The Dead Are Discreet

Jacob Asch Mystery #1

by Arthur Lyons

A journalist's inquiry into the sacrificial death of a young woman leads him to Los Angeles and encounters with Satanists, Jesus people, and the wealthy

Genres: Mystery, Detective, Crime

213 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published January 1, 1983

About the author

A member of the Palm Springs City Council from 1992-1995. Authored 21 books and numerous mystery novels. His 1986 novel "Castles Burning," which took place in Palm Springs, furnished the basis for the telemovie "Slow Burn" with Johnny Depp. Author of "Death on the Cheap -- The Lost B Movies of Film Noir.".

Reviews

[Joe Nicholl · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Dead Are Discreet by Arthur Lyons (1974) is a first novel and isn't very good. I read it because I like to read crime-fiction that was written in '70's. The book introduces former reporter now a Private Investigator, Jacob Asch. to the genre. Very quickly into the book the author made a point of letting you know that the main character Asch is Jewish, the point doesn't go overboard but you are reminded maybe three or four times that he is ...Jewish. Why making that point I have no idea other than to corner that market -? Because...there is not one single item in the plot or the main character that distinguishes him as such...he could have been Catholic or Methodist or Swahili as far as the story-line developed...so, that had me scratching my head. It came down to, "Who cares what his religion is?" The plot is unimaginative, A to Z, Private Investigator fodder..the cast is cardboard cutout...it gets kinky near the climax (pun intended) and that twist barely makes sense, it came off obligatory...and...the final two paragraphs are absolutely horrible, made me want to puke...I'd like to exlpain why the very final was so bad, but I try my best to stay away from spoilers...if you read it you'll see why..Oh, also, the 'who done it' portion of Discreet was lame and barely made sense -I have given this review waaaaay more that it deserves. I'll barely give it barely 2.0 stars because it's a first novel and the author can craft a sentence, paragraph and chapter...now he needs to put a story together...-After having said all this negative review stuff I am going to read the second book in the Jacob Asch series, All God's Children, supposed to be about L.A. Biker Gangs and got good reviews...we shall see...(plus I already have a copy of the second book right here in front of me!) Out...happy reading...hope you either learn something or are intellectually entertained...

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the few of you that have taken a look at my meager reviews over the years, you know I'm a noir fan. Well, this forty year old debut of Arthur Lyon's - Jacob Asch series, is a very good example of the noir style. Asch an ex-newspaperman, turned gumshoe based in the City of Angels. Compassion and sensitive, propel him to dig up the truth.
Recommended, who like this type of mystery.

[Mikel Pfeiffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember back in the early 90's when I saw some Arthur Lyons' Jackob Asch paperbacks at a used bookstore. I had nothing about Lyons but I like his titles and book covers. The Dead are Discreet features a woman's hand over an S&M mask and a couple tarot cards. I bought three of the paperbacks that day and this week, many years later, I finally read the Dead Are Discreet. A noir, detective story that had just the touch of depravity and seediness that I like in a mystery novel.

Jacob Asch is hired to prove a man's innocence in the grisly murder of his wife and her live-in boyfriend. There's occult symbols left by the bodies and the dead wife dabbled in the occult and witchcraft. Through Jacob's investigation you run into a host of weird characters and some violence before or after meeting them often ensues. First published in 1974, The Dead Are Disctrret reads like a great, grimy 70's film I wish I were made. At just a little over 200 pages, it's a sparse, quick read. I might have liked some extra pages to get to know the characters better. This was Arthur Lyon's first book, he's certainly copying Chandler here but I think it's a very good first effort. I like it a little more than All God's Children which I read in 2020.I have one more Lyons novel, Hard Trade, on my shelf to read. His books aren't too easy to find but if I see them I'll be sure to pick them up.

[Damo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a solid introduction to Los Angeles-based private investigator Jake Asch. To get us started, Asch is hired by friend and lawyer Paul Ellman to investigate a double homicide. Ellman represents a man who has been accused of committing the murders, one of whom is his wife. It appears to the police to be an open and shut case but there is definitely more to it than what it seems.

His investigation takes Asch into some of the more unusual and secretive sides of human life. Spiritualists and dabblings in the occult, wild sex parties, secret tapes made for the purpose of blackmail and visits to gay bars are all part of the course of the job.

The story moves along at a hectic clip and we get a good feel for Asch who proves to be, while not quite a fearless operator, certainly a fierce one.

The Dead Are Discreet doesn’t quite reach any outstanding peaks, but it still proves to be a strong introduction that invites you to want to know more about Asch and his future cases.

[no elle]

i love reading a book where it's like "she had titties down to her feet and she was aging like curdled milk but i pity fucked the fugly shebeast anyway" this book has literally the best cover i've ever seen and i love a lil squirt of necrophilia and the occult so i still kind of liked it! whatever!

[Benjamin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good detective novel...