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Bullet in the Chamber
Gutsy reporter, Lark Chadwick once again finds herself at the wrong place at the right time: front-row center when the White House press briefing room is suddenly attacked. The president is missing, the first ladys life is at risk, and Larks personal life is falling apart when the man she loves disappears. In this story, author John DeDakis draws on his own personal pain the sudden death of his twenty-two year-old son Stephen in what promises to be a true page-turner. DeDakis also draws on his forty-five year journalism career (twenty-five years at CNN) to show the daily struggles that go on behind the scenes in day-to-day, deadline-a-minute journalism. Praise for Bullet in the Chamber: "Bullet in the Chamber manages to capture all of the intensity, grit and breathlessness of covering the presidency in an age of nonstop news and fierce competition. Lark Chadwick stands out as a protagonist who is at once compelling and compulsively true to form. John DeDakis gets inside the head of a modern-day White House journalist who has no idea what's in store for her when she begins this rollercoaster of a ride. ~Josh Lederman, Associated Press White House Reporter
351 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2016
About the author
John DeDakis
17 books71 followersJournalist, novelist, and writing coach John DeDakis is a former Senior Copy Editor on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer." DeDakis (pronounced deh-DAY-kiss) is the author of five novels in the Lark Chadwick mystery-suspense-thriller series.
His fourth novel, Bullet in the Chamber, is the winner of Reviewers Choice, Foreword INDIES, and Feathered Quill book awards.
His most recent novel, Fake, is a winner of the 2020 Reviewers Choice Award. In Fake, Lark is a White House correspondent dealing with “fake news” in the era of #MeToo.
During his award-winning 45-year career in journalism (25 years at CNN), DeDakis has been a White House Correspondent and interviewed such luminaries as Alfred Hitchcock, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan.
DeDakis has taught journalism at the University of Maryland–College Park, and American University in Washington, D.C. He now regularly teaches novel writing online, at literary centers, writers’ conferences, and bookstores around the country and abroad.
He is currently at work on a memoir, working title: Pivot Points: A Life of Plot Twists
In his spare time, DeDakis is also a jazz drummer.
Website: www.johndedakis.com
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 13, 2017
John DeDakis, a former White House correspondent, writes with authority about journalism and breaking news deadlines. He translated that experience into a tightly-plotted novel of intrigue.
The novel begins with a bang. Literally. Someone launches a drone at the White House. The drone launches a missile into the wing with the press briefing room and narrowly misses assassinating a wildly popular president.
DeDakis's pacing kept me turning pages long into the night. His journalist, Lark Chadwick, finds herself in the right place at the wrong time. The opening hook swept me into her life. She is at once vulnerable, brave, weak, snarky, and compassionate. When she finds her boyfriend's body dead in his Jeep from a heroin overdose, her heart and mine broke.
Lark's voice ranged from strong and confident. Sometimes I wanted to shake her by the ears and scream, "Don't go there! It's not safe!"
DeDakis's secondary characters are fleshed out, well-drawn, necessary. They are all individuals with personality tics and traits that make them stand out.
Just enough red herrings will keep an astute reader guessing about what was going to happen next. Puzzle pieces fall into place in a well-written conclusion.
Highly recommended.
The novel begins with a bang. Literally. Someone launches a drone at the White House. The drone launches a missile into the wing with the press briefing room and narrowly misses assassinating a wildly popular president.
DeDakis's pacing kept me turning pages long into the night. His journalist, Lark Chadwick, finds herself in the right place at the wrong time. The opening hook swept me into her life. She is at once vulnerable, brave, weak, snarky, and compassionate. When she finds her boyfriend's body dead in his Jeep from a heroin overdose, her heart and mine broke.
Lark's voice ranged from strong and confident. Sometimes I wanted to shake her by the ears and scream, "Don't go there! It's not safe!"
DeDakis's secondary characters are fleshed out, well-drawn, necessary. They are all individuals with personality tics and traits that make them stand out.
Just enough red herrings will keep an astute reader guessing about what was going to happen next. Puzzle pieces fall into place in a well-written conclusion.
Highly recommended.
October 1, 2016
Again, author John DeDakis manages to get inside a woman’s complicated inner workings and write a convincing – and utterly thrilling – first person perspective from his female protagonist, Lark Chadwick. The fourth installment of the ‘Lark Chadwick Mystery’ series, “Bullet in the Chamber” is locked and loaded with current, hot topics – heroin use and drones – and promises to be just as much of a rush as the previous three novels.
