Die-Aly$is is the final novel in the mystery series that has come to be known as the "Webb Espy Chronicles." This thought-provoking third story in the trilogy is more than just a traditional mystery and begins with a Florida Southern District Federal judge, an eccentric individual, and an eclectic jurist, who is well in front of the jurisprudence curve as compared to his legal peers. The sage old legal scholar, in the twilight of his career, has long ago reconciled his moral and ethical thinking related to the hypocritical limitations and archaic institutional precedents existing in the legal arena that restrict common sense.
A whistleblower case assigned to his court docket provides the impetus for inserting his conniving influence into the mix to alleviate an egregious wrong. From his catbird seat overlooking the entire gameboard, the judge easily identifies the whistleblower and although he opines she is extremely intelligent and passionate in her pursuit of justice, she is well in over her head and does not begin to appreciate who all the players are, much less the unimaginable danger she placed on herself.
The judge, without hesitation, decides to intervene and level the playing field through an orchestrated surreptitious scheme to provide the whistleblower with a supporting cast. That supporting cast is Webb Espy and his talented entourage of "giant killers." Once achieved, it's GAME ON! End-Stage Renal Disease and the systems involved with planning, funding, administering, and regulating those providing such services are fraught with aberrant and fraudulent practices. Greed is most often the motive, but not always.
Die-Aly$is encapsulates the quagmire of competitive participants that includes mobsters, Corporate America's prescription for-profit entities, self-referral Houdinis, and corrupt politicians, as well as an arm of the invisible U.S. Government for a share of the booty. As in the previous two books, the characters are unique, sometimes malicious, and often delicious and easy to visualize. The corkscrew unveiling of the plot runs the gamut from black market kidneys to an assassin that does not exist. Beyond the mystery itself, as the story unfolds there are legitimate questions about modern-day Robin Hoods, the moral right of civil disobedience as well as who are the real good guys and bad guys, and whether it is okay to do something wrong to achieve something right.
About the Author
John M. Whiddon is a native Floridian, born in the small panhandle town of Chattahoochee, Florida. An avid reader and writer with a background in the healthcare industry, Whiddon ran Florida's Medicaid Program Integrity Office for more than a decade and, upon retirement, opened a private healthcare regulatory consulting business in 1995. Whiddon received his Bachelor's degree from McMurry College, his Master's from Florida State University, where he also taught for five years, and his post-graduate work in Public Administration from Nova University. He is a veteran and served in the United States Air Force from 1966 through 1970. He is involved in numerous civic and conservation organizations. He has been married for almost sixty years and has two children and one granddaughter.
Whiddon enjoys calling turkeys, wing shooting, mentoring children from single-parent families, and writing children's short stories. He currently is a partner in MGW Outfitters, a prestigious wing shooting operation in Argentina and Uruguay.
