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His Name Is John | 
| Author: Dorien Grey
Publisher: Zumaya Boundless
Category: Book
List Price: $13.99
Buy New: $9.08
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Avg. Customer Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 199789
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 212
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.8
ISBN: 1934841048
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9781934841044
ASIN: 1934841048
Publication Date: May 30, 2008
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Product Description
Elliott Smith never considered himself to be anything special, if you didn't count having wealthy parents, whom he largely ignores. His profession is buying, restoring and reselling small apartment buildings around Chicago. Gay and contentedly single at 38, he has, in addition to his globetrotting parents, a devoted sister, a police detective brother-in-law, two nieces and a nephew. Everything in his life is going along perfectly fine until he wakes in the hospital after being hit by a car aware of being watched by someone who isn't there. Despite being sure what happens next can be attributed to his injuries from the accident, Elliott is reluctantly, inexorably, drawn into the search to find a name for the unidentified murdered man who died next to him in the Emergency Room-and who killed him. His investigation takes him on a trail that leads from photographs to motor homes, a body hidden behind a wall for more than sixty years, old neighbors and old enemies, and a nun with a secret she does not know she holds. Along the way, Elliott also finds himself on the threshold of a new relationship with potential he never would have imagined. Elliott invites you to join him on his search in this first book of a new series by popular mystery author Dorien Grey, whose Dick Hardesty mystery series has included four finalists for a Lambda Literary Award.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 Establishing an identity and righting some past wrongs ... August 7, 2008
Elliott Smith has a new roommate, who happens to be dead. Well, not really dead, since he "talks" to Elliott frequently, but Elliott knows he isn't alive because he saw him dead, on a gurney next to him in the emergency room at the hospital, when being treated there after being hit by a car while walking in downtown Chicago. Police found the dead man, who they have named "John Doe" for now, dead from gunshot wounds in an alley, about the time of Elliott's accident. Somehow, Elliott feels a connection to this individual, even though he doesn't recognize him as anyone he met while he was alive. And John's spirit becomes a presence that follows Elliott around, agreeing that his name is John, but he doesn't know anything else about who he might be. Once out of the hospital, Elliott tries to go back to his usual routine, working on the renovation of a beautiful older Chicago apartment building, but senses John's presence at unpredictable intervals, drawing his attention to certain details (such as a body buried in the basement of the house he was renovating!) With some help from Brad, his brother-in-law who is a police detective, Elliott tries to find out more about John's past, as a way to help him find out who he was, and perhaps lead to some clues as to who may have killed him. Not knowing how to explain John's presence in his life, Elliott has to be creative in explaining his leads to Brad, and doesn't want to scare away a new man in his life by admitting he regularly speaks to a ghost. A family's turmoil, a mysterious connection to a photographer in California, and a former bully turned mobster are among the factors that Elliott confronts to try to give John his identity back.
The book is a well-written light read, featuring an interesting premise with paranormal implications, likeable and realistic characters that quickly involve the reader in the story. Maybe I was just lucky, but I was able to figure out most of the mystery early on, from the information presented by the author, which I almost never can do; I'd suggest a few more "red herrings" be thrown in, for future installments. Looking forward to the next in the series. I give this one four stars out of five.
Promising New Series July 27, 2008
For the last several years reading the ongoing installments of Dorien Grey's Dick Hardesty detective series has been one of life's pleasures. Since Hardesty's character arc was ending in a safe domesticity, it was time for a new detective series.
The new protagonist is a contractor who fixes up vintage Chicago apartment buildings for resale at their restored best, not the normal route for taking on murder cases. Elliott Smith comes from a well-to-do local family which finds his willingness to be associated with manual labor incongruous. More helpfully, his brother-in-law, Brad Priebe, is a detective for the Chicago police department. All the pieces are in place for Elliott to act.
The first case comes to him strangely. Elliott has an accident, hurting his head and putting him in the hospital. He become aware of an emerging, independent voice inside, knowing only that it is called `John' and wanting to find out about itself. Elliott is vaguely aware that another person had been present in the emergency room with him and later learns that the person had been shot repeatedly and had died quickly as a `John Doe.' Elliott questions his own sanity and wonders what he can do to help the alien presence, `John'.
