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Dead End

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Dead End

They found Henry Gibson shot dead in his abandoned car on a dirt road. DEAD END.

Then George Horner…and Noah Hamberger. Wait a minute…who’s depleting the population of Northeastern Ohio? Are these random murders or a sicko with an agenda? DEAD END.

That was the problem facing homicide detective Al Maharos. He ran out of ideas. DEAD END.

Maharos had never worked with a woman partner until Karen Vandergrift. Attractive, brilliant Vandergrift. Together, they uncovered other bodies, and a pattern unique in the annals of crime. The problem: who was linked to the murders? DEAD END.

They knew their path would converge with that of the killer. They knew when…But where? DEAD END.

DEAD END. A rapid-paced police procedural that grabs and won’t let go.

278 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 1994

27 people are currently reading
251 people want to read

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

During my fifty-odd years as an orthopaedic surgeon. I kept a small notebook (and paper napkins) on which I recorded incidents I thought were unusual. Most were humorous, some tragic. After I retired I started writing vignettes based on these notes. Several were published in obscure magazines. Then I read an article by Lawrence Block (a REAL writer) in which he stated that if you can write a short story you can write a book. I took him at his word, embellished several of the vignettes and have now published twelve books. Living off twenty-dollar royalty checks ain't easy, but it beats bagging groceries at Safeway.
The books are all listed on Amazon.com. They are in paperback and ebook format.
My website is www.barryf.com

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Community Reviews

5 stars
78 (21%)
4 stars
133 (36%)
3 stars
105 (28%)
2 stars
37 (10%)
1 star
13 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Michelle.
1,122 reviews2 followers
December 15, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. A death, another death with no apparent connection. After some digging by the cop in charge of the investigation [and his shrink] connections are found with six other unsolved murders in total. I enjoyed that the murderer wasn't officially introduced in to the story until some way in.
Profile Image for Nancy Gilliland.
25 reviews
November 12, 2019
Not a full read

Pretty good police who done it. The reader is given some clues it seems to take the cops a while to put together in the story. But the central character is very likeable.
Profile Image for Lee Murray.
258 reviews2 followers
June 27, 2020
Decent police procedural. A page turner for sure. Author misspelled the M’Naghten rule throughout the book, critical if your killer is criminally insane.

Characters are a bit wooden and stereotypical and their outcome is a predetermined conclusion.

Still, worth the time to read.
Profile Image for Angie.
1,387 reviews19 followers
April 17, 2018
Just the right amount of suspense , likable characters , crime and great writing style . Nothing better than a Kindle Freebie !
Profile Image for Mike.
Author 9 books15 followers
June 20, 2014
A well-written, albeit run-of-the-mill, serial killer pursuit by a pair of cops. It becomes harder and harder for an author to break fresh ground, especially in the cops and robbers (killers) field: we've seen it done a hundred times on telly. So, this is nothing new.
Nevertheless, this is a decent read that moves along nicely, drawing the investigative threads together and developing the romantic relationship. I guess we will expect to see this pair working together again in a later book; the characters, although lacking depth, are well-drawn and believable.
The late car crash is a bit of a coincidence and the ending predictable but overall the whole book is enjoyable.
Edits: It is not possible for the hearer to get ringing in the ears when someone slams the phone down - all you get is a broken connection whether it's slammed or placed.
Very few typos eg “For the ingst four minutes...” and “Montovani”.
Profile Image for Lisa.
536 reviews
June 4, 2013
This was an interesting read. Several seemingly unconnected individuals are found murdered over the course of 6 months on the 7th of each month. The 7th of the next month is just a few wks away. Will there be another killing on the 7th? Good storyline. Just didn't care for how the individuals were tied together - three were not really explained well ... Did they witness the killer's humiliation? Did they tease him about his situation? What happened between these 3 victims & their killer wasn't really explained in enough detail for my satisfsction. I would read another book by this author.
Profile Image for Elouise Ryder.
13 reviews1 follower
September 7, 2013
Dead End is a fast-paced novel, intelligently written, and Detective Maharos’s investigation was, with one glaring exception, intelligently conducted. I was pleased that he eschewed the obligatory obstructive Lieutenant and idiot Chief of Police, which was a pleasant change from many police stories. And I must say, I prefer psychopathic serial killers to evil ones. However, I am tired of predictable love affairs.

