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Fast Track

by John DeDakis (Goodreads Author)

4.12 of 5 stars 4.12 · rating details · 16 ratings · 7 reviews

The most cataclysmic week of Lark Chadwick's life begins when she discovers the dead body of her aunt, a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning. This was the aunt who raised Lark from infancy after the tragic deaths of her parents in an auto accident. Yet what un-folds for Lark in the coming days is a dark and twisting mystery into the sinister circumstances of that awful day...more

Hardcover, 300 pages

Published August 1st 2005 by Archebooks Publishing

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Jan 06, 2010 Martha Cheves rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fast Track - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

'I prefer to see the world not in blacks, whites and grays, but in rainbow colors. The contrasts can be stark, and there can still be room for individual expression, but there are boundaries, too. Choosing the right colors for the painting of your life can be an adventure.'.... But what if the painting gets messed up?... Color over it. Try something new. Don't just let the problem sit there. And for God's sake, don't destroy t...more
Fast Track - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

'I prefer to see the world not in blacks, whites and grays, but in rainbow colors. The contrasts can be stark, and there can still be room for individual expression, but there are boundaries, too. Choosing the right colors for the painting of your life can be an adventure.'.... But what if the painting gets messed up?... Color over it. Try something new. Don't just let the problem sit there. And for God's sake, don't destroy the canvas. Rework what's on it.'
(This is a quote from Fast Track that I feel we can all learn from.)

Lark Chadwick grew up knowing that her parents had been killed in an auto accident but no one would talk to her about the accident. So, when her aunt Annie, who had raised her, died of what the police decide to be a suicide, Lark goes on a quest to find the truth about not only her aunt's death but also the story behind the death of her parents. To her astonishment, she learns that they were killed when hit by a train and that she had been in the car too. Her escaping the accident left her with the nickname "The Miracle Baby." But how did she escape and why were her parents sitting on a railroad crossing with a train coming full speed ahead, lights and horn blowing? These are the questions that lead her to the truth and whys of the accident.

As I read Fast Track I didn't have the feeling that I was reading a book, but Lark's personal story was being told to me by Lark herself. It was as if she was sitting with me, telling me everything that happened to her as she searched for her past. I could feel her emotions and sense her fears. She became a person that I felt I actually knew.

The format of Fast Track in paperback is different due to its magazine size. I wasn't sure that I would like this concept at first but as time went along, I found it to be very practical and convenient. It stores nicely and is easy to slip into my bag without being bulky. I've grown to actually like the style and really loved the story within. But for the more traditional-minded readers, Fast Track also comes in hardback.

John DeDakis is a Senior Copy Editor at CNN in Washington where he edits and writes on "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer." It has been a pleasure to read and review his book Fast Track and I've just learned, through an email from Mr. DeDakis that his next book "Bluff" which is a sequel to Fast Track, is due to be published soon. Follow the progress of this next release through John DeDakis's website. I, for one, am glad to hear that he will continue with more stories featuring Lark.

ISBN #978-159507-102-6
ArcheBooks Publishing
97 pages(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jan 08, 2008 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone

Shelves: fiction

i've read this book in a couple of its incarnations (before and after publication, namely), and enjoyed first helpng the editing process and then sitting back for a good read. seeing as i know the author decently well, he being my father and whatnot, i was very proud to see it in print, hopefully the beginning of a good mystery series wherein a young woman main character is written pretty convincingly by an older man.

i will always say this of dad: he can't hide that he's a journalist, and it de...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Vicki Roberts rated it 3 of 5 stars

I just finished "Fast Track" last night, after receiving it at a writer's conference where John DeDakis was the featured speaker. I've read some of the other reviews on Goodreads and have to say, I enjoyed it more than some others who have reviewed.

To be honest, I started out reading it as a writer - I was going to study the style, character development and so on, but I honestly got pulled into the story, so Kudos for that!

Going from a journalist background into fiction writing is a lot harder t...more I just finished "Fast Track" last night, after receiving it at a writer's conference where John DeDakis was the featured speaker. I've read some of the other reviews on Goodreads and have to say, I enjoyed it more than some others who have reviewed.

