(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Erick Anderssen is the best-selling author of a series of how-to books for baby boomers seeking inner knowledge and strong thighs. Now Erick’s next book is due, and his agent, for mysterious reasons, is pushing hard for him to write about the experience of training to run the GrandHotel Chicago Marathon—where his egotistical ex-wife is the race director. But before he can even begin work on the book, a shocking and violent death derails his research.
Before he knows it, Erick is racing to uncover the secrets of the marathon—all while fending off assaults, bomb threats, international fraud, and strange disappearances. Along the way, Erick encounters a wide and fascinating cast of characters—fading Olympians, international singing sensations, aggressive Chicago cops, and a photographer who he believes is hiding a terrible secret—running steadily toward what may be a tragic outcome at the finish line.

This was a mixed bag of a novel. At times, I felt like I was reading a really exciting thriller novel...and then I felt like I couldn't wait for it to finish...

This books takes a while to get going but, once it does, it does repay the reader quite a bit. The crazy ex-wife was a great character, as was the "pop starlet" - but, yet, I couldn't quite like Erick. Weird, I know. He was just...boring, I guess. I wasn't aware there was going to be SO much about the marathon - I understand the author has been intimately involved with the Chicago Marathon for a long time...but some of the incessant details were too much for me and took away from the flow of the story - although it is a cool setting for a murder-mystery! See? I just couldn't really find my feet with this one...


Paul
ARH