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Just Die
First Prize Winner of the 2020 CIBA Award for Paranormal Fiction.Shortly after Jake Silver, a successful young financial advisor sells his business, he suffers a mild stroke and ends up in the hospital. Thanks to some clot-busting drugs, he recovers rapidly, only to find he's not the man he used to be. When he discovers that he can point his finger at anything -- red squirrels, marauding coyotes, drug lords, dictators -- and make it die on the spot, Jake has to decide whether to use his powers for the good of the country. Smart, fast-paced, and entertaining, this thriller from award-winning author E. Alan Fleischauer belongs on the same shelf as the books of Vince Flynn, John Grisham, and James Patterson.
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- GenresThriller
261 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 19, 2021
7 people are currently reading
6 people want to read
About the author
E. Alan Fleischauer
20 books22 followersE. Alan Fleischauer is a certified financial planner, an active member of numerous non-profit organizations, and a rock ‘n’ roll drummer. He lives just west of the Mississippi River, an easy ride to his Wisconsin cabin.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 12, 2023
I was able to read and review this via OnlineBookClub, here is my honest review.
Just Die promises a smart, fast-paced, and entertaining plot and supposedly belongs on the same shelf as James Patterson, but I have to wholeheartedly disagree. Although the book description drew me in, I was sorely disappointed by the execution. The writing style seemed frivolous, glitchy, and overall vague. The plot's writing made it seem unbelievable and too far-fetched. Over halfway through the book, I felt like I was reading an entirely different novel, that's how improbable the "twist" was. Overall I found Just Die to be poorly executed and not all that thrilling.
Would I recommend to my peers? No. Do I advise against reading it? No, it may work for some people.
Overall it's a 2 of 5 star read for me.
Just Die promises a smart, fast-paced, and entertaining plot and supposedly belongs on the same shelf as James Patterson, but I have to wholeheartedly disagree. Although the book description drew me in, I was sorely disappointed by the execution. The writing style seemed frivolous, glitchy, and overall vague. The plot's writing made it seem unbelievable and too far-fetched. Over halfway through the book, I felt like I was reading an entirely different novel, that's how improbable the "twist" was. Overall I found Just Die to be poorly executed and not all that thrilling.
Would I recommend to my peers? No. Do I advise against reading it? No, it may work for some people.
Overall it's a 2 of 5 star read for me.
April 16, 2023
Badly written dialogue, good concept, just not executed well enough
February 27, 2024
I reviewed this book for OnlineBookClub. Thank you for the free digital copy. See my original and comprehensive review here.
I was hooked by the original premises of Just Die. However, it was so poorly executed that I ended up very disappointed.
I could (and I did) write a thousand words about what went wrong in this story. The characters just blatantly accept a "God-given" power without questioning it. There are little to no consequences to Jake's actions. The ending is so abrupt and rushed I almost threw away my phone.
This could be a great thriller. Based on the reviews I've read, it is, for most people. So I would still recommend it if you enjoy fast-paced stories with a dash of supernatural abilities. It just wasn't enough for me.
I was hooked by the original premises of Just Die. However, it was so poorly executed that I ended up very disappointed.
I could (and I did) write a thousand words about what went wrong in this story. The characters just blatantly accept a "God-given" power without questioning it. There are little to no consequences to Jake's actions. The ending is so abrupt and rushed I almost threw away my phone.
This could be a great thriller. Based on the reviews I've read, it is, for most people. So I would still recommend it if you enjoy fast-paced stories with a dash of supernatural abilities. It just wasn't enough for me.
June 14, 2023
Just Die by E. Alan Fleischauer tells the story of Jake Silver, a retired financial planner, who was told by his mother that instead of getting angry at someone, he should point his finger at the person and say “Just Die.” So, imagine his astonishment when he woke from a stroke and realized he had supernatural powers and he could end someone’s life by just pointing at them and uttering the words “Just Die.” He started a quest with his fiancée Beth Ann and his friend Omar to learn how to steer the world with his new-found ability. He was faced with an ultimatum by Homeland Security after being accused of the murder of a well-known drug dealer: use his powers for good and serve his country, or face time in jail. What will Jake decide?
