Dead Men Rise Up Never

Dan Shaw

by Ron Faust

Murder is afoot in the tropical climes of the Florida Keys--Peter Falconer, the son of wealthy parents who stands to gain a fortune in inheritance on his 30th birthday, is missing and presumed dead. Ex-Army investigator Daniel Shaw, who is currently studying law and preparing for the Bar exam, is summoned by the devious--and incredibly witty--attorney Tom Petrie to find Peter and rescue the inheritance money. The pursuit leads Daniel from the Keys to Jamaica to South America, where he tangles with the larger-than-life criminal Raven Ahriman and his partner, Charles Angleton, Peter's childhood friend who ultimately orchestrated Peter's disappearance in connection with some dubious dealings in snuff films and the death of two young girls who participated in the filming. With the assistance of Tom; Peter's sister, Susan, who is devastated to learn of her brother's shady interests; and Daniel's hired loose-cannon "bodyguard" Leroy, Daniel tracks Raven through the Mosquito Keys and onto the high seas, where the small group is left for dead on a ship. But after the discovery of Peter Falconer and a heroic escape, Daniel must ultimately face Raven in a battle for his life in this superbly crafted novel by thriller-writer Faust.?

Genres: Audiobook, Mystery

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 27, 2004

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 1 out of 5]

So much senseless violence that I cannot recommend. 2 of 10 stars

[Ben Boulden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A character-driven crime novel that is as good as it is dark.

[LJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

DEAD MEN RISE UP NEVER (Unlicensed Investigator) – Okay
Ron Faust – 1st in series
Dell, 2004 – Paperback
Former CID investigator and current law student Dan Shaw agrees to find the currently missing heir to a very large fortune. Instead, he finds a cabin cruiser containing a dead goat, and underwater, seven anatomically correct inflatable mannequins and a female corpse.
*** The plot was suspenseful—man against man, man against nature--had excellent dialogue and lots of disreputable characters. The only likable character was the protagonist, and it just seemed off balance to me. The problem was the only part of the story in which I really became engrossed was the ship in the hurricane. The rest I found myself skimming through. Those who like macho good guy stories, although without any likable or interesting side kicks, might enjoy this, but for me, it was strictly an okay read.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's a lot of violence in this story and most all of the characters are bad ones. Several times throughout the book, the main character Dan Shaw goes into these very lengthy detailed descriptions about things. I found that and the narrator's voice too monotone to keep my attention. If you like dark and gritty, violent and lengthy stories....this is for you. If you're like me, it's not.

[Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

An awful lot of terrible people in this book.

[Tom Stadler · Rating 3 out of 5]

First read of this Author, enjoyed enough that I'll look into some of his other work.

[Joseph · Rating 1 out of 5]

I sincerely hope Ron Faust played ball better than he writes. According to Scott Turow on the cover of Dead Men Rise Up Never, Ron Faust is "A writer of enormous talent, a stylist to admire and a storyteller of great power." I disagree with all three points after reading this book. Maybe Turow had just read a different story by Faust.

The only good thing I can say about this book is most of the baddies suffer as much as the reader.

[Rebecca Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful characterizations! The law student investigator faces interesting dilemmas as he works part-time for questionable employers. The Florida setting is beautifully described, and the second half is a roller-coaster ride.

[Jimmy Golian · Rating 3 out of 5]

not great. the middle was good. wish the ending had a bigger punch. would like to try the author again.