! Then we had missed words from sentences for a little variety. It's like some trainee went through this proofreading it !! It's that slapdash, trust me. The and not they written, then clothes not clothing, WAY too many hyphens also missed where they were sorely needed as well.
Then names were in the wrong places or misspelt as well......Even Hunter not Evan Hunter (I mean, who in their right mind thinks someone is called Even), we were informed a victim had a Rolex watch which was later mentioned, but as a Tag Heuer timepiece, one character's surname changed from Robert to Roberts, depending on which page you were on, Melinda was then written instead of Handley......an utter mess.
If you can put up with the state of the presentation, there's a terrific tale to be related here, but for me, the best tribute his publisher/co-author can make is to get it properly re-edited altogether.

[Jud Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Among forensic experts, it is widely accepted that there are seven basic ways to die. Someone in Manhattan has decided to kill seven people using these seven ways. It becomes the job of Det. Micah Cody and TAZ to track down and stop the killer. There is no shortage of suspects and the constant hounding by a local reporter for a story isn’t making Cody’s job any easier. The evidence eventually leads Cody to the killer and his identity is the biggest surprise of all.

Seven Ways to Die by William Diehl is a riveting mystery that will keep the reader engaged from the first word to the last. Diehl actually passed away before the book was finished and published but the author who did finish the book did an excellent job. Diehl’s characters are both realistic and easy to relate to. I enjoyed this book and plan to go back and read more of Diehl’s work. This book gets 4/5 stars from me.

*A copy of this ebook was the only consideration given in exchange for this review.*

[Jim A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in the 80's and 90's, William Diehl was one of my favorite authors. It was nice to see this, his final effort, brought to print with the help of Kenneth John Atchity.

Overall this is a character driven police procedural novel. Some of the tech items used by TAZ may or may not exist, but they do make for a good background to the team.

One of the earlier reviewers listed this as 'slow'. I didn't find it slow at all. It moved right along, even with the insertions of a back story for a lot of the members of TAZ.

I do have to agree with one review, however. While I am certainly not a prude, the sex scene in this book really served no purpose that I could see. But that's why I read and someone else writes. In the author's view it was something that he wanted included.

[Tristan Robin Blakeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice change of pace, with a Native American police detective who uses his native upbringing and survival techniques in the 'big city.' I could do without the every-woman-wants-him bits - I mean, we get it - he's gorgeous and masculine and has very very long hair. Sort of the Native American version of Fabio. But it doesn't hamper the story, which is fast and rather interesting. I recommend it for a quick read on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Well-plotted and complex, there is the added treat of a terrific dog who has been rescued and is devoted to his master. Nice touch.

[Barbara J Maich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seven ways to die an excellent read

This novel has kept me on my toes from page one to the end. I enjoyed reading the back story of Cody before the thriller captivated me. I found it difficult to put down. This is the first time I have read one of William's novels and I am looking forward to reading more of his books. Suspenseful thriller where a specialized unit under the NYPD works around the clock to catch a serial killer. Great ending. Thank you William for a great read.

[Emiliya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Толкова добра книга, че ме е яд, че е последна книга на автора. Довършена е от друг, което не намалява достойнствата и.

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seven Ways To Die

Author: William Diehl

With: Kenneth John Atchity



What if you could communicate and understand the voices and sounds of animals? What if those voices and sounds could keep you safe and help you understand your environment? Animals can teach humans so many things if we really pay close attention. Love is something we all want and animals when treated with kindness and caring love us unconditionally. Some animals help us to heal and others teach us about ourselves, each other and the world we live in. It takes time to learn this skill and develop this trust in order to communicate with animals. Right of passage is often part of the Native American culture. Young boys before becoming part of the tribe and men have to endure a survival test. One young boy and an older man enter the woods on horseback so that the child can begin his journey into manhood. With only the bare essentials that they allow, knowing how to survive on his own this young man and the older man venture to a campsite, each their final meal together and at dawn’s light the man is gone and the young boy is now on his own. Smart, alert and knowledgeable, the young boy moves further on and comes face to face with many obstacles. Killing a rabbit for his dinner he never sees the rattler that was about to attack him. Staying focused and centered he deals with the venom and the wound hopefully removing all of the poison before it enters his bloodstream. With his grandmother’s red ointment as a salve to prevent infection he cleans the wound and then something miraculous happens. While asleep as wolf removes the tourniquet on his wound and cleans it in its own special way. Could this wolf be a special gift from God to help guide him through? Now at the end of his journey he would become a man. Let’s meet this young man-years later: Micah Cody our main character.

