Dead Air: A Jessie Drake Mystery [Mass Market Paperback]

Rochelle Krich (Author)

Book Description

Series: Jessie Drake Mysteries | Publication Date: July 3, 2001

The tough talk and no-nonsense advice that Dr. Renee Altman dispenses on air has won the controversial radio personality many admirers but few friends. Once LAPD Homicide Detective Jessie Drake could count herself among the latter, but that was back in high school. Now the famous "Dr. Renee" is standing on Jessie's doorstep -- desperate, frightened, allegedly being persecuted by an unseen stalker, and seeking help. But a favor for an old friend becomes grisly professional business when the talk radio host's six-year-old daughter is kidnapped and her nanny is brutally slain. A helpless child has become the pawn of a ruthless killer who uses Renee Altman's own radio program to send shockwaves through a horrified city. Under the hot glare of media scrutiny, Jessie Drake must somehow beat a psychopath at his own game. Because a maniac sworn to vengeance who has already spilled human blood has nothing more to lose.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The lead item in Dr. Renee Altman's "Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time" file probably reads, "Chuck the practice and become a call-in radio shrink, à la Dr. Laura." And no wonder. Things for Dr. Renee, which weren't so hot to begin with, have since gotten really bad. Her estranged husband, Barry, wants nothing more than full custody of their 6-year-old daughter, Molly (OK, maybe he does want more). Her ratings have tanked, ditto her finances, and she's being stalked by a psychopath who is probably the abusive, revenge-minded husband of a woman Renee advised, on the air, to take her kid and run. What could be worse than all that? She finds out when Molly's nanny is killed and Molly disappears:

She heard herself screaming and swayed for a moment, overcome with dizziness and nausea as bile rose in her throat. Then she ran to Blanca's side.

The woman's eyes were open, staring at the ceiling. Renee knelt and took her hand, warm but heavy. She couldn't detect a pulse, and when she placed her ear over Blanca's chest, she heard no heartbeat. Still she raced back into the house to phone 911. Maybe, please God, Blanca was alive after all.

Where was Molly?

A good question, and the main ingredient of Dead Air, the fourth Jessie Drake mystery (after 1999's Blood Money) by the accomplished Rochelle Krich, Anthony Award winner for her 1991 debut, Where's Mommy Now? and the author of three other well-received stand-alone mysteries. As Dr. Renee's old friend Jessie Drake and her partner enter the chase, the murderous kidnapper takes his case to the people of Los Angeles--via the airwaves of Dr. Renee's suddenly popular program--handily turning the case into a cause célèbre, a three-ring media circus, and a detective's worst nightmare all rolled into one. Through it all, and despite issues of her own--including an abusive childhood, on-again, off-again relations with her ex, and the gradual acceptance of her recently discovered Judaism--Drake knits up some awfully deft police work for a neatly finished cuff of a close. Krich has created a series with legs, and as Jessie Drake's character grows, so will the ranks of her fans. --Michael Hudson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Like real-life radio star Dr. Laura Schlessinger, L.A. talk-show psychologist "Dr. Renee" Altman is well known to listeners for her tough approach to questions of personal morality and family values. Renee calls her childhood friend, LAPD homicide detective Jessie Drake (last seen in Blood Money), when she fears that she's being stalked. Renee has been reluctant to tell anyone about her separation from her husband, since she frequently rails against the evils of divorce on her radio show. Then Renee's only child is kidnapped, her housekeeper is murdered and her affluent, somewhat complacent world is turned upside down. Is her ex-husband the killer/kidnapper, or is there someone else after her? This isn't Krich's most accomplished novel. Jessie is nearly the only sympathetic character here, and the secondary player, tend to be little more than stock thriller personalities or caricatures of celebrities. (A competing talk-show host is modeled on shock-jock Howard Stern.) It would have been nice to hear more about Jessie's spiritual quest following her recently discovered family heritage of Orthodox Judaism, but this thread is kept in the background, while a child-in-jeopardy plot plays itself out. Krich delivers some real suspense but, given her excellent track record, this novel counts as a disappointment. (Mar.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Avon (July 3, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380807017
• ISBN-13: 978-0380807017
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,307,198 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A winner, March 5, 2000

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dead Air: A Jessie Drake Mystery (Jessie Drake Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Dr. Renee Altman left her psychology practice to become the famous advice-giving talk show host Dr. Renee. Her career move led to her husband wanting a divorce, alimony, and child support because he demanded full custody of their six-year old daughter. As she struggles to cope with her former spouse's demands, Renee begins to feel that someone is stalking her. She receives strange anonymous gifts, letters with no return address, and phone calls without a speaker. Renee persuades her friend Los Angeles homicide detective Jessica Drake to conduct a discreet investigation.

A man calls the radio show begging Renee to tell his wife to come home and bring their son with her. When Renee refuses to assist, the person kidnaps Renee's daughter, insisting that the little girl will be returned when his family returns to him. The abductor taunts Renee on the air, which sets off media and talk show frenzies. Jessica and her partner learn who the perpetrator is, but have no idea where the child is. Both know that if they fail to find the girl quickly, tragedy is imminent.

Jessica Drake is a superb law enforcement official, but her personal life remains in shambles though she seeks contentment. She has mixed and confusing feelings about her ex-husband. She slowly is coming to terms with her Jewish heritage. Finally, Jessica struggles with an inner conflict involving her abusive mother and her "see no evil" father who ignored it. Because Jessica seems so real, the entertaining mystery appears even more genuine. An excellent story line is made even stronger by Rochelle Krich's talent for characterization.

Harriet Klausner

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is why I love reading!, May 14, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Dead Air: A Jessie Drake Mystery (Jessie Drake Mysteries) (Hardcover)

This is one of the most enjoyable books I have devoured recently. I am not a reader who keeps trying to figure out "who done it" before the author reveals the ending. But I truly appreciate a finely crafted mystery with unexpected twists and turns. Krich juggles several potential culprets convincingly. Just when I thought the ending was in sight, she turned another corner in the story line.

After reading this I had to find another title by Krich to see if she was this good or if she just wrote a real "winner." Having read _Speak no Evil_, I can say, "She is a wonderful writer." I also devoured the second book by her. Now I intend to find as many of her titles as I can. I hope her publishers take notice of her "out of stock" and "out of print" titles and make them available as soon as possible.

She is an author to discover, if you haven't read anything by her yet.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dead Air Dead On, April 18, 2000

By 

Sandra Ribiat (Southfield,Mi) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dead Air: A Jessie Drake Mystery (Jessie Drake Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I waited for this new Jesse Drake book and was not dissappionted in it. It kept me spell bound to find out who had Molly .I enjoyed learning more about Jesse,but I was hoping her relationship with her ex would go in a different direction.I am really interested in how Jesse adds her jewishness to her life as a detective.If you enjoy Kellerman than you will love Krich and her characters as they keep you turning the pages for more.