To be honest, I started out reading it as a writer - I was going to study the style, character development and so on, but I honestly got pulled into the story, so Kudos for that!

Going from a journalist background into fiction writing is a lot harder than one would think (I'm doing the same thing),so I may have a higher regard for DeDakis' attempt with "Fast Track"; but overall, I thought he did a good job.

I enjoy when the author writes in a totally different character's voice than they themselves are. We see women write male protagonists a lot more than what we have here - a mature man writing as a young woman, but I thought he was succesful in this. While anyone who was going through what Lark was experiencing would have experienced grief and pain, I think we get some of the emotion that is more consistent with a girl of her age and life thus far.

One of the reviews mentioned the fact that they could sometimes tell what was coming, and that may be so in some of the sub plots - Lark's relationship with Lionel, Muriel, and even Father Dan - but the main plot, the mysteries of her parents death and the other innocent parties involved, well I didn't see it coming, so the book was a good read in my opinion. The point of writing a story isn't to create surprise after surprise after surprise for the reader...you have to have some sort of rhythm and part of that is including things that the reader can feel confident they get right away. That's what makes those big moments of surprise special.

Characters could have been fleshed out more - especially Annie, who I wish we could have learned more about, but for a novel of this length, the story itself was well structured.

I enjoyed "Fast Track" and applaud DeDakis foray into fiction writing. Every book a writer creates isn't going to be the one that sells a million copies, but a first novel is special to every writer, and can only serve to make the next one better.(less)

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Dec 18, 2007 John rated it 2 of 5 stars

I read this book at the suggestion of the author, and found it to be a little entertaining. Not the strongest writing style, and written a little too much like a film [the 'scenes' were only missing the word "black out"] for me to really enjoy it. The description and exposition can sometimes be a bit much. The idea of the book is a great one, however - the execution was just off a little. Still, a nice quick read, if you have nothing else jumping out at you.

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Jun 08, 2011 Carrie M rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

I meet the author a few months ago and decided to read the book based on the description he gave. It was fairly easy to read, pretty compelling at times though some parts I could anticipate exactly what was going to happen next.

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Oct 10, 2007 Kpoore marked it as to-read

Met the author at a small book store in Maine. Despite the rather unappealing book cover (don't judge the what...?) still planning on giving it a shot.

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Feb 28, 2011 Hayley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Great book. Kept me guessing & on the edge of my seat the whole time.

1 like · like · see review

Apr 19, 2013 Pete rated it 2 of 5 stars

Jan 13, 2013 Anne marked it as to-read

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Dec 04, 2012 Rachel Ruff rated it 5 of 5 stars

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Oct 24, 2012 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sep 07, 2012 Jay Chappell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Aug 06, 2012 Beth Ely rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jun 25, 2012 Angelica Pastorelli marked it as to-read

Jun 14, 2012 Krishna marked it as to-read

Apr 07, 2012 Dorothyl Lafrinere rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: women, self-esteem, life, strength, growth, awareness, love, confidence, discipline, struggles, happiness, family, relationship, trust, coping, morals, men, loyalty

Apr 16, 2011 Marilyn Belleghem marked it as to-read

Mar 23, 2011 Hayley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Dec 13, 2010 Edel marked it as to-read

Jun 11, 2010 Joanne Huspek rated it 4 of 5 stars

Apr 10, 2010 Jennifer marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Feb 22, 2010 Chérie Sues marked it as to-read

Jan 22, 2010 Jeanette Stingley marked it as to-read

Jan 21, 2009 Angela Campbell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Apr 24, 2008 Kathleen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jan 20, 2008 Monica marked it as to-read · review of another edition

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About John DeDakis

Author and CNN Senior Copy Editor John DeDakis is an editor and writer for the Emmy and Peabody-Award winning "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" (Mon.-Fri. 5-7pm ET and Saturday at 6pm ET).

DeDakis (pronounced deh-DAY-kiss) is the author of the mystery/suspense novel "Fast Track" published by ArcheBooks. Set in southern Wisconsin, it's the story of a young woman's search for purpose as she solv...more

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