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The Fractal Murders (Pepper Keane Mysteries) Mass Market Paperback – July 1, 2005

4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 68 ratings

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Jane Smythe, a math professor specializing in fractal geometry, is shocked to learn that three professors with the same specialty have died amid mysterious circumstances. That's where Pepper Keane, an ex-Marine turned PI with an encyclopedic knowledge of rock 'n' roll, comes in. He finds himself attracted to Professor Smythe and is determined to discover the root of these incidents. At first, he can't find any evidence that the three dead mathematicians even knew each other. But Keane, with the help of his hacker best friend and exercise guru brother, continues to dig. Suspects begin to appear and then multiply as they race through the rocky terrain of Colorado to Mexico, Boston, and Nebraska - with the main suspect an FBI agent who is also Keane's worst enemy.
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A former JAG and now one of two municipal judges in Boulder, Colorado, Mark Cohen's writing has appeared in magazines that include Inside Kung Fu and Camping & RV. The Fractal Murders was his first novel.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grand Central Publishing (July 1, 2005)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0446614912
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0446614917
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.84 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 68 ratings

About the author

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Mark Cohen
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Mark Cohen grew up in Denver, back when it was a nice little cow town without light rail, skyscrapers, or Major League Baseball. Back when the Broncos wore orange, by God, and played football at a place called Mile Hi Stadium -- not Invesco Field.

After graduating from Cherry Creek High School in 1976, Mark attended Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington -- the alma mater of former Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, Adam West (the original Batman), and Dirk Benedict (from the A-Team). During his college years Mark was way too serious. He majored in economics (because it was "practical"), studied philosophy and religion, lifted weights religiously, and spent too much time pondering the future. With graduation fast approaching, Mark knew that the alternatives to getting the dreaded "real job" were medical school and law school. On the morning of the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), Mark's buddies convinced him that flag football was more important than the MCAT, and thus began Mark's legal career.

Mark arrived at the University of Colorado School of Law in 1980. His two greatest accomplishments during three years of legal education were earning a "B" in taxation even though he never attended class after the first week, and his role in the liberation of a pair of stuffed squirrels from a local pub. It was during law school that Mark gave up on traditional religion and began attending the Unitarian Church in Boulder. He liked the theology of the Unitarian Church. And it was a good place to meet women. With law school graduation fast approaching, Mark again faced the threat of having to get a "real job." Instead, Mark joined the Air Force as a Judge Advocate (JAG) so he could "see the world." The Air Force sent him to Omaha. Aside from that, Mark thought the Air Force was "way cool" and he particularly enjoyed the fact that he could wear a camouflage uniform to work on Fridays. He also learned a lot of skills that would be useful later in life, such as how to command a fallout shelter and how to run a urinalysis program.

At the age of 29 Mark left the Air Force and went to work for an Omaha law firm. He practiced law in Omaha for eight years, and is best-known for his successful (insanity) defense of an accused ax murderer. But after eight years in private practice, Mark was burned out, and decided to try to earn a Masters degree in philosophy at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. One year of graduate classes in logic cured Mark of any desire to teach philosophy, and his official status at UNL as of today remains "incomplete."

In 1995, Mark decided that 12 years in Omaha was about 11 years longer than he had ever planned on being there. So he and new wife (Tana) loaded up their truck and moved to Nederland. Colorado, that is. Mountains, hippies, and one frozen dead guy. Elevation 8,236 feet.

Upon returning to Colorado, Mark wanted to write. So he did odd jobs, including a stint as a Taco Bell inspector, and began writing The Fractal Murders. After numerous rejections by agents with the combined work ethic of a union sloth, Mark published the book himself. It received great reviews, and in 2002 was a Book Sense Top Ten mystery pick. It was at this point that the editors in NEW YORK CITY finally took note of this gentle man's obvious genius and endearing humility. Mark's fourth agent got him a two-book deal with Time-Warner. Bluetick Revenge was published in hardcover in 2005 and will be released as a mass market paperback in the summer of 2006.

Mark and Tana live in Nederland with their three children, two hermit crabs, one guinea pig, one border collie, and a bloodhound named Wyatt that Mark believes is his soul mate.

Mark sees no inconsistency in the fact that he agrees with both the ACLU and the NRA on many issues. Or, as he puts it, "I don't always agree with the Democrats, but who wants to live in a country where the only people with guns are Republicans?"

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
68 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book an enjoyable read with an engaging story and interesting mystery. They appreciate the good humor and intelligence of the writing. The characters are likable and the math content is well-done, making it a good read for math enthusiasts. Overall, customers describe the book as well-written with great assurance.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

10 customers mention "Readability"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable. They appreciate the good characterization and intelligent plot. The difficult subject is made palatable for them, making it a fun read.

"...and likable supporting cast, a different and difficult subject made palatable and interesting, and a nice mystery plot...." Read more

"Nice read but the ending was a bit abrupt...." Read more

"Good book; well written. Enjoyable read." Read more

"...one that pulled me along and stayed up with my standards of good characterization, intelligent plot, and interesting subject...." Read more

7 customers mention "Story quality"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story. They find it engaging and entertaining, with a nice mystery plot that keeps them hooked. The book has an interesting subject and a masterful twist at the end that readers appreciate.

