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| Category: Fiction:Mystery |
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| About the Book | |
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AWARDS:
First Place - 2008 Florida Writers Association Mystery Awards Books and Authors Murder Mystery of the Year - 2008 Rockway Press International Writing Competition Best Novel Prize Florida Writers Association Lighthouse Book Award 2009 Independent Publishers IPPY Book Award - Silver Medal in the Regional Fiction category A serial killer is on the loose in La La Land, but you may die laughing before the next victim is found. Can an erudite but low-rent detective rise above his humdrum circumstances to solve a series of grisly serial murders? Chauncey McFadden, a wisecracking Los Angeles private detective whose practice has been limited to routine investigative work, has little in the way of background to prepare him for the world of danger and intrigue into which he is to be drawn. He is hired by Rubella Saperstein, an elderly housekeeper, to find the killer of her niece, "Boom Boom", an exotic dancer who has been electrocuted with a modified vaginal vibrator in a bath tub of water. Although her request is a stark departure from his usual fare, he accepts the case despite his limited homicide experience. His client list expands when he is later hired by Judge Barrington, a wealthy retired power broker, to find the killer of his daughter, Justine, who was also murdered with a vibrator. The effect of Justine's death is unknown upon Barrington's wife, Bernice, who has been institutionally confined for psychiatric reasons. Additionally, Justine's husband, Kevin Rutledge, a scientist working on a top-secret government computer project, has vanished without explanation. Is he also a victim of the serial killer, or is he, in fact, the serial killer? Chauncey must wade through a zany cast of memorable characters to obtain information on the murders, but is vexed at every turn. He must first contend with Luther Del Dotto, police lieutenant and personal nemesis, who puts Chauncey down at every opportunity because of his weight and low career status. Chauncey then suffers the indignity of being abducted by powerful parties interested in his findings. The first is by Armand Duvalier, suave but brutal crime boss, who wants to find Rutledge to collect $530,000 in gambling debts which he is owed. Duvalier is also a member of an international consortium of terrorists who are seeking the plans of Rutledge's supercomputer and its military applications to give them the tools to upset the political balance of power in the world. The second abduction is at the command of Apollo, a federal intelligence agency head, who is also seeking Rutledge for national security reasons. Despite Chauncey's earnest efforts, the body count continues to climb as his investigation widens. His suspects manage to get themselves murdered, and he is always a step behind the serial killer which causes his self-esteem to further plummet. It is not until he survives a brutal attack on his own life that he is able to bring a complex case to conclusion and achieve personal and professional redemption. Bad Vibrations is an unforgettable romp through the seamy noir underbelly of Southern California, and shows how much fun reading can be in the hands of an irreverent craftsman.
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| About the Author | |
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Dan Anderson abandoned an executive career in the financial services industry to pursue the writing of detective suspense fiction. In Bad Vibrations, winner of multiple literary awards, he has combined his two favorite subjects, comedy and mystery, to produce a creative contribution to the genre. He resides in Orlando, Florida. |