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May 8, 2023
Just Die by E. Alan Fleischauer is a supernatural thriller novel. The story was spun around the lead character, Jake, who survived a stroke and became overwhelmed after finding out that he now possessed a supernatural power. All he has to do is just point his finger towards any animal or human and say "Just die". With his fiancée, Beth Ann, and friend Omar, it is interesting to find out whether Jake uses his powers against or for society and how. As you continue reading the book, all the events and circumstances make you wonder, "What if all this happened in real life?" Should this be treated as a virtue or a sin? But thankfully, this is a book.
The first few pages are slow to read as the author is trying to make the plot more interesting by adding some side stories to support it. I understand it is important from the perspective of the story, but it can make you feel bored. Other secondary characters are equally justified in character weightage and make it look more interesting. The characters of Beth Ann, a very supportive and understanding fiancée, and Omar, a trustworthy friend, show the strings of relationships beautifully. They help Jake with his decision and provide support throughout. As the story further develops, it becomes more interesting and captivating. The chain of interrogation started with the first investigation of the drug dealer's death and led to a surprising disclosure with the involvement of the US security agency.
I am disappointed with the character of DC, which I believe was poorly written. She became the first suspect, but as we go farther in the story, no investigation was pursued against her, and it gave me an open ending. A closure to her character could be given with respect to her involvement in the murder of the drug dealer. Additionally, I am surprised to see if Jake really does not feel bad for killing humans. He regretted his decision in a couple of instances only, but otherwise he was ok to kill people for the greater good of society, and that is not okay for an ordinary person who recently got some extraordinary powers. Some context focusing on the juggling of these good or bad thoughts should be there to make it more convincing how an ordinary person became extraordinary in a blink.
I liked the context of Omar in the book, and his character is my favourite. He added the required humour to this thriller story, which is needed to keep the reader glued to this book. The book is well edited; however, I could find a few minor errors here and there that did not impact the overall quality.
I would not recommend this book to children, as few curse words and profane words are used. However, it is a wonderful read if you are in search of a thriller or murder mystery. Finally, I am happy to give this book 4 out of 5 stars because of the above-mentioned reasons (slow initial read and injustice to a few characters in the book).
The first few pages are slow to read as the author is trying to make the plot more interesting by adding some side stories to support it. I understand it is important from the perspective of the story, but it can make you feel bored. Other secondary characters are equally justified in character weightage and make it look more interesting. The characters of Beth Ann, a very supportive and understanding fiancée, and Omar, a trustworthy friend, show the strings of relationships beautifully. They help Jake with his decision and provide support throughout. As the story further develops, it becomes more interesting and captivating. The chain of interrogation started with the first investigation of the drug dealer's death and led to a surprising disclosure with the involvement of the US security agency.
I am disappointed with the character of DC, which I believe was poorly written. She became the first suspect, but as we go farther in the story, no investigation was pursued against her, and it gave me an open ending. A closure to her character could be given with respect to her involvement in the murder of the drug dealer. Additionally, I am surprised to see if Jake really does not feel bad for killing humans. He regretted his decision in a couple of instances only, but otherwise he was ok to kill people for the greater good of society, and that is not okay for an ordinary person who recently got some extraordinary powers. Some context focusing on the juggling of these good or bad thoughts should be there to make it more convincing how an ordinary person became extraordinary in a blink.
I liked the context of Omar in the book, and his character is my favourite. He added the required humour to this thriller story, which is needed to keep the reader glued to this book. The book is well edited; however, I could find a few minor errors here and there that did not impact the overall quality.
I would not recommend this book to children, as few curse words and profane words are used. However, it is a wonderful read if you are in search of a thriller or murder mystery. Finally, I am happy to give this book 4 out of 5 stars because of the above-mentioned reasons (slow initial read and injustice to a few characters in the book).
March 8, 2022
What would you do with super-human power? Many people dream, from childhood, of waking up with superpowers one day. But what if your superpower was the ability to kill by only pointing your finger? For Jake Silver, that one day came unexpectedly. After suffering a stroke and receiving newly researched top-notch medical care, Jake found himself with a new ability. If he pointed his finger at someone and said, “just die,” then they did. What does one person do with so much power? He couldn’t just go around killing people for no good reason. He wasn’t that type of person. With the help of his fiancé Beth Ann and his new friend Omar, Jake navigates his life with this newly attained power to do good. The problem is, who gets to decide who lives and who dies? Is it his place to play God? Just Die by E. Alan Fleischauer is a supernatural thriller that takes the reader on a fast-paced journey into real life with super-human abilities.
The plot of this story is unique. Even if superheroes are everywhere in books and movies these days, it’s nothing like the power of committing a murder that no one can prove. The editing is well done, with only a few errors here and there but nothing that takes away from the story. The writing is clear, concise, and descriptive enough to paint a decent picture, and allows the reader to visualize the story as it moves. To me, creating enough imagery that the reader can make a movie in their mind, is the most important aspect of any novel.
While this is a good story, it had the potential to be spectacular. I felt a bit of whiplash from one chapter to the next. At one point an entire marriage was changed in 6 sentences. The pace made these sub-stories a bit less believable. It almost felt like the entire book was an outline for what should have been a much longer novel. There is room to improve each chapter with a bit more moment-to-moment narrative that I just felt was missing. This is both a compliment, as the book was good enough that I wanted more and a negative in that the reader wasn’t given more narrative. The story was cut short at every turn. I was also not fond of the author putting his and his wife’s names in the story as background characters. It came across as a bit self-absorbed and was just a tad off-putting.
I gave this book 3 out of 4 stars. It’s original, thrilling, captivating, and did leave me wanting to read more. The uncomfortably fast pace was the reason I could not give 4 stars. I applaud this author for their creativity and look forward to reading what else they have written.
I would recommend this book to any audience over the age of 18. I think it appeals to a wide group of adults who enjoy a thrilling novel. Especially those who are fans of superheroes.
The plot of this story is unique. Even if superheroes are everywhere in books and movies these days, it’s nothing like the power of committing a murder that no one can prove. The editing is well done, with only a few errors here and there but nothing that takes away from the story. The writing is clear, concise, and descriptive enough to paint a decent picture, and allows the reader to visualize the story as it moves. To me, creating enough imagery that the reader can make a movie in their mind, is the most important aspect of any novel.
While this is a good story, it had the potential to be spectacular. I felt a bit of whiplash from one chapter to the next. At one point an entire marriage was changed in 6 sentences. The pace made these sub-stories a bit less believable. It almost felt like the entire book was an outline for what should have been a much longer novel. There is room to improve each chapter with a bit more moment-to-moment narrative that I just felt was missing. This is both a compliment, as the book was good enough that I wanted more and a negative in that the reader wasn’t given more narrative. The story was cut short at every turn. I was also not fond of the author putting his and his wife’s names in the story as background characters. It came across as a bit self-absorbed and was just a tad off-putting.
I gave this book 3 out of 4 stars. It’s original, thrilling, captivating, and did leave me wanting to read more. The uncomfortably fast pace was the reason I could not give 4 stars. I applaud this author for their creativity and look forward to reading what else they have written.
I would recommend this book to any audience over the age of 18. I think it appeals to a wide group of adults who enjoy a thrilling novel. Especially those who are fans of superheroes.
June 28, 2023
Jake Silver finds himself in hospital, having suffered from a stroke while out with his friends. Recovering quickly, Jake has one more night before he is to be discharged; however, the man in the bed beside him keeps him up during the night. So, as a joke, Jake prays, points at the man, and says ‘Just die’ – something his mother had taught him when he felt anger towards a person and as a replacement for giving the finger. Suddenly, the man does in fact die and Jake is shaken, knowing full well he may have just been responsible for the man’s death. It takes two further deaths, however, for Jake to understand what is happening. Over time, Jake’s ability reaches the people up top and after one job, Jake questions his morals. He has to decide whether his power should be used in such a way or he should stick to killing animals that pose a risk to his friends’ farm animals.
This is a story about a man silently confronting people who are immoral or plain nasty. Jake is lucky to be surrounded by people who believe what he does to be real. This does make for an easy plot since no one wishes to find the alternative; everyone accepts Jake’s ability to kill someone with a finger and two words, even when he demonstrates the fact. There is mention of an experimental drug, but this is never assumed to be the reason Jake has this newfound power.
Nonetheless, the protagonists are extremely endearing and a treat to follow, particularly Jake, Beth Ann, and Omar. The story is descriptive, making for a visual read. Within months, Jake goes from working at a financial firm to working for Homeland Security to protect America from dangerous people. There are various character perspectives, which help readers gain a full overview of the narrative.
Regarding the various character perspectives, it is difficult to care about DC’s side of the story. Her only relevance is her knowledge of Jake’s third (though technically second because the ‘second’ victim was indirectly targeted) victim and making Jake the criminal in the eyes of the police. In terms of the narrative, it is distracting to read characters constantly eating and drinking, and there is no mention of the experimental drug later in the story. The blurb clarifies that the reason Jake can kill people with a finger and two words is the drug altering his brain; however, no one wants to investigate further.
I received a free review copy. Thank you to OnlineBookClub and author.
This is a story about a man silently confronting people who are immoral or plain nasty. Jake is lucky to be surrounded by people who believe what he does to be real. This does make for an easy plot since no one wishes to find the alternative; everyone accepts Jake’s ability to kill someone with a finger and two words, even when he demonstrates the fact. There is mention of an experimental drug, but this is never assumed to be the reason Jake has this newfound power.
Nonetheless, the protagonists are extremely endearing and a treat to follow, particularly Jake, Beth Ann, and Omar. The story is descriptive, making for a visual read. Within months, Jake goes from working at a financial firm to working for Homeland Security to protect America from dangerous people. There are various character perspectives, which help readers gain a full overview of the narrative.
Regarding the various character perspectives, it is difficult to care about DC’s side of the story. Her only relevance is her knowledge of Jake’s third (though technically second because the ‘second’ victim was indirectly targeted) victim and making Jake the criminal in the eyes of the police. In terms of the narrative, it is distracting to read characters constantly eating and drinking, and there is no mention of the experimental drug later in the story. The blurb clarifies that the reason Jake can kill people with a finger and two words is the drug altering his brain; however, no one wants to investigate further.
I received a free review copy. Thank you to OnlineBookClub and author.
July 12, 2022
In his book, Just Die, E Alan Fleischauer introduces the reader to his main character Jake Silver when he finds himself in the hospital recovering from a stroke. Jake is far from impressed that he is sharing a room with another stroke victim who spends all his time moaning loudly. As a teenager, Jake was taught to drive by his Mum, who advised him never to show his anger to other car drivers as this could get him into trouble. Instead, she says he should point his finger at his protagonist and say, "Just Die." By midnight Jake is still being kept awake by his roommate; he is so frustrated that he points his finger at him and says, "Just Die." Before he can think, nurses rush into the room, and the man dies. Many people imagine what it would be like to have a superpower for Jake Silver; that day has come, and there is no going back. Just Die by E. Alan Fleischauer is a supernatural thriller that takes the reader on a fast-paced journey into real life with super-human abilities.
You can read the rest of my review here : https://onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by...
Thank you E Alan Fleischauer for a free kindle copy of Just Die in exchange for my review
You can read the rest of my review here : https://onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by...
Thank you E Alan Fleischauer for a free kindle copy of Just Die in exchange for my review
June 17, 2023
The book was too fast-paced for my liking. It could have been a lot more engaging and intriguing if the character didn't take his power so lightly. No one really seemed to be against the character. Everyone supported Jake and it seemed a little weird since it was definitely not common for someone to point at something and it would just die. The plot held a lot of promise but it wasn't compelling enough.
October 7, 2022
Follow Jake on a unique adventure where he must learn how to deal with a peculiar gift; the power to kill someone by pointing at them and whispering, "Just die." Find my complete review here: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
May 28, 2023
I've enjoyed most parts of the story. It has a good concept that draws the reader's mind into an imaginative world of possibilities. It has great humor and unique characters; anyone who loves supernatural thrillers will get a kick out of this book. You'll love it!
April 9, 2024
'Murica, eh? Patriotism, lots of pointing fingers and 'just die', cardboard-thin bad guys and one count of murder of an innocent person. Seriously, why does no one talk about the protagonist's hospital neighbour, his first victim?
October 17, 2024
A story with potential but poorly written. The plot starts OK, but then how people around the MC react to his "powers" was just ridiculous and unbelievable.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews