The Journalist: David Gardner

The Journalist

Imagine having your dead relatives come back and guide you through some difficult times. What about other people that have the same experiences? Jeff Beekle had an abusive stepfather. Thirty years late he is still afraid and traumatized when someone is killed and is listening to those that have past for advice and guidance. He writes the Tattler a tabloid and authored tan article that creates frenzy. Imagine a tale about a mob -build CIA prison for ghost. He made it up or did he? What happens if it turns out to be true? Told in the first person by Jeff himself we get to understand his goals, loss of his Pulitzer Prize in journalism and understanding more about Uncle Sid who manages the newspaper that is owned by a man named Henry who is unsavory and more. With Aunt Clementine and Uncle Hiram always around even though they are dead, they provide some interesting scenes and events. However, his great grandmother is an inmate in the prison and she and the other residents are being groomed as spies for the CIA and because they are invisible, and they don’t have to be paid and won’t become part of the enemy agents’ groups.

However, Jeff learns that the answers being held too long in earthly capacity will vanish as if they were never born and that means him too. Just how will he save himself and them?

Jeff’s job requires that he create stories and meet the deadline. But that does not always happen with his pal Willy and the love of his life Melody, and four dead relative’s things get wild and crazy added in a man named Drucker who is part of the CIA and the mob pitting Jeff against Henry the man who owns the magazine he works for things get wild, tense and out of hand. Added in some other dead relatives, two mobsters who plan to kill Jeff. The CIA is planning to blow up the federal building and his ex-wife Dele cleaned out his bank account and that is not all. Another dead relative Colette and a company called OASIS kidnapped his great grandmother Clementine and might not  release her to get BACK THERE and will doom him and his own family. That includes his mother and Colette. Collette comes to stay with him, Willy is hot and then things get wild and even more harebrained.

Jeff at times is between a rock and hard place when dealing with both Drucker and Henry and the final scenes are quite explosive.

The scenes with Drucker get tense and yet have a touch of humor as Drucker states that Hank would blame the explosion of the building on terrorists. He has the paperwork for our friend that means the fictitious contact in the Ramsey gang. Explaining to the team what they must do, what why must fill in and then Drucker is gone. Knowing that he is lying what will Jeff do and why are the Feds going to blow up the Oasis building and what about the ancestors?
The building cost 42 million to build would they get the insurance? Added in after he  authors his article there are so many subscribers that write in and tell him about their own experiences with dead relatives giving more credence to his story. Other stories about A happy Accident and a third-grade teacher, and other stories are added. Plus, the interested part are the Horoscope pieces that explain something that might happen in the chapter based on the Scorpio horoscope. For example: If you run into a dead  end go back he way you cane and start over. Laughter is the best medicine. One garden gnome is one too many.

The building is going to blow but will they be able to safe the ancestors in the building before it’s too late and he and the rest of his family and ancestors disappear as if they were never born?

The job that he has means he has to write some wild and hairbrained stories and the one about the ancestors really takes off and the characters from the past are even more interesting than the present and how the author meshes and blends them together into the plot of the story and the possible blowing up of the building where most of them are quite unique. Melody is the one he must turn his stories into and yet there is a connection between them. Each character has his/her own agenda and personality but the conflicts between Henry and Drucker keep the sparks flying until the end. With Colette and Willy are at the prearranged site at a country road, planting the denominator under the seat and sprinkling dynamite residue under the truck bed things are about the take oof. Running his binoculars back on the OASIS building and ready for what will happened. Will calling  her with the bomb threat and Sheila the site manager will have to decide serious or not or will she fuss with her paperwork? Will they get the ancestors out? What is the next road for Henry and for Drucker? What happens to the magazine? Will they find  Aunt Clementine and what about Uncle Hiram? Where does Uncle Sid wind up and the ending is explosive, unique and just what about his relationship with Melody? What secret is Drucker hiding and why is he in his office and what does Jeff learn?

How does Drucker get shot and what is the reason he did? Why does he say that Jeff is a hero and what happens at the end will surprise readers? The ending has twists, turns, paranormal surprises and ghostly encounters and more but in the end what happens to the relatives? Wil they continue to come into his life at times. The life of Jeff will never be the same, but will he remain THE JOURNALIST?

Fran Lewis: Just reviews