The mystery brings in Chicago's Prohibition-era past, today's preservationist ethic, dynastic politics, memory recovery, photographic art, ruthless competition, and revenge. Viewed sympathetically, the final solution isn't that difficult but the need to overcome a series of barriers and a few surprises keep the story exciting.
Elliott has his own life to attend to. His younger sister, Cessy, always has the time to tell him about her life and to press him to settle down. Busy Elliott does try to get a steady boyfriend, first with a social worker and then with a handsome, Hispanic painter artist from Southern California. Elliott's rich parents jet about attending events. And what about `John'? Elliott has a lot of personal work to attend to as well.
This is a promising new series. If it's as good as the Dick Hardesty one, you shouldn't miss it.
Exciting debut July 14, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
His Name Is John is an exciting debut of a new series by Dorien Grey featuring Elliott Smith. Elliott is a wealthy, urbane (but down to earth), gay real estate developer. After an accident, Elliott awakens in the hospital and finds himself connected to a ghostly spirit with "amnesia". In this intricately plotted mystery, Elliott attempts to discover the identity of this ghost and who murdered him. Or is Elliott delusional? With a host of well-developed and often humorous secondary characters(including his sister Cessy, Brad his brother-in-law cop, and potential new lover Steve), His Name Is John is reminiscent of the best of Hitchcock films of the 1950's - it questions the nature of reality (and the paranormal), identity and relationships with a mischievous sense of humor. Did I mention there's a heck of a mystery to solve as well? I look forward to the next book in the Elliott Smith series (as well as the next volume in Dorien Grey's Dick hardesty series).
His Ghost Is John July 12, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Elliot hears a voice in his head. At first he thinks he's going mad. This impression persists even when he knows he's perfectly sane. The voice is that of the guy identified as a John Doe who died on the next gurney to Elliot in the ER. Perhaps the most touching of John's comments to Elliot was "Will we ever find me?"
John's murder is linked to others. We know fairly early on who's done it, but the most interesting aspect of the book is getting the proof. Elliot can't tell his cop brother-in-law how he gets his information from a ghost with a growing sense of awareness.
The story is enriched by Cessy, Elliot's delightful (if annoying) sister. I give special praise to Grey for his genious in creating engaging secondary characters.
John promises he'll stick around inside Elliot's head, so we're promised more adventures from the unlikely duo in the future. I can't wait.
Wow! I really enjoyed reading this book! July 10, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
"His Name Is John - An Elliott Smith Mystery" is the first book in a great new mystery series written by Dorien Grey. I have been a big fan of Dorien Grey's first (and continuing) mystery series that features Private Investigator Dick Hardesty. The Dream Ender (A Dick Hardesty Mystery)
In this new series, Grey introduces us to Elliott Smith, a Chicago real estate developer who becomes deeply involved in the investigation of the murder of John (Doe), a man Elliott makes a quick connection with as they briefly share a hospital room before John dies. Elliott becomes determined to discover John's identity and find his killer for a whole slew of reasons that sneak up on Elliott and his friends from all directions.
This was a fun book to read but I hesitate to discuss the plot much because you should enjoy this book like I did -- not knowing what to expect and getting more than you can imagine.
Elliott Smith and his supporting cast of characters enjoy living their lives even as they try to solve the early end of John's life. Elliott's sister Cessy is married to a Chicago Homicide Cop who gives Elliott some valuable assistance. Cessy takes care of their two children but is also determined to get Elliott to settle down and "find the right man." Yes, Elliott is gay, but you don't have to be gay to like Elliott! There is a great mix of characters involved in this story, some nice and others not so nice, but together they will keep you involved to the end. I was up past 3:00 AM because I had to find out who dunnit before I could go to sleep. Warning:This may keep you up for late evenings, too.
I really like Grey's books because even though they always involve a murder, they are not slow, dark or too gloomy. If you love reading a good mystery, meet Elliott Smith -- you will love reading "His Name Is John."
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