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Dead Detective #2
The Scientology Murders: A Dead Detective Novel
"Many readers will enjoy the peek inside the organization's hierarchy. Also enjoyable is the spirited romance between Doyle and Vicky Stanopolis, his partner in more ways than one. And the surprise ending is a wowser."
-- Mystery Scene Magazine "Heffernan's style harks back to traditional hard-boiled mysteries... The Scientology Murders isn't likely to make the church's recommended reading list, but for mystery fans it's an entertaining tale."
-- Tampa Bay Times "The Dead Detective pursues miscreants attached to the Church of Scientology from their Florida headquarters to the Yukon State. . .Highly entertaining."
-- Kirkus Reviews "Action moves from Florida's Gulf Coast to the wilds of Alaska, where a most satisfying conclusion takes place. Heffernan pulls no punches in taking on Scientology (and, briefly, Tom Cruise) in this long-awaited return of Harry Doyle. Hard-boiled action with a layer of controversy."
-- Booklist "The good guys--Doyle; his detective partner, Vicky Stanopolis; and Clearwater police sergeant Max Abrams--remain entertaining and appealing throughout."
-- Publishers Weekly "While investigating a murder that has also left his much-loved adoptive father seriously wounded, Harry Doyle (aka the Dead Detective) finds himself contending with executives from the Church of Scientology."
-- Publishers Weekly , Spring 2017 announcements, Mysteries & Thrillers "This is a fun and fast paced novel...If you are a thriller or mystery reader and curious about the inner workings of Scientology, then The Scientology Murders is a must read."
--Lit Reactor "This is Heffernan's second novel about the 'Dead Detective,' Harry Doyle, a Pinellas County homicide detective, who in this book investigates a series of murders that lead back to the intensely secretive Church of Scientology."
-- Tampa Bay Times " The Dead Detective is Heffernan's first novel in seven years, and wherever he's been, he hasn't forgotten how to write a good, gritty police procedural. . .This edgy police drama succeeds in capturing the hysteria that grips Tampa residents when a celebrity criminal is found dead in a cypress swamp."
-- New York Times Book Review on The Dead Detective A series of murders in Florida have left the police force baffled and Detective Harry Doyle's much-loved adoptive father seriously wounded. As his investigation becomes personal, Doyle--known to his peers as the Dead Detective--finds he must penetrate one of the most private institutions in the country in order to track down those responsible. Clearwater, Florida, is the spiritual center of Scientology, a religion that encourages its members to remain pure and true to their beliefs. One senior leader has a misguided young man in his employ, a twisted soul who will stop at nothing to make sure the rules are followed--even if it means shaming the very virtues espoused by the church. With veils of secrecy surrounding the church's inner sanctums, the detectives are stonewalled at every turn. Eventually, however, the investigation leads Doyle, his partner Vicky Stanopolis, and Clearwater Sergeant Max Abrams to the far reaches of Alaska, where they come face-to-face with death in a form they never expected.
-- Mystery Scene Magazine "Heffernan's style harks back to traditional hard-boiled mysteries... The Scientology Murders isn't likely to make the church's recommended reading list, but for mystery fans it's an entertaining tale."
-- Tampa Bay Times "The Dead Detective pursues miscreants attached to the Church of Scientology from their Florida headquarters to the Yukon State. . .Highly entertaining."
-- Kirkus Reviews "Action moves from Florida's Gulf Coast to the wilds of Alaska, where a most satisfying conclusion takes place. Heffernan pulls no punches in taking on Scientology (and, briefly, Tom Cruise) in this long-awaited return of Harry Doyle. Hard-boiled action with a layer of controversy."
-- Booklist "The good guys--Doyle; his detective partner, Vicky Stanopolis; and Clearwater police sergeant Max Abrams--remain entertaining and appealing throughout."
-- Publishers Weekly "While investigating a murder that has also left his much-loved adoptive father seriously wounded, Harry Doyle (aka the Dead Detective) finds himself contending with executives from the Church of Scientology."
-- Publishers Weekly , Spring 2017 announcements, Mysteries & Thrillers "This is a fun and fast paced novel...If you are a thriller or mystery reader and curious about the inner workings of Scientology, then The Scientology Murders is a must read."
--Lit Reactor "This is Heffernan's second novel about the 'Dead Detective,' Harry Doyle, a Pinellas County homicide detective, who in this book investigates a series of murders that lead back to the intensely secretive Church of Scientology."
-- Tampa Bay Times " The Dead Detective is Heffernan's first novel in seven years, and wherever he's been, he hasn't forgotten how to write a good, gritty police procedural. . .This edgy police drama succeeds in capturing the hysteria that grips Tampa residents when a celebrity criminal is found dead in a cypress swamp."