“Bullet in the Chamber” begins by finding Lark on the way to the White House, her first day as a White House Correspondent for the Associated Press. In true ‘Lark Chadwick form, it doesn’t take long before she finds herself dead center in an explosive drone attack on the White House itself. While she desperately works to unravel mysterious leads and questionable clues as a professional journalist, she’s emotionally pushed to the core when a close friend’s heroin use threatens to alter the personal side of her life. The heroine versus heroin. Lark struggles to balance them both but the answers she starts getting back aren’t exactly what she was hoping for.
DeDakis brilliantly draws from his career as a Senior Copy Editor at CNN and a former White House Correspondent for CBN News to put Chadwick convincingly at the White House and in the middle of the action. Only someone who’s been there, worked the interviews, knows the specific processes and the real-world lingo, can write about ‘the way it all works’ with such vivid detail and believably recreate it all in the pages of a mystery novel. He further utilizes his own excruciating family tragedy – facing the unimaginable and losing a child to heroin use. Reading the Acknowledgments and Author’s Notes section at the very beginning of the book first puts a unique personal perspective on the plot itself so as I read, I was able to see some of the ‘real’ intermingled with the ‘fiction’. Without giving away any of the story in making this point, I actually had to put the book down and walk away for a few days after chapter 34. But the suspense was also killing me so I was back, deep within its pages before too long.
“Bullet in the Chamber” provides a hold-your-breath, finger on the trigger plot throughout every single one of its 351 pages. It will hit its target with mystery and thriller fans, newsroom fiction readers, and those who enjoy current event/topic novels alike. The book also serves as an intelligent, impactful voice on the real world dangers of heroin use – the plot, the title, and even the cover go to further that important public message. A kinetic, Russian roulette of a read!
“Bullet in the Chamber” begins by finding Lark on the way to the White House, her first day as a White House Correspondent for the Associated Press. In true ‘Lark Chadwick form, it doesn’t take long before she finds herself dead center in an explosive drone attack on the White House itself. While she desperately works to unravel mysterious leads and questionable clues as a professional journalist, she’s emotionally pushed to the core when a close friend’s heroin use threatens to alter the personal side of her life. The heroine versus heroin. Lark struggles to balance them both but the answers she starts getting back aren’t exactly what she was hoping for.
DeDakis brilliantly draws from his career as a Senior Copy Editor at CNN and a former White House Correspondent for CBN News to put Chadwick convincingly at the White House and in the middle of the action. Only someone who’s been there, worked the interviews, knows the specific processes and the real-world lingo, can write about ‘the way it all works’ with such vivid detail and believably recreate it all in the pages of a mystery novel. He further utilizes his own excruciating family tragedy – facing the unimaginable and losing a child to heroin use. Reading the Acknowledgments and Author’s Notes section at the very beginning of the book first puts a unique personal perspective on the plot itself so as I read, I was able to see some of the ‘real’ intermingled with the ‘fiction’. Without giving away any of the story in making this point, I actually had to put the book down and walk away for a few days after chapter 34. But the suspense was also killing me so I was back, deep within its pages before too long.
“Bullet in the Chamber” provides a hold-your-breath, finger on the trigger plot throughout every single one of its 351 pages. It will hit its target with mystery and thriller fans, newsroom fiction readers, and those who enjoy current event/topic novels alike. The book also serves as an intelligent, impactful voice on the real world dangers of heroin use – the plot, the title, and even the cover go to further that important public message. A kinetic, Russian roulette of a read!
February 20, 2017
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer for Reader Views (01/17)
In “Bullet in The Chamber” by John DeDakis, White House Correspondent for the Associated Press, Lark Chadwick, is entering her first day at the White House. While waiting for newly elected President Gannon’s speech, Secret Service Agents fly into the room yelling, “Everyone Out. Now!” as they rush the President out of the room.
As Lark was getting ready to go live with her report of the bedlam and evacuations, a massive explosion erupted in the White House Briefing Room. Lives were lost, many injured, and no one seems to know “how” or “why.”
Hours later, Lark and Doug Mitchell, her photographer and on again off again boyfriend, try to make sense of what happened. Regardless the questions Lark asked of White House Press Secretary, Lucia Lopez, Lark was still at a loss about what happened. Lopez would relate that the administration was investigating a possible drone attack.