Mechanically, the book was flawless, which made it a pleasure to read. I give it 4 stars.
Profile Image for Christina.
103 reviews
April 9, 2013
Living in Canton, Ohio, pretty much dead center where all the action takes place, gave the story an added boost for me. The story's a typical crime/detective with a nice twist at the end, and adds a detail from the beginning that the reader may have forgotten. It was a quick read with a lot of detail about NE Ohio, some creative, some factual. Those not familiar with the area may find the location details a bit wordy, but I enjoyed it.
103 reviews6 followers
June 7, 2012
I loved the way the two main detectives (or detective and sheriff) start pulling at the tiny leads untill they manage to unravel the whole thing!

Very well written and keeps you on your toes untill you finally get there .... This has intrigue, romance, action and a healthy dose of a serial killer!

Enjoyed the read! Thank you...
100 reviews
October 18, 2012
The blurb about this book made me think twice about reading it, but the book is much better! It's not exactly fast-paced or action packed (until the end), but it takes the reader through the steps of a painstaking investigation without being boring. Characters are believable and interesting.
Profile Image for J. Ewbank.
Author 4 books37 followers
December 14, 2012
This book by Friedman is a very good read and will be enjoyed by mystery buffs. The characters were well sketched out and the plot was very well done. Enjoyed it very much.

J. Robert Ewbank author "Wesley's Wars" and "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the Isms"
220 reviews3 followers
February 11, 2013
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was a police procedural detective story about a serial killer. It briefly touched on the actual killings and focused on the step by step process to search for him. It kept my attention and was a good story.
Profile Image for Uwe.
620 reviews
May 25, 2013
Story is good, characters great, a bit of love and tragedy and a very down to earth police work .....very good ! a good part is when the doc said ....kidnapping is usually in europe ...... help this americans :-)
Profile Image for Linda.
2,174 reviews
July 15, 2025
This book grabs you by the throat from the very first chapter and hangs on like a determined Pit Bull. An exciting, roller-coaster ride thriller with two appealing detectives and one SERIOUSLY twisted serial killer!
Profile Image for Julie Powell.
Author 72 books324 followers
December 9, 2013
A very good crime novel, which was well written with believable characters, a great plot and the ring of authenticity.

I don't give spoilers but will say that this story will keep readers engrossed and for those who love a murder mystery /police drama this is definitely for you.
Profile Image for Sheila Myers.
Author 16 books21 followers
January 18, 2016
"Dead End" is an exciting and fast-paced crime novel which will keep the reader turning pages to find out what happens next. Mr Friedman combines his plot with interesting characters for a must read psychological thriller.
Profile Image for Old_airman.
235 reviews6 followers
September 24, 2012
Probably the best detective novel I have read in a while. Great characters and plot.
2,957 reviews
July 27, 2016
I enjoyed this book; it started out a little slow, then the pace picked up. The characters were believable, likeable and interesting. I give this one 4.7 stars.
277 reviews1 follower
April 8, 2014
this is one of his better books.
58 reviews2 followers
April 25, 2015
Interesting read

This was a story about psychological killers. Much after but it was interesting to read and it was about Interstate 77 .
Profile Image for Colette.
107 reviews
December 24, 2015
Really enjoyed this book, yes it was the usual kind of serial killer/cop story but it's been a while since I read this genre and I enjoyed the style of writing and how all the threads came together.
Profile Image for Vicki.
104 reviews2 followers
September 24, 2016
Stay off the road!

Riveting! Loads of twist and turns. Lot stupid moves. Made by some dumb cops. Good job on linking the murders!
80 reviews
March 10, 2013
Very good book, well written with a good plot. Found the main character realistic & likeable
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

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