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Off and Running

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Pub Date Aug 04 2015 | Archive Date Sep 01 2015

Description

Struggling writer Jack Dillon’s personal and professional life is falling apart…until he gets a lucrative gig writing the biography of TV comedy icon Walt Stuckey, who mysteriously walked away from Hollywood at the height of his popularity…and left his millions of fans wondering why for decades. Now Walt’s going to answer the tantalizing question, assuring that his biography will become a massive bestseller and Jack’s salvation. But when Walt is finally ready to tell Jack his big secret, things go terribly, unpredictably wrong, pushing the desperate author into kidnapping…becoming a fugitive chased by the police, the FBI, the news media, a crazed assassin, and Walt’s talentless & psychopathic son…just to finish the book. It’s a brutally original, crazy ride through California, Death Valley and TV history as Jack tries to solve the mystery and craft a perfect finale that doesn’t end with him going to prison… or to his grave.

Struggling writer Jack Dillon’s personal and professional life is falling apart…until he gets a lucrative gig writing the biography of TV comedy icon Walt Stuckey, who mysteriously walked away from...


A Note From the Publisher

Thank you for your interest in this title. Please submit your feedback via NetGalley and include a link to where you’ve posted your review online.

Thank you for your interest in this title. Please submit your feedback via NetGalley and include a link to where you’ve posted your review online.


Advance Praise

"Philip Reed’s smartly written novel will have readers off and running from the first word and they won’t stop until the pages run out."

Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times Bestselling author of Robert B. Parker’s Blind Spot

"A taut thriller with a tantalizing premise, "Off and Running" explores themes of family loyalty and celebrity status as it races from mountains to desert across the California landscape."

Mark Stevens, author of author of "Antler Dust"

"A rip-roaring journey through the dark landscape of a writer's desperation for success, the beloved Hollywood icon he kidnaps to achieve it, and the violent repercussions of his folly. Reed grabs you by the throat from page one and throttles you breathless."

Craig Faustus Buck, author of "Go Down Hard"

"Philip Reed’s smartly written novel will have readers off and running from the first word and they won’t stop until the pages run out."

Reed...


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Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781941298718
PRICE $13.99 (USD)

Average rating from 43 members


Featured Reviews

Off and Running -- Phillip Reed

Author Phillip Reed's first foray into book publishing was Candidly Allen Funt, an autobiography of a TV-actor. Would it be cheeky to wonder how much that influenced his latest book, Off & Running?
"Off and running" was the signature sentence of the TV star Walt Stuckey. Stuckey left a hugely succesful career without word or explanation.
Jack Dillon, a writer, gets a new lease on life when he is tasked to write Stuckey's biography.
Dillon sees dollar signs if Stuckey will reveal why he ended his career so unexpectedly.
Stuckey's son, Garrett, has his own reasons for killing the book before it sees light of day.
That is but the tip of the iceberg.
Off and Running runs like clockwork -- from the FBI, an assassin and the news media.
It could easily be turned into a movie -- one you would be foolish to miss!

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Off and Running is a comic caper set around Y2K. Jack is a writer looking for his lucky break; Walt is an old man, a beloved American icon who hasn't published a memoir yet. Garrett is Walt's ill-begotten, bad-tempered adult son, the worst celebrity brat imaginable. Reed tosses them all into his literary blender and what comes out is both hilarious and at times, genuinely suspenseful as well. Thank you once more to Brash Books and Net Galley for permitting me a sneak peek; this amusing tale will be for sale in August.

Jack has had one project after another not work out. His wife, Sarah, has had it with him, and wants him to go out and get a real job. Every day she schleps out to her full time job, coming home tired and ill tempered, and she doesn't want to hear anymore about how Jack's latest book proposal will make money for sure. She has a change of heart when Jack's agent sends him out to see the venerated, universally loved comedian, Walt Stuckey. Walt is choosey about who he sees and what he talks about, but over time, Jack builds a genuine rapport with him. They become friends, and Jack is accepted as Walt's biographer. Just as Walt invites Jack and Sarah to come stay the weekend with him and his girlfriend, Mary, the unthinkable happens: Walt has a stroke. The son-from-hell Walt loves but has been unable to develop a positive relationship with takes charge. Walt is held virtually a prisoner, and it soon becomes clear that Garrett does not really want Walt to recover. He wants Walt's financial empire, and he will be the executor of Walt's estate when he goes.

