Don't Ever Get Old: A Mystery (Buck Schatz Series, 1)

Daniel Friedman's first book, Don't Ever Get Old, is an unexpected gem. Buck Schatz is an 87 year-old Jewish long-retired police detective who gets involved with some criminal activity. He had a long decorated career with the Memphis Police Department, although he was a tough no-nonsense detective, who still holds the record for killing the most suspects as an officer in Memphis. Buck does not regret any of those killings because each of them was necessary. He is extremely opinionated and outspoken about things and people he likes or dislikes. That trait adds many interesting and amusing segments in the book. Buck is devoted to his wife and grandson, although his outspoken personality also manifests in those relationships. During World War II, Buck served his country and endured a torturous incarceration in a Nazi prison camp. Now he discovers that his torturer from that Nazi prison camp had escaped Germany with gold ingots and has been living in the US. With help from his grandson, Buck attempts to locate this fiend. However, his attempts seem to precipitate merciless and gruesome murders and beatings. This story is remarkable in many ways. Although Buck is a colorful tough no-nonsense ex-cop, his age is not ignored. He struggles to cope with his deteriorating body and mental condition, and the inevitability of his future demise. However, when he and his grandson become murder suspects he desperately struggles to solve the crimes that are somehow connected to his Nazi nemesis. He and his grandson are also targeted for murder and their survival is very doubtful. However, Buck always remembered some advice he had personally heard from President Dwight D. Eisenhower during the war - always hang on to your gun when all else is lost. He keeps his .357 magnum within reach as much as possible, and he is someone who perseveres until the end. I liked this book very much.

Enjoyable light reading from Daniel Friedman's debut novel. Flow and plot are steady with an unexpected twist at the close. The unique "Something I don't want to forget" which closed some of the chapters added a bit of rich texture to the stories' thread. Was disappointed in the flatness/personality predictability of the protagonist "Buck."I believe Friedman's decision to use "first person" from Buck's perspective was a major flaw in the narrative. This led to my greatest disappointment with the book. Being Jewish and from Memphs, I was hoping for an expanded view of the typical Southern Jewish community and how it molded people like Buck. Friedman missed the opportunity to develop personalities like Willie Gerber, the Jewish attorney that was one of the powers behind Boss Crump. Also, the atmosphere of "The Pinch" - the area that shaped the personalities of the Jewish old timers in that community. And to relate stories about folks like the famous welterweight boxer, Eddie "Kid" Wolfe", who fought Tony Cansoneri, the middleweight champion; and Rabbi Fruchter and his wife, Janet, who befriended the young Elvis Presley. Friedman also was deficient in developing Memphis, Beale Street, Memphis music, and the close relationship between the Memphis African American community and Memphis Jewish community.On the very positive side, the book was funny and fun to read. Look forward to his next effort.

I just want to know: WHY HASN’T THIS BOOK BEEN MADE INTO A MOVIE DIRECTED BY & STARRING CLINT EASTWOOD??!!!Loved the protagonist & his grandson. Deducted one star because the murders were gratuitously & unbelievably gruesome.

I stumbled upon this book here at Amazon and bought it as a gift for my dad because of the enthusiastic and convincing Amazon reviews. It helped that one of my dad's favorite mystery authors--Nelson DeMille--highly recommended it. Dad enjoyed this book so much I had to read it. It's one of the funniest books I've read. There is something funny on every page. The "detective" thinks all the rude things you think and are too polite to say in typical situations, but he usually says them. It's wonderfully cathartic to read this because you can enjoy being rude vicariously. I'm going to recommend this as a selection for our library mystery book club--wonderful to have an older 80-something protagonist. Keep him alive and solving more crimes

Out of the thousands of mystery/thriller options available on any given day, this one is worth the money. The grandson character is "meh", there are way too many (ridiculous) bad guys to chose from, but the grandpa is fabulous. Unfortunately, I don't know how the author will ever turn this into a series because poor Buck is already on his last leg, but it doesn't matter.As a stand alone novel, this one will have you chuckling even though you will have probably figured out the punch line well before Buck, (but, since he is 88, you should have).

An 87 year old retired detective is the unlikely protagonist of this unusual story. His sense of humor, underlined by loss and World War Nazi horrors carry the reader quickly and interestingly through the book. Action abounds and his grandson facilitates his detective work although at the end he shows he can still get physical.A fascinating read.

The more I read, the more I enjoyed this book. The entanglement of getting old, multiple mysteries, humor from many directions and a grandfather/ grandson relationship give the reader hours of enjoyment. I loved it and the best was the grandson’s nick name.

Author touches every oldie cliche in a pretty entertaining detective story. The relationship between Buck and the rest of the world rings pretty true. It is not any fun to get old and when it happens to you, you won't care what the world thinks either. I'm sorry old Buck is 87. He may have had his last adventure unless somebody steals his teeth in the new assisted living apartment.

Whodonits arrive in many shapes; the formulas, however, do not stray from the usual very often, and the usual was set down by Agatha Christie. Friedman had the vision and courage to leave the expected path by marrying two unusualthemes, jewishness and old age. The first with insight and humour, the second with surprising understanding. Not an easy formula, but one he should keep deepening. I would have welcomed an occasional litterary flourish, if he keeps at it these will come.

Friedman propone un cóctel de tópicos neoyorquinos (detective judío - y jubilado, fumador empedernido y opuesto al alcalde "Mami" Bloomberg, egoista y cascarrabias, recuerdos de la Segunda guerra mundial y de los nazis, etc.) y de moda, como el envejecimiento paulatino de la sociedad estadounidense ("panteras grises", etc.). Felizmente, lo hace con una dosis saludable de ironía y autoderisión y la aparente caricatura revela una reflexión de mayor alcance. Buena novela policíaca. Sin embargo, me quedo con la quinta estrella por el aspecto "Papi vuelve a las andadas", algo cursi y ausente, por ejemplo, de la novela de Jonasson.

Friedman a fait un cocktail de lieux communs new-yorkais (policier retraité, juif, acariâtre, rancunier, égoïste, fumeur opiniâtre malgré son maire, "Mamie" Bloomberg) et à la mode (vieillissement graduel de la société américaine, "panthères grises", souvenirs de la Seconde guerre mondiale et des nazis). Heureusement pour nous, il y a mis de bonnes doses d'ironie et d'auto-dérision. Ce qui semble, au début, une caricature assez lourdingue débouche graduellement, sur des situations et des propos qui peuvent mener à des réflexions d'une autre portée. Je retiens la cinquième étoile en raison du côté "Pépé fait encore des siennes", un peu cul-cul à mon goût (ce qui n'était pas le cas dans "Le vieux qui ne voulait pas fêter son anniversaire", de Jonasson).

Daniel Friedman offre à ses lecteurs un nouveau type de détective, Buck Schatz, quatre-vingt ans bien sonnés qui ne nous ne épargne pas toutes ses douleurs et peurs liées à l'âge,ses jambes flageolantes et son horreur des hôpitaux; mais voilà, Schatz est pétri d'humour politiquement incorrect et avec l'aide de son petit-fils Tequila, il va être amené à résoudre une affaire qui le renvoie à la fin de la seconde guerre mondiale : la tête et les jambes, l'expérience et les méthodes à l'ancienne versus la génération Internet. A lire absolument: un bain de jouvence !

Original but not very satisfying for middle-aged readers.