"...And a great, masterly twist in the end! Highly recommended! I already pre-ordered the next book in the series." Read more

"...Fractal Murders notable is the lack of macho posturing, an absence of violent scenes that so many mystery writers feel are necessary to validate..." Read more

"...and adventures in fractal geometry to develop an absorbing and entertaining novel. I really really liked it...." Read more

"Very good story. Complicated enough to keep you thinking. And great humor interspersed in the writing. I highly recommend this one." Read more

4 customers mention "Humor"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the humor in the book good.

"Here is a first novel that is written with great assurance, good humor and intelligence...." Read more

"...as a backdrop for a generational dialogue, this book is filled with understated humor, understated Bret Easton Ellis superficial character styling,..." Read more

"...Complicated enough to keep you thinking. And great humor interspersed in the writing. I highly recommend this one." Read more

"Terrific story that includes murder, math and comedy" Read more

3 customers mention "Likability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's hero likable. They appreciate the understated humor and character styling.

"...This book has everything: a likable hero and likable supporting cast, a different and difficult subject made palatable and interesting, and a nice..." Read more

"...Pepper Keane is--I have to hope--going to be a highly likable series hero...." Read more

"...this book is filled with understated humor, understated Bret Easton Ellis superficial character styling, philosophic dabbling, and adventures in..." Read more

3 customers mention "Math content"3 positive0 negative

Customers like the math content. They say the author gets the fractal math stuff right and captures the university atmosphere well. It's a good read for math geeks.

"...I ordered it and it came in great condition, definitely a good read for those math geeks!" Read more

"Terrific story that includes murder, math and comedy" Read more

"He gets the fractal math stuff right and captures the university atmosphere well too. It is the most fun read I've had in years." Read more

3 customers mention "Writing quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the writing quality. They mention it's well-written with assurance, humor, and intelligence.

"...This is fresh, thoughtful writing that supports a new private eye who holds the reader's interest (and affection) through his personal honesty, good..." Read more

"Good book; well written. Enjoyable read." Read more

"Excellent story and writing..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2005
    I loved "The Fractal Murders", one of the most charming mysteries of the last few years. This book has everything: a likable hero and likable supporting cast, a different and difficult subject made palatable and interesting, and a nice mystery plot. A math professor hires the hero, Pepper Keane, to investigate the recent deaths of 3 noted authorities on fractal geometry and their possible (probable) linkage. The investigation proceeds nicely, with a few red herrings on the way. And a great, masterly twist in the end! Highly recommended! I already pre-ordered the next book in the series.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2024
    It was like-new when I ordered it and it came in great condition, definitely a good read for those math geeks!
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2002
    Here is a first novel that is written with great assurance, good humor and intelligence. Pepper Keane is--I have to hope--going to be a highly likable series hero. What makes The Fractal Murders notable is the lack of macho posturing, an absence of violent scenes that so many mystery writers feel are necessary to validate their hero's status as someone out of the ordinary. Pepper Keane is a thinking man, with a good heart and a gentle sense of humor. His dealings with females, particularly Jayne Smyers (the professor who hires him to look into the deaths of three fellow mathematicians), are refreshingly honest and discreet. The author spares the reader graphic details--again that so many writers feel are needed when they are not. Most readers have functioning intelligence and don't need to be spoonfed details we can readily supply via our own imaginations. It appears that author Cohen has grasped this significant fact and has written from the heart, without undue embellishments. He also manages to impart information on the somewhat arcane field of fractal mathematics without leaving the reader glassy-eyed--no small accomplishment.
    Nothing is telegraphed; there are no stock characters. This is fresh, thoughtful writing that supports a new private eye who holds the reader's interest (and affection) through his personal honesty, good heartedness and intelligence.
    My only quibble is a rather amateurishly done page layout and less than perfect proofreading--neither of which problems detracts from this well-done book.
    Highly recommended.
    7 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2020
    Nice read but the ending was a bit abrupt. The ending felt like when you would write a report for a class that had to be at least X amount of words but not over XX amount and the author was about to go over.
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2003
    Using a murder mystery plot as a backdrop for a generational dialogue, this book is filled with understated humor, understated Bret Easton Ellis superficial character styling, philosophic dabbling, and adventures in fractal geometry to develop an absorbing and entertaining novel. I really really liked it. While I trust Tucker Anderson's acumen on financial markets and stock picking more than his editorial comment on books and films, he really hit this one right. But as a first novel the question is "what can a follow up be for Mark Cohen?". He seems to draw so heavily on his own personal experience that I'm not sure what more we can learn about Pepper. And second, while a mystery was set up, there were really no clues to resolution hidden in the story. Boom, surprise at the end---so that's who did it. I didn't care about this flaw because the book apart from the mystery was so engaging. So my suggestion is unequivocally to read this one, and hope that this is just the beginning of an offbeat and creative series of Pepper Keane stories.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2021
    Very good story. Complicated enough to keep you thinking. And great humor interspersed in the writing.
    I highly recommend this one.
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2018
    Good book; well written. Enjoyable read.
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2003
    A five is what I shoot for when I buy a book to read. Life is short, read the best. Not always successful, but I try. The Fractal Murders was a fun mystery, one that pulled me along and stayed up with my standards of good characterization, intelligent plot, and interesting subject. I got right through it, right to the end. That alone makes it a four. But I really enjoyed it and was sorry to see it end. That added the final point.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars Un polar...
    Reviewed in France on May 29, 2017
    ....comme un autre. J'avais lu un extrait qui m'a mis l'eau à la bouche, mais finalement il n'a rien d'extraordinaire. Mais il se laisse lire.