David Freed Books In Order

Publication Order of Cordell Logan Mystery Books

David Freed is an American author of fiction, suspense and crime novels best known for his Cordell Logan mystery series. He’s also a screenwriter and journalists and has written for The Los Angeles Times. He was born in Deep South and decided to after realizing that his average grade would never get him to medical school. Working for The Los Angeles Times, Freed has covered all manner of catastrophes, the affairs of the state, and activities of the United States military. In 1993 he won a Pulitzer Prize after reporting the Rodney King Riots in 1992. He shared the prize with his fellow writers.

Flat Spin

The first book in Cordell Logan Mystery series introduces us to Cordell Logan, the main character. He’s a former undercover agent for a classified governmental agency known as the Tier One Ultra. He’s the owner of Above the Clouds Aviation school in Rancho Bonita. He lives in a rented 2-car garage barely paying his bills, and the only item he owns is a 1973 Cessna 172 nicknamed the Ruptured Duck and a cat named Kiddiot.

His life can be best described as flat spin and can it get any worse? Well probably yes when his divorced wife, who he has feelings for comes knocking on his door requesting his to help the cops find her husband’s killer. The woman’s husband Arlo is Cordell’s former boss and a good friend who has stolen Savannah (his ex-wife) from him half a decade ago. Cordell and Arlo were both working for the secret government agency. At first, Cordell isn’t interested in investigating, but when his ex-dad-in-law offers $25,000 in exchange for his help, Cordell doesn’t hesitate, and soon he finds himself back in the undercover job again hunting down Arlo’s killer. However, some folks don’t want the murder case investigated. In an authentic whodunit mystery style, this series debut novel sucks you right in and lets you investigate alongside Cordell, experience his journeys in solving the murder case.

This is a fast-paced mystery novel that will keep you at the edge of the seat. The exciting storyline is narrated from the point of view of Cordell Logan in the first person perspective. The reader is drawn right into the story as Cordell makes a comeback in undercover operations business to solve his former friend’s murder. With a wicked sense of humor and caustic wit, Cordell is a well crafted, engaging character, and this makes it fun to follow him along on his mission.

The author uses his sufficient knowledge of undercover military missions, reporting, and aviation to keep the reader charmed with intriguing descriptions that only a person who knows about them can provide. The suspense and drama filled story has plenty of chills, action, thrills, twists, and turns that will keep you on edge trying to connect the clues and guess who the killer is. The story also features plenty of supporting characters that are fun as well as realistic, a gorgeous ex-wife, a hysterical brisket making Jewish landlady, a good ex-father-in-law, LAPD detectives, counterintelligence agents, and organized crime gangs. David Freed does a fantastic job in intertwining the various characters in the novel, and this makes the story more compelling and entertaining to read. To add more intrigue to the story, there is a love-hate relationship between the main character and his ex-wife that reveals to the reader the emotional inner devastations that have plagued Cordless for over half a decade. Overall the first in Cordell Logan mystery is a barn burner story with interesting and yet complex plot. The author manages to keep the readers in so intense suspense until the very last page.

Fangs Out

Fangs out and ready for a fight, Cordell switches from being a simple flight school instructor and an occasional undercover investigator to being a wildcat, eagle or bulldog determined to catch his prey. The second book in Cordell Logan mystery by David Freed brings back the old characters and incorporates them into the story so naturally such that even the forgetful readers won’t need a pause to remember their names. Kiddiot the cat, Savannah the ex-wife, and the interesting Mrs. Schmulowitz spread their influence in the story even when they take to the backstage, and Cordell’s urge to bring villains to justice grows stronger especially after his old Cessna plane is threatened. Probably someone is threatening him too, but this is his plane, the Ruptured Duck, a vital character in the story.

Cordell’s past indicates that he has worked and killed for his country through the secret agency codenamed Alpha. This makes the reader aware that he is a man no stranger to danger. But he is also a man struggling with his present, he struggles to pay bills, he does the right thing even when all the reasons are wrong, he also tries so much to be an honest Buddhist and balances everything with cynical wisdom, and wise-cracking humor. The cops work is convincing, and their procedures are true. Violence has the perfect mix of furious action, quiet desperation, and desperate flight. All the flight scenes in the story are filled with practicality and poetry born of David Freed’s love for language and airplanes.

A wealthy man’s daughter perished a couple of years ago, and the killer’s final words implicate someone else was involved. The mourning father wants some closure while the broke aviation instructor needs some cash. This thickens the plot. Seedy lifestyles are uncovered with the home of the tycoon, and a complex web of intrigue keeps you guessing. Changing your mind at one point and longing for the perpetrator to be brought to justice as more lives are threatened. Sharp dialogue, fast action blend with convincing characters, plot, and locations as another dark mystery is unraveled. There are plenty of dark mysteries series on the book market today, but David Freed mystery series shine bright with vivid contrasts, interesting humor and of course vivid scenes and details of the flight

One Response to “David Freed”

1. Candace Atwood: 2 years ago

   What an interesting life David Freed has had. I know he’s a busy man, but I sure would like to have another Cordell Logan novel. I’ve listened to all of them on Audible.

   Reply