Final Impulse: Mystery on Whidbey Island

by Dan Pedersen

On a snowy Christmas Eve, Detective Shane Lindstrom is on his way home to Whidbey Island on the Port Townsend ferry. A few miles away, a woman's body is dumped by the roadside in Greenbank. For Lindstrom and his young associate, Kat Brown, it looks like a straightforward case. But the more they dig into it, the deeper the mystery grows. They find themselves tangled in a complex web of online dating, two-timing spouses, voyeurs, evangelical hucksters, a creepy backwoods gnome and a Russian, mail-order bride. Is the key suspect being framed? Or did he murder his wife in a fit of passion and temper he'll regret for the rest of his life?

183 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 14, 2019

About the author

I grew up in Western Washington and now make my home on Whidbey Island with my wife, Sue, and our adventurous canine, Duncan. We live in the woods with the deer, squirrels, owls, coyotes and other creatures that come and go when the spirit moves them.

After studying journalism at the University of Washington and receiving bachelor's and master's degrees, I became a reporter and editor for several newspapers in Washington and Idaho, including a large regional outdoor weekly. For most of my career I managed a magazine and other publications for a large insurance and financial services corporation.

But I saved the best for last. After giving up my good job in the city, I discovered how much fun writing could really be, starting with nature and rural life as my themes and, in time, evolving to writing mysteries, the most rewarding of all. What I love about mysteries is the platform they provide for my characters to stimulate reflection in the minds of readers.

My philosophy is my books should always entertain, but also give readers something more. Readers should come away having learned something new and been challenged to think about what they truly value in their lives.

Reviews

[Jason Pryde · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve yet to figure out the science behind Dan Pedersen’s naming scheme other than they are all the Final something. The term “Final Impulse” kind of triggers the sensation internalized by a walk-on passenger standing on the car deck just as a ferry approaches the ferry dock. As the helmsman tweaks the side thrusters you feel your center of gravity move slightly out of alignment with your feet and you know you just avoided a jarring crunch. It’s how you can tell that this skipper has been parking ferries for awhile.

There is a parallel here between a seasoned ferry driver and an experienced mystery writer. A cocky writer can slash and burn your psyche with paragraphs of brutality and expletives.
A seasoned writer realizes that while the world isn’t always pretty, the adult reader can be expected to assume some level of badness without having it spelled out in gory detail. The purpose of the mystery novel is to explore the ambiguities, the mental games of cat and mouse, and the impact of imperfect information on an investigation when performed by an expert detective (another role where subtle moves are often the most effective) .

So if you’re into bone jarring shock value, read Stephen King. If, on the other hand, you enjoy well developed drama, realistic character development, humbling plot twists, and a profound description of the Pacific Northwest lifestyle, read Dan Pedersen.

-jgp

[Regina Hugo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast-moving Whidbey mystery

Dan Pedersen’s sharp, compulsively-readable prose plunges the reader quickly into a complex puzzle involving a serial killer, a voyeur, a crooked evangelist, cheating husbands and lying suspects. Series stalwart, Shane Lindstrom and his clever, young assistant, Kat Brown, are on the case. The lovely winter scenery of Whidbey Island and heartwarming Christmas connections leaven the dark elements of the story and the season. Another winner from Pedersen’s prolific pen.

[Bubar C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun to read a cozy mystery by a local author