So the first thing Garrett does is to isolate Walt. Since his own memoir is the one thing Walt is truly excited about and could give him reason to live, Garrett uses his power-of-attorney privilege to fire Jack and cancel the memoir. Mary isn't having any of it, and once he thinks about it, neither is Jack. Jack is determined to finish this book. It's what Walt wants, too. And most of all, Jack wants to know why the reference to Bebe Rebozo in Walt's comedy routine caused his over the top hit comedy show, which was "funnier 'n hell", to be cancelled without a moment's warning. He'll find out, or die trying.

So Jack and Mary launch a rescue mission to free Walt from his rotten son-turned-captor, and the result is alternately suspenseful and hilarious.

There are several events in the book that strain credulity, but it's okay, because this is not literary fiction; this is a caper. I couldn't wait to see how it ended, and I was sorry when it did. A considerable portion of the story is set in Death Valley, and the heat, the inescapable sun, the gritty sand were all so palpable that I nearly resolved never to leave my cool damp domicile again.

We all need something ridiculous in our lives now and then. Humor relaxes us and puts our own worries into perspective. Do yourself a favor and order this book when it comes out digitally August 4. Then, you'll be off and running!

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The mysteries behind a great TV comedy star

It is 1999 and Jack Dillon, a down-and-out writer, is hired to write the autobiography of Walt Stuckey, a famous TV comedian who left his popular variety show in 1973 at the height of his career - with no explanation to his adoring public.

This is a mystery but it also is a character study of Jack and Walt as they work together closely to get this book written. I enjoyed this aspect of the book as much, if not more, than the mystery.

The biggest mystery - that is a thread throughout the whole book - is 'why did Walt Stuckey leave his show.' And the question pops up often in the story.

There are murders and attempted murders, a kidnapping, good guys, bad guys, romance, L.A., Death Valley, local law enforcement and the FBI. This is a quick read and I enjoyed the characters and the storyline and didn't have to put too much thought into the reading and that was fine with me. It was just what I needed.

NOTE: I received this book from Brash Books through Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.

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Off and Running by Philip Reed is a 2015 Brash Books publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had no idea what to expect when I started this book, but I knew after the first chapter I was going to like it.

Walt Stuckey was the fabulously funny star of a wildly popular television variety show until 1973, when his show was suddenly and without warning, canceled. Although Walt has been out of the spotlight for some years, he had decided it was time to tell his story.
Enter Jack Dillion, a playwright and TV writer, who is down on his luck at the moment. His agent commissions him to write Walt's autobiography, which is the best thing to happen to Jack in a long while. But, his good luck runs out quickly when Walt has a debilitating stroke and his son, Garrett, takes over the estate, and the creative license over the book. Things go from bad to worse when Garrett decides Jack is off the project, forcing him to take drastic measures....

Set right on the cusp of the new millennium, this caper style novel is a nice, fast paced story, with many twist and surprises. I loved the style of writing, the nostalgic atmosphere, the poignancy, the wit, and satirical tone, and slight brush of dark humor, employed by the author.

I couldn't help but laugh at Jack on occasion, when I could almost hear the wheels turning in his head. He is a writer first and foremost, (despite that part of his career being in the tanker for awhile), and will rationalize things any way he can to get this book deal, to get it finished , and see it published, because this opportunity will open the door for much more success later on. It will be his break through , he could become a household name. So, while the bond he forged with Walt is at the heart of his startling decisions, his author ego is lurking in the background, also playing a role in his choices, even if it's subconsciously.

The relationship between Jack and Walt was interesting because they were kind of alike in many ways.

“Jack turned off the tape and lay in the dark, thinking back over the past few months. He loved sitting around the coffee table in Walt's Hollywood Hills house talking about the show, bringing the memories alive in Walt's mind again. He remembered how he had begun writing the first chapters and found the words coming faster than he could get them on the page. He'd always remember the day Walt called him and said he liked the chapters.

' We're off and running, kid!'

He had been on top of the world after that call. Now Walt was silent, and Jack was alone again.”

While character analysis isn't necessarily the point of the story, I enjoyed drawing up the comparisons between these two ego driven men, with their large personalities.