Determined to find out more about drones, Lark connects with Dolph Rogan of Applied Electronics. Rogan, a wealthy, handsome, shady man, has a plethora of information on drones and “rogue operators.” Dolph has his own agenda on drones, control, and getting Lark into bed, while
Lark, the up and coming correspondent, has no intention of jumping into a relationship with anyone. Doug, her sometime boyfriend suddenly disappears from a meeting and Lark finds herself dealing with mysterious texts, and dark secrets, which put her life at risk. Doug and Lark’s boss seem to have something in common, which has been hidden for years.
“Bullet in The Chamber” by John DeDakis is an incredible talk of how the life of a correspondent is, and addresses the possibility of drone attacks on the United States. The author relies on his forty-five-year journalism experience to provide detailed, well-documented accounts of what goes on in the mind and hearts of White House correspondents. He dedicates this book to his son Stephen, who lost his life to heroin intoxication, an activity in which the character of Doug Mitchell partakes.
DeDakis provides a gripping, realistic, and “can’t put down” read. Highly recommend this book.
In “Bullet in The Chamber” by John DeDakis, White House Correspondent for the Associated Press, Lark Chadwick, is entering her first day at the White House. While waiting for newly elected President Gannon’s speech, Secret Service Agents fly into the room yelling, “Everyone Out. Now!” as they rush the President out of the room.
As Lark was getting ready to go live with her report of the bedlam and evacuations, a massive explosion erupted in the White House Briefing Room. Lives were lost, many injured, and no one seems to know “how” or “why.”
Hours later, Lark and Doug Mitchell, her photographer and on again off again boyfriend, try to make sense of what happened. Regardless the questions Lark asked of White House Press Secretary, Lucia Lopez, Lark was still at a loss about what happened. Lopez would relate that the administration was investigating a possible drone attack.
Determined to find out more about drones, Lark connects with Dolph Rogan of Applied Electronics. Rogan, a wealthy, handsome, shady man, has a plethora of information on drones and “rogue operators.” Dolph has his own agenda on drones, control, and getting Lark into bed, while
Lark, the up and coming correspondent, has no intention of jumping into a relationship with anyone. Doug, her sometime boyfriend suddenly disappears from a meeting and Lark finds herself dealing with mysterious texts, and dark secrets, which put her life at risk. Doug and Lark’s boss seem to have something in common, which has been hidden for years.
“Bullet in The Chamber” by John DeDakis is an incredible talk of how the life of a correspondent is, and addresses the possibility of drone attacks on the United States. The author relies on his forty-five-year journalism experience to provide detailed, well-documented accounts of what goes on in the mind and hearts of White House correspondents. He dedicates this book to his son Stephen, who lost his life to heroin intoxication, an activity in which the character of Doug Mitchell partakes.
DeDakis provides a gripping, realistic, and “can’t put down” read. Highly recommend this book.
October 9, 2016
Before you sit down to read BULLET IN THE CHAMBER: A NOVEL by John DeDakis, clear your schedule because once you start, you won’t put it down—regardless!
This hard-won story was born from the author’s personal experience. Strap in tight because this book doesn’t have brakes. Each plot twist serves as a gearshift moving this captivating story forward. With smooth clutch work and without skipping a beat DeDakis takes us from tense, to gripping, to riveting, and finally to an exhilarating crescendo.
There’s enough g-force in the pages of this book to smooth the wrinkles out of anyone’s face!
This hard-won story was born from the author’s personal experience. Strap in tight because this book doesn’t have brakes. Each plot twist serves as a gearshift moving this captivating story forward. With smooth clutch work and without skipping a beat DeDakis takes us from tense, to gripping, to riveting, and finally to an exhilarating crescendo.
There’s enough g-force in the pages of this book to smooth the wrinkles out of anyone’s face!
May 16, 2020
3.5 stars. Although there were a few plot points that strained credulity, this novel had me engaged for the whole wild rocket ride from beginning to end. I enjoyed a peek behind the scenes at how the news is made, too.
April 11, 2022
Political intrigue and personal drama collide in Bullet in the Chamber by John DeDakis.
Let me start by saying I don’t give a synopsis of the story when doing a review. You can find a synopsis if you want, and I don’t want to run the risk of giving out spoilers. This review will focus on the writer’s style, the strength of the story, and its weaknesses.
