Do or Die

Inspector Green Mystery #1

by Barbara Fradkin

Ottawa Homicide Inspector Michael Green is absolutely obsessed with his job, a condition which has almost ruined his marriage several times. When the biggest case of his career comes up, his position, his relationships and several lives are put into grave danger. A young graduate student and scion of a rich family is found expertly stabbed in the stacks of a university library, but no one seems to have the slightest idea why. But as Green probes into the circumstances of the young man's life, a tangled web of jealousy and intrigue is revealed. Green finds himself in the middle of a rivalry in the delicate arena of university politics, where gigantic egos regularly collide. Was it the diligent but socially inept researcher, or the macho ladies-man golden boy of the laboratory? Or was it a crime of passion involving the over-protective family of his beautiful new girlfriend? When the murderer strikes again, Green realizes that he must waste no time in solving the case, no matter what the consequences may be.

Genres: Mystery, Canada, Fiction, Thriller, Procedural, Mystery Thriller, Crime

264 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Barbara Fradkin (nee Currie), an award-winning Canadian mystery writer and retired psychologist whose work with children and families provides ample inspiration for murder. She is fascinated by the dark side and by the desperate choices people make.

Her novels are gritty, realistic, and psychological, with a blend of mystery and suspense. She is the author of three series, including ten novels featuring the exasperating, quixotic Ottawa Police Inspector Michael Green, and three short novels about country handyman Cedric O'Toole which provide an entertaining but quick and easy read. FIRE IN THE STARS is the first book in her new mystery thriller series which stars passionate, adventurous, but traumatized aid worker Amanda Doucette.

Fradkin's work has been nominated for numerous awards, and two of the Inspector Green books have won the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Novel from Crime Writers of Canada. Fradkin was born in Montreal but lives in Ottawa.

Series:
* Inspector Green Mystery

Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Novel (2005): Fifth Son
◊ Best Novel (2007): Honour Among Men

Reviews

[Paul Weiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Career obsession and marriages are not good life partners

Inspector Michael Green is a homicide detective with the Ottawa police department and a rather poor example of a model police officer. Unwilling to deal with routine, authority, and procedure, his skills - admittedly top drawer - start and end with the solution of murder cases and to that end he is obsessed. As a result his marriage, his work record, and his relationship with his colleagues and those in authority over him suffer in the bargain.

DO OR DIE challenges Green with the career-capping puzzle of a lifetime – a wealthy and brilliant young medical researcher is found brutally stabbed in the stacks of the university library (in the medieval literature section, of all places); fraudulent research and academic dishonesty; winner-take-all competition with respect to grants and primacy of published scientific research; and all of this coloured with the requisite contemporary sprinkling of sex, sexuality, jealousy, machismo, racism, cultural conflicts, and homophobia. It seems that neither motives nor means are in short supply among a long list of possible murderers and it is left to Green to stand up to the professional demands of the city of Ottawa and his police superiors – make the obvious arrest, put the case to rest, and never mind that you have a “hunch” that the suspect isn’t the right target!

DO OR DIE is a workmanlike police procedural and a well thought out and clever noir character sketch that is quite entertaining enough to prompt a reader to proceed further into the series. But, it must be admitted that “workmanlike” is not “compelling” or “thrilling”. Perhaps that will come with future entries in the series. I’m hopeful.

Paul Weiss

[Valerie Campbell Ackroyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first Fradkin book I've read and I plan to read more. Once I became involved in the story--it took about 30 pages--I read it in two days. The last evening, I actually stayed up until 1:00 a.m. and read 100 pages straight through. I thought the case was well laid out, the characters fleshed out. I actually don't like the main character, Green, very much. He is self-centred and selfish. Still, I don't consider that key and he may improve with further books. He seemed, at the end of the book, that there were possibilities. But, in this particular book, the story was more important. I know Ottawa and I know universities and university politics. I think Fradkin did an excellent job describing both. There were a couple of loose threads that made no sense--why WAS the second victim naked was one that I was left with. I think, though, that Fradkin did an excellent job concealing the murderer's identity. I had my suspicions about one character who ended up being murdered halfway through. The mark of a good mystery :) I do wish the language was a little less coarse but that is probably real life. All in all, a good read as a mystery/police procedural.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable mystery. There was a reference to the author in a Louise Penny novel. As I wait for the next Gamarche novel, I’m glad to have a new-to-me series to read.

[LJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

DO OR DIE – G+
Barbara Fradkin – 1st in series
When a popular university student from a wealthy family is found stabbed to death in an academic library, tenacious police inspector Michael Green is called in. As he sifts through the evidence, several suspects emerge. Was the killing a crime of passion and revenge or a consequence of competition and ambition in the cut-throat world of university politics? Putting his reputation and his rocky marriage on the line, Green is determined to uncover the truth behind this bizarre killing, at any cost.

By a Canadian author, it was nice to read a book set somewhere new to me; Ottawa. This is a solid police procedural with fully-developed characters, interesting forensic information, clues tracked down one-by-one, and enough suspense to keep me going. I shall definitely read the other two books, so far, in this series.

[Risa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't finish this book because the writing was so bad and the storyline so thin that I couldn't bear to read anymore of it. I stuck it out for 1/2 the book (a big mistake...I should have realized it wasn't going to get any better after the "50-page rule"). If you like mysteries, don't read this one!

[Ginny · Rating 2 out of 5]

If the author expects sympathy for Green, the main character, then she didn’t do her job. He is immature, impulsive and has no true inner voice to grab the reader’s understanding. And what Jewish couple names their kid, “Tony”?
No plans to read any more of these books.

[Pgchuis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A while ago I read and enjoyed the tenth instalment of this series and planned to seek out others. Finally I started with the first, but didn't enjoy this as much as I had hoped. The descriptions of the police investigation were excellent, and I imagine that if I had ever been to Ottawa, all the local colour would have been spot on. However all this was marred for me by the attitudes of various of the characters to women and particularly women as colleagues (or to be honest women as wives - neglect them, women as witnesses - lust after them and nearly sleep with them, or really women in any context). I assume this attitude changed as the series went on - this was published in 2000. I get that Green's attitude to his wife and baby is not held up as exemplary behaviour and you don't have to like the main character necessarily, but the undercurrent of misogyny and disrespect was so pervasive that I kept tripping over it.

[Doreen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking for another Canadian mystery writer and came across Barbara Fradkin whose first book in the Inspector Green series was written a decade and a half ago. I was pleasantly surprised and left wondering why I had not previously encountered this author.

This book introduces Homicide Inspector Michael Green. A young graduate student is stabbed in a university library and Green is assigned to investigate. He brings to light a web of jealousy, competition and ambition amongst the researchers with whom the victim worked. Which one is guilty of murder?

Green is not a very likeable person. Though he can be admired for his persistence in solving the case, he lets his obsession jeopardize his marriage. His first marriage ended in divorce and he has no contact with his child from that relationship, yet he behaves in a way that may very well lead to another abandoned wife and child. There are instances when his treatment of his wife is truly offensive.

This police procedural is straightforward and solid. There are sufficient suspects to keep one guessing. Though there is a bit of a twist in the resolution, it is a believable one. Though there are red herrings, there are sufficient clues to the identity of the killer; information is not withheld from the reader.

Part of the appeal of the novel for me was the fact that the novel is set in Ottawa. Having lived in the city for four years when attending university there, I was familiar with the locations identified; the novel gave me a walk down memory lane.

I think I will read more of this series. If there is anything that may keep me from continuing the series, it is Green’s objectionable behaviour.

Please check out my reader's blog (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).

[Paula Dembeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Inspector Green series, a police procedural set in present-day Ottawa, Canada’s capital city.

Inspector Michael Green works out of the homicide division. As part of middle management in the new amalgamated police force, he spends his days pushing papers around his desk and attending boring committee meetings, often wondering why he agreed to take on this promotion given his love of working a case rather than directing others to solve it. He knows his supervisory skills are woefully inadequate and he is best out in the trenches, so when he is assigned a difficult case, he relishes the thought of getting out on the streets and doing the work he loves, his excuse being he must get a handle on the crime to be able to direct others. Green has worked for over twenty years with Brian Sullivan, a man very different from himself both personally and professionally, but always gets the job done. This time they are assigned the murder of a young wealthy graduate student, stabbed to death in a quiet corner of the university library. He is Jonathan Blair, twenty-four, the son of Marianne Blair, head of the Lindmar Foundation, a major funding organization that underwrites charities, research and the arts. She is from a prominent wealthy family and Green can already sense the political interference that will be part of this high-profile case. Doug Lynch, the Deputy Police Chief and Adam Jules, the Chief of Detectives make it clear he is not to ruffle too many feathers, not to make things more complicated than they need to be and to keep an eye on City Hall.

Green and Sullivan have their work cut out for them. They must deal with a chaotic crime scene that was never secured after someone called 911 for an ambulance and someone else pulled the fire alarm. There was a mad rush of students trying to get out, firemen trying to locate the fire and paramedics trying to provide CPR. Blood was traipsed all over the floor and potentially useable forensic evidence was lost. There were no witnesses to the crime and no murder weapon was found.

Jonathan Blair was quiet, single, well liked. A hard-working graduate student, he recently broke up with his girlfriend and although some say he seemed distracted and bothered recently, no one has any idea why he was killed. Jonathan was working with a group of graduate students, supervised by Dr. Myles Halton, one of the up-and-coming experts on language and the brain. He was trying to complete his Masters degree in cognitive neuroscience, conducting research on auditory channels in the brain. Was he a victim of circumstance, in the wrong place at the wrong time, or was there something deeper? Green knows that motivation is the key to solving the crime, but as days pass, he is no closer to uncovering it.

While running the investigation, Green heads into the field, interviewing suspects, carrying out stakeouts and doing the work he loves, becoming completely immersed in the case. He often forgets to eat, hardly sleeps, forgets about his wife and son and is constantly running possible scenarios of the crime in his head. He knows if he can identify the motive, the details they are collecting will fall into place, but after hours of interviews and piles of evidence is collected, they are still no closer to knowing why Jonathan was murdered or have a credible suspect.

While Green and Sullivan work the case, Fradkin fills in their back stories. Green is married to Sharon, a nurse who works in the in-patient psychiatric unit at the Royal Ottawa Hospital and the couple have a young baby named Tony. This is Green’s second marriage. His first wife was unhappy and simply walked out, taking their young daughter with her. After she left, Green led a lonely life and was delighted to find Sharon, hoping to build the family he desperately wanted. They both work hard, have stressful careers, work different shifts, find the baby exhausting and the apartment overcrowded. Cracks are appearing in their marriage as they try to save for the house they desperately need.

Sullivan is a detective in the homicide division, a dedicated family man, still married to his first wife and dotes on his three children. He is also overworked, suffering from the recent budget cuts and struggles to give his children the extras every child wants. He is a very good detective, a plodder who gets the job done. Unlike Green, he does not have the intuitive leaps that help Green crack a case, but he is dependable, hardworking and loyal to his friend and colleague. Sullivan has always been able to get along with the others at the station, while Green, is often set apart, not always comfortable in their company.

In the process of investigating the crime, Green meets several possible suspects. There is a family of immigrants trying to settle in a new culture; two young researchers who are competitive and know they must prove themselves with significant research to make it in the academic world; a top notch professor and scientist running a graduate program, writing a book, and competing for the resources he needs to stay at the top of his game; a beautiful dark haired Mediterranean student in the fourth year of an honors biology course who assists in the lab and Jonathan’s ex-girlfriend.

This is a crime that touches on a number of themes including racism, the jealous competition that drives emerging research and the behind-the-scenes intrigue of university politics. Green’s dogged determination and his skillful reasoned use of deductive reasoning, finally leads him to solve the case, but costs him with his marriage left in tatters by his obsessive work ethic.

Fradkin creates an interesting setting, placing the action at the University of Ottawa and frequently referring to well-known locales such as Rockcliffe Park, the upscale suburban home of the wealthy; The Rideau Canal and the Pretoria Bridge that crosses it; The Chateau Laurier Hotel; the Queensway; the seamy student digs at Sandy Hill and the Byward Market. It all creates the atmosphere of a thriving multiethnic city, humming with energy.

This book presents a solid mystery, easy to get into and follow, well written and paced, filled with fully dimensional characters and comes to a satisfying conclusion. It was a very enjoyable read and I will definitely move on to the next book.

[Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Barbara Fradkin through Library.
In Do or Die I was introduced to Detective Inspector Green of the Ottawa Police force. He is a flawed man but one who tries to do what is right. He is not a good team player; he likes to work alone. This is rather ironic given he is responsible for several other detectives at any one time while investigating murders. He hates having to do the administration of a case and would rather be out investigating the murder himself.
In this book he must discover who has murdered a doctoral student at the University of Ottawa. Which is proving to be a difficult case. Making things more difficult his relationship with his wife Sharon and his baby boy is falling apart. He seems better equipped to deal with the murder than with his personal relationship.
I like this character. He recognizes his faults and tries to overcome them and tries not to let them get in the way of his investigations. He is not always successful. Barbara Fradkin can make me feel the tension that exists in Inspector Green’s life, both personally and professionally. I am cheering for Inspector Green from the beginning of the story to the end.

[Kate268 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not reading any more of Barbara’s books. As I am Canadian, I was excited to discover another Canadian author. Not excited at all. Inspector Green is a self centred, shallow character with no redeeming values. Sorry that your poor wife who works 12 hour graveyard shifts smells like Pablum and milk. Sorry she’s not young, blonde and ready to rip your clothes off while you shirk your parental duties and leave your son at the neighbours so you can sleep uninterrupted. Men like that should not be allowed to procreate, never mind be the ‘hero’ in a book.

[Elif · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kitap güzeldi. Üniversite kütüphanesinde çalışkan bir öğrenci öldürülür ve tüm akademik kadro şüphe altında kalır. Eski sevgili ve Lübnanlı yeni sevgili de şüpheliler arasındadır.
Müfettiş Green sevdiğim bir karakter olabilirdi. Eğer sadakatsizlik düşünceleriyle dolup taşmasaydı.
Merak ettiren ve sürükleyen bir kitap. Tek problem yazı puntosunun küçük mü küçük olması 🤗

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite style of police procedural. Very "just the facts" to the point it almost read like a movie script instead of a novel. Not much time spent on character development or description. Nothing wrong with it, just a matter of preference.

[Leslie Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was well written, marvelous twist and turns. I liked that there were multiple plausible murders. I liked how the case was solved. I was very disappointed in Green's behavior at times, but I guess that makes him human .... Good read overall.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barbara paints sharp pictures with her words. I could easily visualize -- even hear -- Inspector Green as if he were in the same room as me. An intelligent whodunit!

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new author for me but this was a very entertaining first novel. If you like books by Peter James and Peter Robinson you will also enjoy this one.

[Joyce Coffey]

Liked that it is set in Ottawa

[Anthony Bidulka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fradkin's first Inspector Green gets the series off to a rollicking start.

[Catherine Croney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great mystery! I love that it is based in Ottawa!

[Lgl · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book in the series written by Fradkin. Was an entertaining read.

[Maureen Coyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent writer. Great detective in Inspector Green. Multi-dimensional.

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, straightforward police procedural.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

this was a .a mystery that had more than one murder.the suspects of the crimes were many the ending was a surprise.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad for a police procedural set in Ottawa, but I have to read the next one......he may move to barrhaven!

[Nathan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like inspector green as a person at all.

[Linda Hartlaub · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating a 3.5

I found a reference to Barbara Fradkin in a Louise Penney mystery and can see that this author has inspired her. There are similarities and distinct differences, which appear to be quite intentional. One of these is the difference between the lead detective, Mike Green, a disheveled police officer in Toronto, who pours all of his efforts into his job and has little left over for his family. Compare this to debonair Inspector Gamache, who adores his wife and children.

The book is a straight-forward classic detective story, with a number of suspects who have motive and opportunity. The murder takes place by page three, so there is no time for build up of background or the character of the murder victim. It had enough twists and turns and an engrossing story to keep the reader entertained. The fault, however, is that there is a leap of faith to come up with the final murderer. Trying not to give away too much, the detectives on the case muse that this is a cold-blooded killer who is adept at murder, leading the reader to think this may even be a murder-for-hire. The killer has knowledge of the human body, can wield a knife and gun with equal talent, and even understands the intricacies of poisoning people. At the end, it is never explained how the killer has come to all of this knowledge and proficiency.

It was an interesting and engrossing read. Just don't expect the end to hold up to much scrutiny.

[Guylou (Two Dogs and a Book) · Rating 3 out of 5]

𝗗𝗢 𝗢𝗥 𝗗𝗜𝗘 𝗯𝘆 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗮 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗸𝗶𝗻 is a gripping Canadian police procedural that pulls you deep into the intense world of Ottawa Homicide Inspector Michael Green. Green is talented, determined, and utterly consumed by his work — a trait that puts both his marriage and his sanity on the line when a high-profile murder lands on his desk. A wealthy grad student is found stabbed in a university library, and what first appears to be a clean, calculated crime soon spirals into a maze of academic politics, jealousy, privilege, and passion. Barbara Fradkin delivers sharp writing and masterful twists that kept me guessing. Every suspect feels like a genuine possibility, and the layered motives make the investigation feel authentic and unpredictable. Green isn’t perfect — far from it — and while his personal decisions sometimes frustrated me, that flawed humanity made him even more compelling.

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀:
🚔 Obsessed detective
🎓 Campus mystery
🧩 Multiple suspects
💔 Strained marriage
💣 High-stakes investigation

[Amy Gideon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because it was mentioned in Louise Penny's The Hangman. I thought if Louise Penny liked it then it was worth a try. I hoped it'd be as good as the Three Pines series, but no such luck.

It's a solid procedural mystery, but I didn't care for the characters at all. Like I hate Inspector Green. The main character is extremely unlikeable and there's casual misogyny displayed by all the characters. I'm surprised this was written by a woman because of how poorly the women are written. The values expressed by the women and men about women seem out of time--like from the 50s. Tons of excuses are made for Green's bad behavior, but it makes zero sense that any woman would deal with him.

I wish the main character wasn't such a dick, because I enjoyed the actual mystery. I probably won't be reading the rest of the series. However I'm listening to a sample of the 2nd book and I'm already interested in the mystery.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose this mystery to read for 2 reasons: 1) the author was mentioned by Louise Penny, another author I enjoy reading and 2) I am familiar with the city of Ottawa, Ontario. I thought it would be interesting to read something set in that area.

The plot grabbed my right away, although it seemed to bog down from time to time with brain terminology and research statistics. Despite that, puzzling through the who-dun-it details was intriguing. As with other books I've read, I do not appreciate the overt sexual statements and situations; nor swearing language. I continued reading, the page turner as Inspector Green pondered and puzzled - me right along with him. I had no idea until it was revealed by Inspector Greene with Sullivan's help, who the culprit was.

For these reasons this is a 4 star read, reduced to 3 star. a good mystery nonetheless.

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Canada, Inspector Green is brought in on a hihg profile, but difficult case because of his investigative skills but lacks the charm and charisma to be popular. Howeve, with the help of his partner and team they dig deep to discover not only who killed the biology doctoral student in the library but why - is it a racially motivated crime or something more sinister relating to his studies in neurosciences?

Green is a flawed but endearing character with his blinkered focus on the crime to the detriment of his wife and young baby. The audio performance is solid and Green's methodical approach is strongly portrayed.