-- New York Times Book Review on The Dead Detective A series of murders in Florida have left the police force baffled and Detective Harry Doyle's much-loved adoptive father seriously wounded. As his investigation becomes personal, Doyle--known to his peers as the Dead Detective--finds he must penetrate one of the most private institutions in the country in order to track down those responsible. Clearwater, Florida, is the spiritual center of Scientology, a religion that encourages its members to remain pure and true to their beliefs. One senior leader has a misguided young man in his employ, a twisted soul who will stop at nothing to make sure the rules are followed--even if it means shaming the very virtues espoused by the church. With veils of secrecy surrounding the church's inner sanctums, the detectives are stonewalled at every turn. Eventually, however, the investigation leads Doyle, his partner Vicky Stanopolis, and Clearwater Sergeant Max Abrams to the far reaches of Alaska, where they come face-to-face with death in a form they never expected.
320 pages, Paperback
First published April 4, 2017
52 people are currently reading
563 people want to read
About the author
William Heffernan
30 books12 followersWilliam Heffernan, a three-time Pulitzer Prize nominee, is the author of eighteen novels, including such bestsellers as The Corsincan, The Dinosaur Club (a New York Times bestseller), The Dead Detective, and Tarnished Blue (winner of an Edgar Award). Heffernan lives outside of St. Petersburg, Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
July 24, 2017
The Scientology Murders: A Dead Detective Novel by by William Heffernan is a 2017 Akashic Books publication.
A quirky hardboiled crime novel-
When a missing woman with an affiliation with the Church of Scientology is found dead, and Harry’s adoptive father is shot at the scene, he takes a little time off to investigate the crime on the down low.
This is the second novel in the ‘dead detective’ series, but easily works as a stand-alone.
For the record, Harry and his six year old brother died by their mother’s hand, only Harry managed to miraculously pull through. Now, he has the unusual gift of hearing the last words a person spoke before they perished, which of course comes in handy in his line of work. But, he is often ribbed about it by his colleagues who gave him ‘the dead detective’ moniker.
This novel is a little quirky, and not so much a mystery, as it is a crime novel. We know early on who is behind the murders, so mainly we are just along for the ride as Harry worms his way into the Church’s hierarchy to pinpoint the hitman and flush him out.
Along the way, Harry gets involved in several surreal adventures, has a romantic interlude, and has a few close calls, where his safety in concerned, and gets to do a little globe-trotting. If that weren’t enough to keep him busy, his deranged mother is stalking him, adding even more color to his life!
The author boldly singles out one of the most controversial ‘churches’ and builds a crime story around it that mimics a few real -life speculations and conspiracy theories regarding this secretive organization. But the book is not about Scientology and only skirts around its practices, giving the reader a rather vague idea how people are lured in, then conned out of their money, and the price they pay for going rogue.
As a crime novel enthusiast, I couldn’t help but pick up on the author’s mimicry, (or maybe it was meant to be an homage- I’m not really sure), of the old school style of hardboiled crime novels, with the most notable similarity being to that of John McDonald. (At least in my opinion)
However, the author is not quite able to pull that off, and the story really did have some pretty large issues.
The dialogue is bad and kind of cheesy, plus the characters have little depth or development, and the storytelling is a bit disjointed, as well as being repetitive on occasion, as Harry felt compelled to tell the story of his childhood in at least three different places.
Despite that, the book has its merits, and the series does have potential if the kinks can be ironed out. The book provided some mild entertainment on a hot July afternoon, and was enjoyable enough, plus the ending was climactic enough to convince me to squeeze out an extra half star on the rating.
3 stars
A quirky hardboiled crime novel-
When a missing woman with an affiliation with the Church of Scientology is found dead, and Harry’s adoptive father is shot at the scene, he takes a little time off to investigate the crime on the down low.
This is the second novel in the ‘dead detective’ series, but easily works as a stand-alone.
For the record, Harry and his six year old brother died by their mother’s hand, only Harry managed to miraculously pull through. Now, he has the unusual gift of hearing the last words a person spoke before they perished, which of course comes in handy in his line of work. But, he is often ribbed about it by his colleagues who gave him ‘the dead detective’ moniker.
This novel is a little quirky, and not so much a mystery, as it is a crime novel. We know early on who is behind the murders, so mainly we are just along for the ride as Harry worms his way into the Church’s hierarchy to pinpoint the hitman and flush him out.
Along the way, Harry gets involved in several surreal adventures, has a romantic interlude, and has a few close calls, where his safety in concerned, and gets to do a little globe-trotting. If that weren’t enough to keep him busy, his deranged mother is stalking him, adding even more color to his life!
The author boldly singles out one of the most controversial ‘churches’ and builds a crime story around it that mimics a few real -life speculations and conspiracy theories regarding this secretive organization. But the book is not about Scientology and only skirts around its practices, giving the reader a rather vague idea how people are lured in, then conned out of their money, and the price they pay for going rogue.
As a crime novel enthusiast, I couldn’t help but pick up on the author’s mimicry, (or maybe it was meant to be an homage- I’m not really sure), of the old school style of hardboiled crime novels, with the most notable similarity being to that of John McDonald. (At least in my opinion)
However, the author is not quite able to pull that off, and the story really did have some pretty large issues.
The dialogue is bad and kind of cheesy, plus the characters have little depth or development, and the storytelling is a bit disjointed, as well as being repetitive on occasion, as Harry felt compelled to tell the story of his childhood in at least three different places.
Despite that, the book has its merits, and the series does have potential if the kinks can be ironed out. The book provided some mild entertainment on a hot July afternoon, and was enjoyable enough, plus the ending was climactic enough to convince me to squeeze out an extra half star on the rating.
3 stars
May 2, 2017
I enjoyed reading this book and read it in 3 days. It is book 2 in the Dead Detective series. The protagonist, Harry Santos Doyle, is known as the "dead detective" because he talks to dead people, mostly murder victims. The victims sometimes give him clues to the identity of the murderer. Harry has this ability because his mother drugged both him, then 10, and his brother, then 6, and then dragged them to the garage, put them in a car, started the engine, closed the garage door and left them to die. A neighbor called the police, who rescued Harry and his brother. Harry survived. His brother did not.
This book centers around a psychopath working for the Scientology Church in the Tampa Bay, Florida. area. Harry is notified that his adoptive father has been shot while searching for the daughter of an old friend. The daughter had joined the Scientology Church and the father thinks that she is being held prisoner. More people die before the murderer is caught. You know who the bad guys are early on, so this is a thriller, not a mystery.
I liked the ending.
I liked all of the characters in the book, well described villains and heroes. Some of the main characters:
Jocko Doyle, Harry's father, a retired cop
Vicky Stanopolis, Harry's partner
Regis Walsh, head of the Florida Scientology Church
Max Abrams, Clearwater police detective
Lucy Santos, Harry's mother
Meg Adams/Avery, private detective
Description of Walsh: "His brown hair formed a widow's peak and his blue eyes were piercing--together with his sharp nose this gave his face the look of a raptor."
This was a well written police procedural, an easy 4 stars out of 5. Thanks to Akashic Books for sending me this book through LibraryThing.
This book centers around a psychopath working for the Scientology Church in the Tampa Bay, Florida. area. Harry is notified that his adoptive father has been shot while searching for the daughter of an old friend. The daughter had joined the Scientology Church and the father thinks that she is being held prisoner. More people die before the murderer is caught. You know who the bad guys are early on, so this is a thriller, not a mystery.
I liked the ending.
I liked all of the characters in the book, well described villains and heroes. Some of the main characters:
Jocko Doyle, Harry's father, a retired cop
Vicky Stanopolis, Harry's partner
Regis Walsh, head of the Florida Scientology Church
Max Abrams, Clearwater police detective
Lucy Santos, Harry's mother
Meg Adams/Avery, private detective
Description of Walsh: "His brown hair formed a widow's peak and his blue eyes were piercing--together with his sharp nose this gave his face the look of a raptor."
This was a well written police procedural, an easy 4 stars out of 5. Thanks to Akashic Books for sending me this book through LibraryThing.
February 27, 2020
Flashy titles have a way of doing me in.
Harry Doyle, is made out to be a hard-working, intelligent detective when with his partner, Vicky, make an unstoppable team. In this novel, that assertion is far from the case, because of the various missteps taken by this character and the lack of presence of Vicky for the better part of the novel. All of these, are some unfortunate factors that lead to some unreasonable developments in the plot. The biggest discrepancy lay with how he conducted himself with a newcomer to the marine.
That being said, the real strength in this book, I think, lay in the dialogue between characters. The banter was some funny and playful, which made the book bearable. The interesting and fun dialogue was also what made most of the characters interesting. Jessie, in particular, was the most interesting character and it was such a shame how small of a role her character played in the book.
Without revealing too deeply the (supposedly) surprising twists, I will say that the plot was rather lackluster and had a way of dragging on. There were a couple of events that the author brought up the plot that ended up feeling like tangents because of the rather unsatisfactory conclusion. Not to mention, some events did not have the proper development that would have made sympathizing with the characters much more natural. Much of the background came as factoids, injected in dialogue or some summary. I personally preferred when the background was brought up in dialogue, just because it was a more natural way to build up a character and explain their deeds. However, some characters could have better drawn out.
However, I do think it was interesting how Heffernan wrote this novel. Given that this novel consisted of several POVs to tell the story, the reader was almost fully aware of every character's move. And I think the dramatic irony that this way of telling the story also added to my frustration with how the characters were acting. Even still, it was an interesting perspective to read. The investigation style was also a lot more different than what I've seen in Slaughter's books, where the process is very procedural. I imagine though, in this story, there was less structure because it was not an official case. In either case, it felt like a different read.
Overall, the plot wasn't the worst, even though I can point out so many little things that didn't sit right with me. Not to mention, its not a very impactful story, and even as I'm writing this not even thirty minutes after finishing the book, the plot didn't seem to have very many defining moments, giving it a general plateau.
Harry Doyle, is made out to be a hard-working, intelligent detective when with his partner, Vicky, make an unstoppable team. In this novel, that assertion is far from the case, because of the various missteps taken by this character and the lack of presence of Vicky for the better part of the novel. All of these, are some unfortunate factors that lead to some unreasonable developments in the plot. The biggest discrepancy lay with how he conducted himself with a newcomer to the marine.
That being said, the real strength in this book, I think, lay in the dialogue between characters. The banter was some funny and playful, which made the book bearable. The interesting and fun dialogue was also what made most of the characters interesting. Jessie, in particular, was the most interesting character and it was such a shame how small of a role her character played in the book.
Without revealing too deeply the (supposedly) surprising twists, I will say that the plot was rather lackluster and had a way of dragging on. There were a couple of events that the author brought up the plot that ended up feeling like tangents because of the rather unsatisfactory conclusion. Not to mention, some events did not have the proper development that would have made sympathizing with the characters much more natural. Much of the background came as factoids, injected in dialogue or some summary. I personally preferred when the background was brought up in dialogue, just because it was a more natural way to build up a character and explain their deeds. However, some characters could have better drawn out.
However, I do think it was interesting how Heffernan wrote this novel. Given that this novel consisted of several POVs to tell the story, the reader was almost fully aware of every character's move. And I think the dramatic irony that this way of telling the story also added to my frustration with how the characters were acting. Even still, it was an interesting perspective to read. The investigation style was also a lot more different than what I've seen in Slaughter's books, where the process is very procedural. I imagine though, in this story, there was less structure because it was not an official case. In either case, it felt like a different read.
Overall, the plot wasn't the worst, even though I can point out so many little things that didn't sit right with me. Not to mention, its not a very impactful story, and even as I'm writing this not even thirty minutes after finishing the book, the plot didn't seem to have very many defining moments, giving it a general plateau.
March 8, 2019
Book #2 of the Dead Detective
The story starts in Clearwater, FL, where Harry Santos Doyle lives. He has issues with his birth mother - she tried to murder him and did murder his brother - showing up around him constantly. He also gets involved in trying to find the man who tried to kill his adoptive father and a young woman, the daughter of another retired Clearwater Police officer. As they investigate, they learn that the woman had been in Scientology and that she had been labeled 1:1. As the investigation continues, more women are murdered and Harry's dad is attacked again. For Harry, this is becoming personal as the church has started attacking him and helping his birth mother to get away with her stalking him.
The story was really interesting and good listen. My children also enjoyed hearing this story.
The story starts in Clearwater, FL, where Harry Santos Doyle lives. He has issues with his birth mother - she tried to murder him and did murder his brother - showing up around him constantly. He also gets involved in trying to find the man who tried to kill his adoptive father and a young woman, the daughter of another retired Clearwater Police officer. As they investigate, they learn that the woman had been in Scientology and that she had been labeled 1:1. As the investigation continues, more women are murdered and Harry's dad is attacked again. For Harry, this is becoming personal as the church has started attacking him and helping his birth mother to get away with her stalking him.
The story was really interesting and good listen. My children also enjoyed hearing this story.
January 26, 2020
Loved this book.
January 17, 2022
I loved it for the Scientology references and how they make fun of the religion. The murderer person was crazy AF. it’s a good read.
April 26, 2025
Lots of promise but so stupid. Blah.
September 25, 2024
2.5 stars? Enjoyed the Scientology angle.
September 19, 2017
I almost didn't finish this book. I wasn't invested in any of the characters.
June 1, 2017
Hooray, I'm finished! I am struggling to come up with the words to describe how irritated this book made me. There were a number of factors contributing to this, not least of which is that I only get 8 titles from Hoopla each month, and I wasted two in May on the Dead Detective. That's not the book's fault, but it definitely shaped my feelings towards it.
In this book the Dead Detective finally starts hearing from the dead. One of my complaints about The Dead Detective was that there wasn't really any interaction between Harry Doyle and the dead. Now he is hearing from them, in words and phrases, but there is no rhyme or reason to what they tell him, except that it moves the plot along. This means a lot of deus ex machina shit dropping out of the sky to help our intrepid detective figure out what to do next.
It's good that the subtitle for this is "A Dead Detective Novel" and that the word "mystery" is omitted, because there is literally no mystery in this book, except how all of these people have gotten to this point in their lives in spite of being too stupid to live.
One final thing that bothered me, is that this book made me feel defensive of Tom Cruise, which irritates me to no end. I don't like Tom Cruise all that much, and his involvement in the Church of Scientology has a lot to do with that, but the cameo appearance that he puts in towards the end of the book reads like a generic movie star's spoiled antics. Sleeping all day, eating garbage, not paying any attention to people below the status of millionaire. Like I said, I don't particularly like Cruise, but you don't get to 54, doing action movies with most of your own stunts, if you're a layabout. I get that he's the most prominent Scientology celebrity these days, but the way he's described sounds more like James Franco than Tom Cruise.
On the plus side, my late book wish came through when , so that's what the second star is for.
I wasn't a fan of the audiobook, will probably avoid John Mclain in the future, at least for fiction.
In this book the Dead Detective finally starts hearing from the dead. One of my complaints about The Dead Detective was that there wasn't really any interaction between Harry Doyle and the dead. Now he is hearing from them, in words and phrases, but there is no rhyme or reason to what they tell him, except that it moves the plot along. This means a lot of deus ex machina shit dropping out of the sky to help our intrepid detective figure out what to do next.
It's good that the subtitle for this is "A Dead Detective Novel" and that the word "mystery" is omitted, because there is literally no mystery in this book, except how all of these people have gotten to this point in their lives in spite of being too stupid to live.
One final thing that bothered me, is that this book made me feel defensive of Tom Cruise, which irritates me to no end. I don't like Tom Cruise all that much, and his involvement in the Church of Scientology has a lot to do with that, but the cameo appearance that he puts in towards the end of the book reads like a generic movie star's spoiled antics. Sleeping all day, eating garbage, not paying any attention to people below the status of millionaire. Like I said, I don't particularly like Cruise, but you don't get to 54, doing action movies with most of your own stunts, if you're a layabout. I get that he's the most prominent Scientology celebrity these days, but the way he's described sounds more like James Franco than Tom Cruise.
On the plus side, my late book wish came through when , so that's what the second star is for.
I wasn't a fan of the audiobook, will probably avoid John Mclain in the future, at least for fiction.
March 21, 2017
THE SCIENTOLOGY MURDERS (a dead detective novel) by William Heffernan, was sent to me in exchange for an honest and unbiased review by Akashic Books.
Harry Santos Doyle, a Homicide Detective with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department, wants to investigate an incident in which his adoptive father, ‘Jocko’ Doyle, is shot in the back while looking for a friend’s daughter, Mary Kate O’Connell, who is being ‘coerced’ into remaining with the Church of Scientology in Clearwater, Florida. Mary Kate later turns up dead at the same marina where Jocko was shot.
Harry and his partner, Vicky Stanopolis, are joined by Max Abrams of the Clearwater Police in their pursuit of psychopath, Tony Rolf (Rawlings), and the Clearwater Church of Scientology’s, Regis Walsh.
Other characters include Meg Avery (Adams), head of a security agency working for The Church and Kenneth Oppenheimer, Walsh’s assistant.
The characters are complex and in the case of Walsh, Rolf and Avery, extremely sinister, dangerous and manipulative. There is a well-developed plot and lots of suspense.
If you aren’t a fan of this bogus ‘church’, you will never be a fan after reading this book. I hesitate to use the word church, as this group is really a fanatical cult, but you can make up your own mind.
I was very impressed with the author’s ‘sense of place’. All the little details added up to rich descriptions of characters and location. Meg Avery’s wardrobe details; which team the Rays are playing and the pitcher they’re facing; fashion names and brands; street names and neighborhoods; Cuban influences; food choices like arroz con pollo; transport in Alaska; animals - all these details get the reader involved in the story on many levels - not just the mystery part.
I liked the descriptions of the ‘layers’ and overlapping of law enforcement in Florida - federal, state, county and town.
Page 25 will explain Harry’s nickname of ‘the dead detective’ and page 37 will give details of the cult of Scientology founded by the writer L. Ron Hubbard.
I would heartily recommend this title.
Harry Santos Doyle, a Homicide Detective with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department, wants to investigate an incident in which his adoptive father, ‘Jocko’ Doyle, is shot in the back while looking for a friend’s daughter, Mary Kate O’Connell, who is being ‘coerced’ into remaining with the Church of Scientology in Clearwater, Florida. Mary Kate later turns up dead at the same marina where Jocko was shot.
Harry and his partner, Vicky Stanopolis, are joined by Max Abrams of the Clearwater Police in their pursuit of psychopath, Tony Rolf (Rawlings), and the Clearwater Church of Scientology’s, Regis Walsh.
Other characters include Meg Avery (Adams), head of a security agency working for The Church and Kenneth Oppenheimer, Walsh’s assistant.
The characters are complex and in the case of Walsh, Rolf and Avery, extremely sinister, dangerous and manipulative. There is a well-developed plot and lots of suspense.
If you aren’t a fan of this bogus ‘church’, you will never be a fan after reading this book. I hesitate to use the word church, as this group is really a fanatical cult, but you can make up your own mind.
I was very impressed with the author’s ‘sense of place’. All the little details added up to rich descriptions of characters and location. Meg Avery’s wardrobe details; which team the Rays are playing and the pitcher they’re facing; fashion names and brands; street names and neighborhoods; Cuban influences; food choices like arroz con pollo; transport in Alaska; animals - all these details get the reader involved in the story on many levels - not just the mystery part.
I liked the descriptions of the ‘layers’ and overlapping of law enforcement in Florida - federal, state, county and town.
Page 25 will explain Harry’s nickname of ‘the dead detective’ and page 37 will give details of the cult of Scientology founded by the writer L. Ron Hubbard.
I would heartily recommend this title.
March 22, 2020
This book was spectacular! The storyline alone was top-notch, but the characters are what made it so enthralling. I didn't realize at first that there was a book that came before this one called The Dead Detective ( I will be picking it up once this crazy pandemic stops) but even so, you don't have to read that one to appreciate this novel. The character developments throughout this book were perfectly executed.
I thought that the mystery and setting were so well written. The story starts off in Florida and within the confines of the church of Scientology. It gave the reader a very nice balance of the beach breeze of the city and hostile quarters of the church. Throughout the book, the author did an incredible job of giving the reader a sneak peek into the life of everyday Scientologists and the odd traditions that they hold. The storyline then moves to Alaska, which also was executed perfectly. Life in Alaska is almost exactly the way it is described and the wilderness was beautify painted in the reader's mind. My only complaint here would be that the author makes a jab at Canadian Mounties at one point.
Overall, I would give this book 4.5 stars as I loved the story, characters, and mystery. I am only taking off the .5 because of how the book ended quickly and left the storyline of Harry's mother a bit untold for my liking.
I thought that the mystery and setting were so well written. The story starts off in Florida and within the confines of the church of Scientology. It gave the reader a very nice balance of the beach breeze of the city and hostile quarters of the church. Throughout the book, the author did an incredible job of giving the reader a sneak peek into the life of everyday Scientologists and the odd traditions that they hold. The storyline then moves to Alaska, which also was executed perfectly. Life in Alaska is almost exactly the way it is described and the wilderness was beautify painted in the reader's mind. My only complaint here would be that the author makes a jab at Canadian Mounties at one point.
Overall, I would give this book 4.5 stars as I loved the story, characters, and mystery. I am only taking off the .5 because of how the book ended quickly and left the storyline of Harry's mother a bit untold for my liking.
February 6, 2020
Quick, fun read (or listen). Harry Doyle survived a near-death experience when his own mother killed him and his younger brother, earning him the nickname of the Dead Detective. Unlike Johnny Smith from The Dead Zone, who came back to life with full-on psychic ability, Harry can only hear the victims' last words, which sometimes turn out to be helpful.
Maybe this is just a nitpick of mine, but I can't stand it when characters that have been long-time locals of a place known for having a substantial population of a certain religion or any other kind of group, like Clearwater, FL and Scientologists (I've also noticed this in some of the many Amish books I've read) are portrayed as uninformed as out-of-towners might be. Like wouldn't a local non-Scientologist in Clearwater, FL just kind of absorb the basics and be more like, "Oh yeah, don't they sign billion year contracts or something like that?" instead of having to "read up" to find out something as basic as that Scientology was founded by L Ron Hubbard, or asking really 101-sounding questions. If it's not info-dumping it's at least a cousin of it.
But overall not a bad way to pass a few hours.
Maybe this is just a nitpick of mine, but I can't stand it when characters that have been long-time locals of a place known for having a substantial population of a certain religion or any other kind of group, like Clearwater, FL and Scientologists (I've also noticed this in some of the many Amish books I've read) are portrayed as uninformed as out-of-towners might be. Like wouldn't a local non-Scientologist in Clearwater, FL just kind of absorb the basics and be more like, "Oh yeah, don't they sign billion year contracts or something like that?" instead of having to "read up" to find out something as basic as that Scientology was founded by L Ron Hubbard, or asking really 101-sounding questions. If it's not info-dumping it's at least a cousin of it.
But overall not a bad way to pass a few hours.
December 14, 2017
This was predictable and a very pedestrian read for me. I love the title, which is what drew me to it.
Harry Doyle is the "Dead Detective". His mother (who has a featured role in this book) attempted to kill him and his brother when they were boys. She succeeded with his young brother, but Harry was brought back to life. He now can hear the last words or thoughts of people who have just been murdered. That's the gimmick.
In this book, an enforcer for The Church of Scientology has gone rogue, and instead of disciplining church adherents, he is murdering them. The head of the church is inexplicably sheltering him. So very predictable, it was annoying.
Harry Doyle is the "Dead Detective". His mother (who has a featured role in this book) attempted to kill him and his brother when they were boys. She succeeded with his young brother, but Harry was brought back to life. He now can hear the last words or thoughts of people who have just been murdered. That's the gimmick.
In this book, an enforcer for The Church of Scientology has gone rogue, and instead of disciplining church adherents, he is murdering them. The head of the church is inexplicably sheltering him. So very predictable, it was annoying.
April 15, 2019
This is a fast-paced, police procedural novel. The fact that the book is peripherally about the 'Church of Scientology' makes it more interesting. There's so much smoke and mirrors about the group that it makes it easy for an author to think up all kinds of twists and turns for the denomination.
Harry gets pulled into the case when his adoptive father is shot twice in the back while trying to rescue a young woman from Scientology. The police quickly know who is doing all the killing, but are powerless to catch the murderer because someone high in the Scientology hierarchy is protecting him. As the bodies pile up, the Clearwater police become more desperate to catch the killer. When the Scientologists move the killer to Alaska, Harry Doyle and his partner follow. It all leads up to a stunning conclusion.
Dead Detective Series
1. The Dead Detective (2010)
** 2. The Scientology Murders (2017)
Harry gets pulled into the case when his adoptive father is shot twice in the back while trying to rescue a young woman from Scientology. The police quickly know who is doing all the killing, but are powerless to catch the murderer because someone high in the Scientology hierarchy is protecting him. As the bodies pile up, the Clearwater police become more desperate to catch the killer. When the Scientologists move the killer to Alaska, Harry Doyle and his partner follow. It all leads up to a stunning conclusion.
Dead Detective Series
1. The Dead Detective (2010)
** 2. The Scientology Murders (2017)
January 20, 2022
“The Scientology Murders” is a murder-mystery novel where a series of murders in Florida leave the police force baffled and Detective Harry Doyle’s adoptive father seriously injured.
The center of the Church of Scientology is located in Clearwater, Florida and is a religion that encourages its members to remain pure and true to their beliefs. One senior leader has misguided a young man in his employ, a twisted soul who will stop at nothing to make sure that the rules are followed.
With secrecy surrounding the church’s inner sanctums, the investigation leads the Detective and his partner Vicky Stanopolis, and Sergeant Max Abrams to the far reaches of Alaska, where they come face-to-face with death in a form they never expected.
I recommend this book to all you enjoy murder mysteries, as this one will keep you in suspense until the very end!
The center of the Church of Scientology is located in Clearwater, Florida and is a religion that encourages its members to remain pure and true to their beliefs. One senior leader has misguided a young man in his employ, a twisted soul who will stop at nothing to make sure that the rules are followed.
With secrecy surrounding the church’s inner sanctums, the investigation leads the Detective and his partner Vicky Stanopolis, and Sergeant Max Abrams to the far reaches of Alaska, where they come face-to-face with death in a form they never expected.
I recommend this book to all you enjoy murder mysteries, as this one will keep you in suspense until the very end!
September 16, 2017
The title of the book was well chosen because just about everyone has heard about Scientology.
The story revolves around the attempted murder of detective Harry Doyle's father, a retired police officer. The Scientology Church has a hired man on the payroll named Tony Rolf. Tony's job is to steer church members who have strayed from the church's rigid rules back into the proper frame of mind. Tony is an albino and partly from years of being teased, he has developed a very mean streak which he tries to keep hidden. He is a sociopath and thinks nothing of killing anyone who gets in his way. Harry and his partner Vicki, think he is the man they are looking for and a cat and mouse chase ensues.
Although there are a few flaws in the story line, I enjoyed this book.
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway and this is my unbiased review
The story revolves around the attempted murder of detective Harry Doyle's father, a retired police officer. The Scientology Church has a hired man on the payroll named Tony Rolf. Tony's job is to steer church members who have strayed from the church's rigid rules back into the proper frame of mind. Tony is an albino and partly from years of being teased, he has developed a very mean streak which he tries to keep hidden. He is a sociopath and thinks nothing of killing anyone who gets in his way. Harry and his partner Vicki, think he is the man they are looking for and a cat and mouse chase ensues.
Although there are a few flaws in the story line, I enjoyed this book.
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway and this is my unbiased review
August 28, 2018
The main draw for me with the Dead Detective series is that they take place in my "back yard." Pinellas County, Florida, generally, and Tarpon Springs, in particular. Heffernan mentions restaurants we've been to (including our favorite, Mystic Fish in Palm Harbor) and local tourist spots and gathering places.
He continued to call 'Fred Howard Park' 'FRANK Howard Park' in the first book, and on the second page of this one, he had a woman working a pair of crocheting needles (they're KNITTING needles if there are two of them). Both errors should have been caught by someone prior to publishing.
But the story was interesting and it was a quick enjoyable read. I'd read a third one of the series if there is one.
He continued to call 'Fred Howard Park' 'FRANK Howard Park' in the first book, and on the second page of this one, he had a woman working a pair of crocheting needles (they're KNITTING needles if there are two of them). Both errors should have been caught by someone prior to publishing.
But the story was interesting and it was a quick enjoyable read. I'd read a third one of the series if there is one.
November 23, 2022
What an abrupt ending and it left unanswered questions. WTH happened with Harry's murdering mother? It just left with Harry being made a fool of by his mother's attorney and the attorney calling Internal Affairs insisting that they investigate Harry? And since this was written in 2017 I doubt there's more books to come. This was a really lousy book! I can't even imaging what the author was thinking writing this then not writing another book to answer the open questions.
Fade to black sex and the F-bomb was used 40 times.
As for the narration: John McLain is one of the worse narrators I've had the misfortune to listen to. He needs to read books that have now women at all in them, because every woman sounded like a man. AND he read without emotions whatsoever.
Fade to black sex and the F-bomb was used 40 times.
As for the narration: John McLain is one of the worse narrators I've had the misfortune to listen to. He needs to read books that have now women at all in them, because every woman sounded like a man. AND he read without emotions whatsoever.
May 16, 2017
Hefferman continues to write absorbing, well plotted and intriguing mysteries- this was great! Harry is the detective I'd want on my side if one of my family members was murdered. I know some will quibble about the paranormal aspects of this, as well as the Scientology, but think of Harry's abilities with the dead as a positive and Scientology as a stand in for any large organization. You will learn a bit about the church, which is a plus. This is a fast, entertaining read. THanks to edelweiss for the ARC.
December 28, 2024
A comfortable and enjoyable read. Im just getting into reading so this book is nicely structured, and has well placed suspense points, i had my attention all the way through.
BUT ❗️
For a book so recent as 2017, i was not very impressed by the characters. There wasn’t much depth to any of them(especially the women who only seemed to act as pretty props) and when there were depth, it was all very cliche characteristics.
Hefferman’s great structure and plot had so much potential but i wasn’t able to be invested in the story because none of the characters were very likable.
BUT ❗️
For a book so recent as 2017, i was not very impressed by the characters. There wasn’t much depth to any of them(especially the women who only seemed to act as pretty props) and when there were depth, it was all very cliche characteristics.
Hefferman’s great structure and plot had so much potential but i wasn’t able to be invested in the story because none of the characters were very likable.
January 22, 2023
Narrator’s accents were over the top. Meg loses her credibility as a believable character when she accompanies a known serial killer, something no woman in her right mind would agree to do, no matter how capable she thought herself to be. She gets to be both girlfriend and victim, typical tropes to enhance the hero’s journey-predictable and lazy for any writer who wants to be taken seriously. Plot is an interesting twist into cultish lives at their worst.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2017
Decent read with a lure of Scientology and a cop who can hear the recently dead - sometimes was the hook that dragged me in. It was ok; there wasn't enough of the detective's personality to make me care about his life after the final pages. The best scene in the book involves a bear - that's all I'm saying.
February 6, 2018
I really liked this book. I've always thought Scientology was a weird faith, no offense to those who might read this who are part of Scientology, to each their own. This book demonstrated that. Yes, the things mentioned in the book aren't factually credited to Scientology, but to me, it still seems as nutty. Overall, I liked it. Akashic seems to publish really good books.
April 11, 2018
I read this primarily because of my continuing bewilderment over scientology. It was okay as a mystery but did not shed any new light for me regarding scientology.
(Note: I'm stingy with stars. For me 2 stars means a good book. 3 = Very good; 4 = Outstanding {only about 5% of the books I read merit this}; 5 = All time favorites {one of these may come along every 400-500 books})
(Note: I'm stingy with stars. For me 2 stars means a good book. 3 = Very good; 4 = Outstanding {only about 5% of the books I read merit this}; 5 = All time favorites {one of these may come along every 400-500 books})
May 9, 2020
This was the first I’ve read from this author and thoroughly enjoyed it. Loved the characters and the killer, an enforcer for the Church of Scientology in Clearwater, Florida was especially vicious and deranged. The story ended in a hunting lodge in Alaska with some interesting results. Great descriptions of scenery and location. Want to read more.
September 16, 2023
Loved it!
Maybe because it was about Scientology and evils of cults in general, but having the bad guys lose never felt so good! Talk about complicated detectives, I have never come across one who had been dead. I have enjoyed the books in this series and look forward to many more.
Maybe because it was about Scientology and evils of cults in general, but having the bad guys lose never felt so good! Talk about complicated detectives, I have never come across one who had been dead. I have enjoyed the books in this series and look forward to many more.
June 9, 2017
I started this book but found the main character's partner to be just as obnoxious and possessing of no redeeming qualities as I did in the first novel so I couldn't even finish it. It just isn't worth the paper it's written on.
December 28, 2017
I picked this up at a book fair because I liked the publisher's representative, and I was in Florida at the time, and the book is set (mostly) in Florida. It is a fun, fast-paced, hard-boiled detective-type of book. Entertaining.
March 21, 2024
A quick, enjoyable read that gets 4 stars simply because it was also pretty predictable. I didn’t realize there was a previous book about the “dead detective” but this book provided enough context that it could stand alone just fine.
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