Joseph Radkin Investigations, Books 1-5
(2014)(A book in the Joseph Radkin series)
An omnibus of novels by Bob Biderman
Book 1: Strange Inheritance
Strange Inheritance begins with a carton of letters and a stack of hundred dollar bills - an inheritance Radkin has received from his recently deceased dad. As Radkin's father was a life-long union activist who died disillusioned and broke, where did all this money come from? Tracing his father's mysterious life from clues in letters written aboard a remarkable merchant ship bound for North Africa during WW II, he stumbles upon a compelling story of one man's quest for social justice in the aftermath of the cold war. "This is a wonderful pot pourri of a book - part thriller, part contemporary history, part family saga... It is also gripping reading, beautifully written and, at times, very funny." Tribune
Book 2: The Genesis Files
When an outbreak of salmonella at a San Francisco hospital coincides with a mysterious and deadly explosion at its research laboratory there is some dangerous detective work to be done by Joseph Radkin, a feisty investigative journalist and anxious father-to-be, reluctantly covering the story for a down-market tabloid. What was Dr Greene, the last bastion of community medicine, doing in the laboratory at the dead of night? And why was he there with Professor Krohl, a genetic engineer 'whose idea of public health was giving every frog an extra head'? "Has a zip and freshness of narration hard to resist ... funny as well." The Guardian
"A pacey tale with a vigorously human hero and a central theme that, distressingly, comes closer to reality than fiction." The Lady
Book 3: Judgement of Death
Joseph Radkin is sent to London to take over a story comparing two sensational poison trials: one contemporary; the other a notorious Victorian case. His assignment soon takes on a sinister aspect as Radkin learns that his predecessor's death may not have been an accident. Tracing the shadowy connections between past and present, Radkin uncovers corruption - and worse - among the highest echelons of British society. "More red herrings than a Moscow fishmonger's" Yorkshire Post
"Roller-coaster pace leaves reader breathless." The Guardian
Book 4: Paper Cuts
Investigative journalist Joseph Radkin is sent to Oregon to look into a bitter dispute between the logging industry and environmentalists. When a famed ecologist is killed, coupled with the disappearance of a lumber boss' daughter, Radkin finds himself caught up in a dangerous story that goes far beyond clear-cutting the ancient redwoods. "This is nothing is what it seems territory with a few extra twists ... Formidable!" The Sunday Times
"A truly gripping thriller that packs a message!" Popular Fictions "Difficult to put down!" Scotland on Sunday
Book 5: Mayan Strawberries
A young Mixtec Indian from Guatemala follows the trail of tears through Mexico to a migrant camp in the strawberry fields of California. There, instead of refuge, he finds himself accused of murder. Is he the killer or a patsy set up to distract attention from a right wing cult? Mayan Strawberries combines a fascinating anthropological study with the deadly politics of Central America.
Genre: Historical Mystery
Strange Inheritance begins with a carton of letters and a stack of hundred dollar bills - an inheritance Radkin has received from his recently deceased dad. As Radkin's father was a life-long union activist who died disillusioned and broke, where did all this money come from? Tracing his father's mysterious life from clues in letters written aboard a remarkable merchant ship bound for North Africa during WW II, he stumbles upon a compelling story of one man's quest for social justice in the aftermath of the cold war. "This is a wonderful pot pourri of a book - part thriller, part contemporary history, part family saga... It is also gripping reading, beautifully written and, at times, very funny." Tribune
Book 2: The Genesis Files
When an outbreak of salmonella at a San Francisco hospital coincides with a mysterious and deadly explosion at its research laboratory there is some dangerous detective work to be done by Joseph Radkin, a feisty investigative journalist and anxious father-to-be, reluctantly covering the story for a down-market tabloid. What was Dr Greene, the last bastion of community medicine, doing in the laboratory at the dead of night? And why was he there with Professor Krohl, a genetic engineer 'whose idea of public health was giving every frog an extra head'? "Has a zip and freshness of narration hard to resist ... funny as well." The Guardian
"A pacey tale with a vigorously human hero and a central theme that, distressingly, comes closer to reality than fiction." The Lady
Book 3: Judgement of Death
Joseph Radkin is sent to London to take over a story comparing two sensational poison trials: one contemporary; the other a notorious Victorian case. His assignment soon takes on a sinister aspect as Radkin learns that his predecessor's death may not have been an accident. Tracing the shadowy connections between past and present, Radkin uncovers corruption - and worse - among the highest echelons of British society. "More red herrings than a Moscow fishmonger's" Yorkshire Post
"Roller-coaster pace leaves reader breathless." The Guardian
Book 4: Paper Cuts
Investigative journalist Joseph Radkin is sent to Oregon to look into a bitter dispute between the logging industry and environmentalists. When a famed ecologist is killed, coupled with the disappearance of a lumber boss' daughter, Radkin finds himself caught up in a dangerous story that goes far beyond clear-cutting the ancient redwoods. "This is nothing is what it seems territory with a few extra twists ... Formidable!" The Sunday Times
"A truly gripping thriller that packs a message!" Popular Fictions "Difficult to put down!" Scotland on Sunday
Book 5: Mayan Strawberries
A young Mixtec Indian from Guatemala follows the trail of tears through Mexico to a migrant camp in the strawberry fields of California. There, instead of refuge, he finds himself accused of murder. Is he the killer or a patsy set up to distract attention from a right wing cult? Mayan Strawberries combines a fascinating anthropological study with the deadly politics of Central America.
Genre: Historical Mystery
Used availability for Bob Biderman's Joseph Radkin Investigations, Books 1-5