This story starts with a bang. Lark Chadwick’s first day as a White House correspondent is interrupted by a drone attack on the President’s press conference on his yet to be announced drone policy. This gets the pollical ball rolling and shows us that Chadwick may already be out of her depth in Washington. We are immediately thrown into the story as it is told in the first-person narrative. John DeDakis couples this style with a journalistic form of storytelling that is fast paced, and fact driven. It is delivered in moment by moment and hour by hour chunks that propels the story along masterfully.
Lark is a young but seasoned reporter and jumps into the action with gusto. However, she is also dealing with personal problems of loss and trust issues. This is where I find the first of two weaknesses in Bullet in the Chamber. DeDakis has too many threads running through the story. Lark is confronted with one turmoil after another. Before she can deal with one devastating event, she is thrust into another personal catastrophe. I found myself saying, “Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of Lark Chadwick’s life.”
The story becomes somewhat of a soap opera. Not that Soaps are bad, many millions follow them religiously daily for decades. My mother, brother, and daughter are among them, I just never cared for them. But the story spins out of control, and I was wondering what the main plot was, with so many subplots vying for attention. DeDakis did tie up the loose ends, but not all, and the theme of the story shone through.
The other problem I had with his storytelling was his proclivity for giving street names and intersections as if everyone knows Washington, D.C. like the back of their hand. Or he included a map in the book, which he did not. Telling me they raced to the corner of 19th and L means little. Saying they were a couple of blocks north of say, Lincoln Memorial, even though I do not know what street that is, gives me a better picture. DeDakis did give some notable locations as it related to Watergate and President Reagan’s shooting, kudos for that.
All told, I did very much enjoy Bullet in the Chamber, being a fan of journalism, politics, and a fast-paced mystery. DeDakis proves he has his finger on the pulse of life in the Washington, D.C. and there is a lot going on that does not reach the surface until the end.
Let me start by saying I don’t give a synopsis of the story when doing a review. You can find a synopsis if you want, and I don’t want to run the risk of giving out spoilers. This review will focus on the writer’s style, the strength of the story, and its weaknesses.
This story starts with a bang. Lark Chadwick’s first day as a White House correspondent is interrupted by a drone attack on the President’s press conference on his yet to be announced drone policy. This gets the pollical ball rolling and shows us that Chadwick may already be out of her depth in Washington. We are immediately thrown into the story as it is told in the first-person narrative. John DeDakis couples this style with a journalistic form of storytelling that is fast paced, and fact driven. It is delivered in moment by moment and hour by hour chunks that propels the story along masterfully.
Lark is a young but seasoned reporter and jumps into the action with gusto. However, she is also dealing with personal problems of loss and trust issues. This is where I find the first of two weaknesses in Bullet in the Chamber. DeDakis has too many threads running through the story. Lark is confronted with one turmoil after another. Before she can deal with one devastating event, she is thrust into another personal catastrophe. I found myself saying, “Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of Lark Chadwick’s life.”
The story becomes somewhat of a soap opera. Not that Soaps are bad, many millions follow them religiously daily for decades. My mother, brother, and daughter are among them, I just never cared for them. But the story spins out of control, and I was wondering what the main plot was, with so many subplots vying for attention. DeDakis did tie up the loose ends, but not all, and the theme of the story shone through.
The other problem I had with his storytelling was his proclivity for giving street names and intersections as if everyone knows Washington, D.C. like the back of their hand. Or he included a map in the book, which he did not. Telling me they raced to the corner of 19th and L means little. Saying they were a couple of blocks north of say, Lincoln Memorial, even though I do not know what street that is, gives me a better picture. DeDakis did give some notable locations as it related to Watergate and President Reagan’s shooting, kudos for that.
All told, I did very much enjoy Bullet in the Chamber, being a fan of journalism, politics, and a fast-paced mystery. DeDakis proves he has his finger on the pulse of life in the Washington, D.C. and there is a lot going on that does not reach the surface until the end.
June 19, 2020
I am fortunate to have read all five of John's Lark Chadwick mysteries. The ride has been exhilarating, curvy and a lot of fun. Little by little, in each book, John reveals more of himself to the reader. A great writer, one who writes from the heart, is honor-bound to do that and it happens naturally. For him, Bullet in the Chamber is particularly meaningful and his writing mirrors his feelings. Have you ever sipped a fine wine or enjoyed a nice tall cold glass of award-winning beer? I have... and that's how I felt as I was reading Chamber, savoring every word, tasting every nuance.
Bullet in the Chamber sprints from the first page to the last as Lark steps into the White House briefing room on her first day as an AP journalist. The first page was so explosive I was sure the rest of the book wouldn't hold up but John never let me down. I am sure John's writing style, fast and to the point, is very similar to that of his CNN career. He does not mince words.
I am somewhat of a nitpick but I must say Bullet in the Chamber's editing is top-notch, the best of the five. And at times, John is downright funny in an odd sort of way. Here's one short excerpt. I cracked up:
"I'm calling to speak to Anne-Marie Gustofsen. Is she there?"
"She is so, like, not here?"
"Who are you?"
"I'm Jennifer? I'm, like, the temp?"
"Uh huh. Where's Anne-Marie?"
"Good question."
"What do you mean?"
"She's, like, missing?"
"Missing?" I echoed Jennifer's question.
"Yeah. And Mr. Rogan is, like, freaking out."
"In what way is he freaking out?"
"I mean he's just, like, freaking out, y' know?"
I didn't, but I could tell that Jennifer and her limited vocabulary wouldn't be, like, much help?
The front cover of Bullet in the Chamber is just perfect, a large picture of a bullet in a syringe with a nice rendition of the front of the White House at the bottom right. The book won a Feathered Quill award, an award that stands out for its professionalism and its high standards. John's fourth book certainly meets those requirements. Strategic Media Books did a great job with choice of font and perfect spacing. I breezed through the book in less than three days. Thank you for allowing me to visit so many places and to meet Lark and all her friends. It was a great two-week adventure. Sadly, I'm a little bummed out because I know the next book I read will not be of the same caliber. Keep writing John and thanks again.
Bullet in the Chamber sprints from the first page to the last as Lark steps into the White House briefing room on her first day as an AP journalist. The first page was so explosive I was sure the rest of the book wouldn't hold up but John never let me down. I am sure John's writing style, fast and to the point, is very similar to that of his CNN career. He does not mince words.
I am somewhat of a nitpick but I must say Bullet in the Chamber's editing is top-notch, the best of the five. And at times, John is downright funny in an odd sort of way. Here's one short excerpt. I cracked up:
"I'm calling to speak to Anne-Marie Gustofsen. Is she there?"
"She is so, like, not here?"
"Who are you?"
"I'm Jennifer? I'm, like, the temp?"
"Uh huh. Where's Anne-Marie?"
"Good question."
"What do you mean?"
"She's, like, missing?"
"Missing?" I echoed Jennifer's question.
"Yeah. And Mr. Rogan is, like, freaking out."
"In what way is he freaking out?"
"I mean he's just, like, freaking out, y' know?"
I didn't, but I could tell that Jennifer and her limited vocabulary wouldn't be, like, much help?
The front cover of Bullet in the Chamber is just perfect, a large picture of a bullet in a syringe with a nice rendition of the front of the White House at the bottom right. The book won a Feathered Quill award, an award that stands out for its professionalism and its high standards. John's fourth book certainly meets those requirements. Strategic Media Books did a great job with choice of font and perfect spacing. I breezed through the book in less than three days. Thank you for allowing me to visit so many places and to meet Lark and all her friends. It was a great two-week adventure. Sadly, I'm a little bummed out because I know the next book I read will not be of the same caliber. Keep writing John and thanks again.
March 31, 2020
This was another excellent book from the author, filled passion, pain, mystery, intrigue, and intense drama. Lark Chadwick has come a long way since her first appearance. The author does an excellent job taking the reader on the waves of emotions that Lark faces, and showing us the suffering and determination Lark faces as she does her job in the face of dangerous situations that makes the heart pound and readers want to turn the page, and also touch on a number of contemporary issues such as drones and drug use. Overall, this was an excellent thriller. The author mentioned in the acknowledgments that the Lark Chadwick series is being considered for a TV series. Now that is definitely something I would want to watch!
September 22, 2023
Another great book in the Lark Chadwick mystery series. Lark has moved on to DC along with her photographer and boyfriend. Lark helps to solve the mystery of who attacked the White House and finds her missing boyfriend, among many other things.
I loved the writing, the characters and the pace of the book. I couldn't put it down.
I loved the writing, the characters and the pace of the book. I couldn't put it down.
December 6, 2023
This suspenseful Lark Chadwick novel got my heart racing in the very first chapter and the tension didn't let up until the end. This gut wrenching story of love and determination and loss is a recommended read.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews