Galvin claims that as a college student, four friends invented a game in which they would each commit a series of murders based on some clever premise. He then gives Joe a list of names. Galvin's victims are all on the list, but there are other names, including Joe's wife and infant son, whom Joe had thought were accidentally drowned while boating.

Even more shocking is the fact that two of the names on the list are people that are still alive. Galvin is too tired to continue the interview so Joe makes an appointment for the next day. Galvin dies that night so Joe gains no more insight into the crimes committed by "The Great Pretenders."

Joe is put on temporary assignment by his former newspaper to cover the Galvin story. Paramount is the need to locate the two people on the list who are still alive and warn them of possible danger. Not only should they be protected, but interviews with them may provide clues to the identity of the other Pretenders.

R.G. Belsky has created quite a clever plot in Playing Dead. The usual motives for murder – love, power, or money – obviously do not apply. The reader quickly becomes caught up in Joe's desperate struggle to discern some pattern in the crimes or some common thread to link the victims. The fact that more than one perpetrator is involved only adds to the complexity of the task.

Playing Dead has top-notch character development. Joe Dougherty, is a complex individual. He is consumed by his work to the point that his personal life suffers. After the loss of his wife and son, he was so distraught his career took a nose dive. Yet, with the opportunity to pursue another intriguing story he threatens to destroy a second personal relationship he has struggled so hard to build. Galvin, although he dies early in the story, is another interesting, complex character. Through the interviews Joe conducts with people who knew him, the reader gets a hint of the sort of mind that could choose murder as an intellectual exercise.

Playing Dead is more than just a thriller. The reader can clearly empathize with Joe in his struggles. The identity of the other Pretenders, while not only exciting, provides a puzzle to be reckoned with. Unless you are upset by massive violence, Playing Dead would be a perfect choice for your next long plane ride.

--Andy Plonka