Serial killers target many people for different reasons. Melinda was a beautiful young dancer who never made it into the company of any ballet. Wanting to make a living she entered an entirely different and more dangerous world of dancing. Before leaving work she finds a card with a number on it. Asking the bartender if he knew where it came from lead nowhere. Entering her apartment was the last thing she would ever do. The killer was waiting for her.

Raymond Hanley was a young stockbroker engaged to his boss’s daughter. Entering the apartment the maid finds a horrific sight. Both victims Melinda and Raymond, although the murders were two years apart were made to look like suicides. Where they? Enter Micah Cody and his special Tactical Assistance Squad, which he created for one purpose to capture serial killers. What is unique about this squad is their ability to step into an investigation at any point and take it over. Each member of the team handpicked by the Micah to work the murders and hopefully solve these cold cases. His team consists of Lieutenant Frank Rizzo, Detective Calvin Bergman and the forensic pathologist Max Wolfsheim. But, not everyone wants them to solve their cases and one man is determined to bring them down and prove that he has what it takes to solve these murders. Crime reporter Ward Hamilton has written many well-documented novels but needs another winner to get back on top. Two failures did not endear him editor of the magazine he writes for. Jake Sallinger had him over a barrel and now he had to pitch and idea that would give him the advantage he needed to get control of his career and bring this unit down.

As we flash forward to the crime scene the author allows the reader to enter the apartment of the deceased and takes everyone including the detectives and Micah on an inside tour of the apartment, the investigative process and the procedures followed along with questioning the witnesses. Neighbor questioned and the maid sent home there is much more that needs to be addressed as the victim’s black book contains a lot of information and Black Halloween Mask was found. But, there is much more as our star reporter was given the deadline of Halloween for his first article in the series he wants to right dealing with this unit.

Bringing his team together in their unique surroundings the reader meets all of the members and gets to know what their specialties are and the author introduces more information about the murder. One black book had all of his vital information plus receipts with his expenditures except for the one for the taxi that took him home. But, there was a vital piece missing and before they could piece it all together the team needed to know where his computer, blackberry and cell phone were, find the missing receipt from the taxi company and learn where he stopped before going home. Raymond Hanley had several meetings before returning home and one might have gotten him killed as the author reveals more about his man’s life than his future wife would like to know.

Kate Winters has just joined their team as their ADA in order to keep them on the right course during an investigation. Meeting the team and entering the investigation she learns more about the case, the victim’s lifestyle and the possible reasons he might have been killed. This self-made man was into more than most women would want their fiancés to be into and there has to be linked to his other activities that got him killed. As the autopsy was completed what is related is that the victim knew his killer, submitted too much of what happened and the bondage involved and the end result still remains to be figured out.

The crime scene was devoid of blood and the reason why you will learn as you listen to Max’s detailed account of the autopsy and his findings. Approaching Raymond’s boss brings up other questions as to why he handled the information in such a clinical manner and did not seem to really focus on who might have killed him, how or why. So, what is the interest of this reporter as he renters the action and enlists the help of his editor to ask the police for some assistance in getting the files of the cold case he is writing about. The link between Melinda’s death two years before and the present one just might come to light.

The research alone is quite extensive in this book taking us into life of a young man from the Nez Perce Indian Reservation to his present life as the head of the Tactical Assistance Force. Added into the plot that keeps it moving is the research into police investigations, how an autopsy is handled and how a proper investigation is run. Why would someone go to a sex club and go to the trouble of handing your partner a key to your front door and apartment unless the killer or other person gave the key to someone else? Who wanted to eliminate Raymond Handley that they went to so much trouble to create a crime scene cleaner than most homes after a service comes? When Handley’s next-door neighbor takes an interest in Cody why does he come to her aide? When he introduces her to a friend she learns about his unique ability to communicate with animals as she observes him with the two wolves that he rescued and a friend who took care of their wounds. There is much more as we learn more about Amelie, Bergman and his quest for answers using the black book and Louis Nevins his friend and business associate. Why are the wolves howling and how will this link together? Characters that are vividly described, devoted to their craft and would make any police department proud to have on their team.

Micah and his team were relentless in following each clue and trying to prevent more deaths but the killer seemed to be ahead of TAZ and from Melinda whose death two years before you will learn was related to one of the deaths in the present led the killer to get six more victims. Seven unique ways to die and just why each victim was chosen you won’t believe. But, when Micah is in danger and the killer is upon him and the mode of death inflicted will he be able to remain calm and use his knowledge of the past, his childhood experiences and the words of the Old Man to save himself or will he be number 7 as the killer planned? How this all ties together and just why all the murders occurred you have to learn for yourself? Seven Ways to Die: All painful and each unique in its execution. Who was behind the plot to try and bring Micah down? Why wanted him gone? Author William Diehl’s last novel is definitely a testimony to his outstanding writing, fast paced plot with intricate twists, turns, surprises and an ending that you won’t expect or see coming. With the outstanding support of Virginia Gunn Diehl who provided the manuscript and author Kenneth John Archity his final story came to life for everyone to read. Do you hear the wolves?

Thank you for giving me the honor of reviewing this book.
Let’s give this book: FIVE HOWLS

Fran Lewis: reviewer

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

William Diehl was a master storyteller who unfortunately died in 2006 before he could complete Seven Ways to Die, his tenth novel. Before his death he was able to write 412 manuscript pages of the novel, which was completed by Kenneth John Atchity, a friend and fellow writer, with the help of extensive story notes and outlines that were left behind. Diehl’s bestselling crime novels included Sharky’s Machine (1978) and Thai Horse (1987), and I can see why he was, and continues to be, so popular. Seven Ways to Die is a delicious mixture of police procedural, forensics and character study, with an unexpected and healthy dose of sex thrown in.

Micah Cody is a Nez Perce Indian homicide detective with a pony tail and an uncanny ability to communicate with animals. As a main character he’s got it all: good looks, mystery, and the ability to get into the mind of a serial killer. He’s formed a subgroup of the NYPD called the Tactical Assistant Squad (TAZ) and assembled the best of the best to help him solve homicides, including a computer whiz, a forensic pathologist, and an assistant DA. He also has a white German shepherd named Charley with “the best nose in the business” that accompanies Cody on investigations, and indeed plays an important part in solving this mystery.

TAZ is called in to investigate the murder of a successful stock broker named Raymond Handley. They are first to arrive on the scene and discover the victim dead, naked and tied to a chair. His throat is slashed but there isn’t a drop of blood to be found. Back at headquarters, the team gets to work trying to determine cause of death, and they discover something chilling. Although Handley appears to have died from having his neck slashed, they discover the underlying and true cause of death: drug-induced heart failure and de-sanguination. This mislead occurs in subsequent murders, and the TAZ crew realizes that they have a serial killer on their hands.

In the midst of TAZ trying to get a lead on the killer, we are introduced to Ward Hamilton, a pompous and flamboyant true crime writer who convinces his editor to let him write a series of articles about unsolved cases in the NYPD. Having failed at writing novels, Hamilton feels the need to redeem himself and make a comeback with the articles, which will culminate in a book. And he’s found his first subject for the project: the case of a young dancer named Melinda Cramer, whose apparent suicide was never solved by Cody and his team. Hamilton is a truly unlikable character, and as he tries to get the Cramer case file from Cody to start his research, we get glimpses into his unsavory life as a playboy that he shares with his equally unlikable lover Victoria.

When a second body turns up naked and tied to a chair, the hunt intensifies to find the killer before he or she can strike again. Along with the growing suspense and the terror of trying to stop a serial killer, Diehl introduces a love interest for Cody, a woman named Amelie who coincidentally lives in the apartment across from Handley’s. The instant attraction between the two was a nice break from the tension, and in a particularly sweet scene, Cody takes Amelie with him to the zoo in Central Park where he demonstrates his rapport with the zoo’s resident wolves.

Diehl is adept at pacing, and he manages to keep the large cast of characters under control while the action escalates toward the final showdown between Cody and the killer. There are all sorts of wonderful elements in Seven Ways to Die that give what could have been a conventional murder mystery extra depth. One of my favorites was the role that dogs and wolves played in the story. During a flashback we are introduced to Cody as a boy in the Nez Perce tribe, who is bitten by a rattlesnake while walking through the desert. Near death and hallucinating, he awakens to find a white wolf next to him, licking the venom from the snakebite. In a brilliant parallel, Charley the German shepherd saves Cody’s life by licking poison out of his wound after he is struck by a poisoned arrow.

There really isn’t anything to not like about Seven Ways to Die. I thought the dialog was first-rate, and with snappy lines like “Cody knew his goose was cooked” I was charmed from page one. There has been a bit of flap from other reviewers over the sex scene in chapter 38, which does seem to come out of nowhere. But because of the way the bodies are found, the team determines that the killer is almost certainly a sex addict, so the graphic scene didn’t really feel out-of-place to me. Diehl and Atchity also neatly tie in the title of the book, with the forensic description of the seven ways homicide victims are killed, which figures into the murders themselves. The only story element that didn’t ring true for me was the believability that the killer had the intelligence and resources to pull off the highly complicated murders, after learning the killer’s identity. But that was a small thing that really didn’t detract from the rest of the story.

It was a pleasure to read the book of a seasoned and talented writer, and the work that Atchity did to finish it off was brilliant.

Many thanks to co-author Kenneth John Atchity for supplying a review copy.

This review can be found on my website, Books, Bones & Buffy.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent mystery, but I would've liked a little more of the story focused on the mystery, the killer, and Cody's attempts to catch and stop the murderer. The premise sounded good but too much time seemed to be spent on side things that didn't really add enough to the story. Overall an enjoyable whodunit.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

един от най-грабващите трилъри и криминални книги, които съм чела. Сюжетът е въведен чрез историите на всички персонажи, преплетени един чрез друг и до последно не можеш да разбереш мотивите на убиеца и кой е той самия.

[Reba · Rating 2 out of 5]

Intriguing

An intriguing book with a decent plot, although the characters are a tad far fetched and the last third of the book takes things a bit too far.

[Miki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Showed great promise! But failed to deliver! And too many exclamation points! I got tired!

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nook book that I purchased on the basis of an advertisement
online. I could not remember whether I have read any other books by
William Diehl, but I thought that I would take a chance. I enjoyed it. T
The detection part was so precise, and the characters were quite
interesting. I liked the idea of a special unit whose members all had
special interests. It was different in that the author lets you know
partway thru who the killer is. I'd recommend it to mystery or suspense
lovers.

[Lora King · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good book, would have been an excellent series. Such good character development. Unfortunately this was William Diehl's final novel before his death. Someone is killing people in NYC whose histories are all intertwined with a special group of detectives headed by intrepid detective of the TAZ squad, Micah Cody. There are seven basic ways to die. In 1969 Dr. John C. Cavanaugh catalogued them all in his Primer of Forensic Pathology-Cast Studies for the Novice M.E. The killer is using all seven ways and the detectives must solve the mystery.

[Jean Scholle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was his last book and it was very good. It's a face paced story of a one of a kind detective and his hand-picked squad solving a serial killer case. Diehl's descriptions of his characters puts pictures of them in your mind as you are reading. Micah Cody is the main character, an Indian with unique skills, who has only one unsolved case to his record. This killer's plan is to kill seven different ways. I recommend this book.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great story - I will have to look up and find more William Diehl stories. Too bad this was his last (and completed by someone else after his death).

Lots of twists and turns but really a good whodunit. A bit of a love story intertwined with some American Indian culture and lots of police procedures.

[Stephanie Chavies · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a decent book, the first I've read by this author. Since soooo many people insist on leaving reviews that read like a book jacket, I shall refrain from doing so. It is extremely redundant and not helpful in the least. So I suppose my review is a review of others' reviews.... Anyway, based upon this book, I am inclined to read other books by Diehl.

[Alaura · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't even finish this book, which is a shame. It sounded so promising. However, for a murder mystery, it was much too slow, filled with sexual content and cursing. I can find nothing redeeming about this book.

[Mendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting

This book was amazing. I didn't want to put it down. I found this book while searching through the kindle freebies. The characters were well developed and the storyline was interesting. It was fast paced and had my full attention. Highly recommended.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

good but not great, somewhat predictable the main hook is the lead detective is a native american who communicates with animals. still not a bad way to pass the time.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite sad that William Diehl has passed away - Micah Cody could have developed into and interesting character.

[Kenneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

As this book's publisher I'm prejudiced. It was an honor to get into the mind of one of the great thriller writer's of our time and to figure out how this story was meant to end.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only the second read by this author and first one was a long time ago. Really enjoyed this.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

my first read from William Diehl and I am positively going to download another of hos books. Very intricate plot line for 7 deaths.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Whodunnit. Interesting characters and a good plot.

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 4 out of 5]

spooky. insane and narcissistic serial killer on a personal vendetta kills friends and family of an elite police squad.