But, mostly this is a fun, action filled, caper with kidnappings, murder, suspense, a mean and nasty bad guy, old family secrets, and a shocking, conclusion you will never see coming.
This story is highly entertaining, and I recommend it to those who enjoy a good action packed caper or enjoy mystery novels of any kind. 4 stars

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An unusual and compelling thriller. The tory involves family, friendship, psychosis, and greed. Each character is describe in depth and the reader learns through their actions as well, The book is an easy read, but still acts as a stimulus to thought. The suspense keeps you reading as confrontation follows confrontation. The ending ha high impact.

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Walter Stuckey was a famous comedian, then one day, he left his high rated show and walked away without a word. Fast forward a fair few years and he wants to tell his story. He enlists Jack Dillon, a down on his luck author, to write it with him and at first things are going great, Walter loves what Jack is writing, even sharing it with his girlfriend Mary, and Jack starts to believe that this could be the spark that ignites his own career.
And then Walter suffers a stroke and things get weird. What is the motivation behind Walter's son Garrett's actions? Why does he want full control over the book? Jack resists him, gets fired and then, determined to finish the book, kidnaps Walter.
What happens next is a mixture of action and farce. Garrett's misdirection to the police and FBI lead them to flounder whilst he himself takes things into his own hands. Garrett is a brilliant baddie. He is slimy, conniving, calculating and a downright bad egg! Conversely, Jack is a great hero, being down on his luck, you really want him to succeed and his grit and determination make you think that it might just turn out OK. Mary is a strange one. I wasn't really always convinced about her motivation but that kept me a bit on my toes.
I loved the relationship and rapport between Jack and Walter. I really began to think of them as father and son - Jack would definitely be the son I would prefer to Garrett! There are a few things in the action that I had to suspend belief for but, in the context of the book, it was totally acceptable to do so and I felt that nothing was lost from the narrative by doing so. Also, in the midst of the action, there are some great descriptions, especially of Death Valley. The writing itself was also tight and description and action perfectly balanced.
All in all, I found this a good, solid, escapism read and I would definitely read more by this author.

I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Interesting reading about a comedian and the person chosen to write his biography. Things happen...and then we are off and running. Exciting adventures in the last portion of the book. Also lots of heart, as I did tear up. Fathers and sons, good or bad relationships.

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Jack Dillon is a struggling writer. He is given the assignment to write Walt Stuckey's autobiography who was well known from his tv show. Jack and Walt hit it off and are working on the autobiography when Walt has a stroke. To finish the book, Jack ends up kidnapping Walt from his son Garrett. Why does Jack kidnap Walt? Is it just so he can finish the book? The local police, Garrett, FBI and media are searching for Jack. Will they find Jack with Walt? What will happen?

An excellent mystery that goes on a wild ride with some unexpected twists and turns. The author does an excellent job of writing this novel.

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A journalist gets a big break, chosen to help write the autobiography of a famous comedian from the past, only to have the man suffer a stroke, leaving everyone at the mercy of the comedian’s not-very-stable son.
Right away there’s the mention of Y2K coming in a few months, which shows this is an old book. It can be broken into sections, going from the interviews for the book to going on the run to being hunted by seemingly everyone in California, from Mt. Whitney to Death Valley. As one might expect, the protagonist is a deeply flawed individual who basically gets through this with sheer stubbornness. The occasionally grouchy comedian has his moments, but the most memorable character has to be the son, who is seriously one of the most fucked-up villains ever. There’s plenty of digs at the news media, both subtle and not, plus the way network TV works, but the most scorn is heaped on the publishing world, where even a somewhat honorable author feels it’s okay to make stuff up in what’s supposed to be a biography.
3.5 pushed up to 4/5

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I enjoyed this funny comic caper novel. Jack is a down on his luck author who gets a job writing a celebrity autobiography for Walt Stuckey an old timer variety show host/comedian. Things go wrong of course and Jack takes things into his own hands. The good guys and the bad guys traipse across California from Mount Whitney to Death Valley. The highest point to the lowest points in the state. While some of the outcome is predicable there was a good twist at the end. Enjoy this lighthearted read.

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I found this to be a very good read. The story is about a struggling author, Jack, who wants to get his book published before the Y2K bug and to get his fifteen minutes of fame. Jack gets a job writting Walt Stuckey's autobiography and hopes this will be his way to get what he wants. How hard can it be to write about one of his favorite entertainers he innocently thinks. This is where the action starts. The book is well written and all the characters are developed in such a way that they come alive in your head. It kept me turning the pages to the very end. I received this book free from NetGalley for an honest review.

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Great book !!! Love the ending , hoping for a sequel

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