The Bystander

By: John David

Narrated by: P.J. Ochlan

It wasn't just another live shot . . .

TV reporter Pete Lemaster anticipates nothing more riveting than filming a short lifestyle segment for an upcoming college football rivalry when he arrives at the Jacksonville Waterfront pregame tailgate party. Then chaos erupts as a bystander stops an active shooter with an act of stunning bravery. And Pete suddenly holds a golden career opportunity in his hands—an exclusive video that goes viral.

With the citizen hero's star rising among the Second Amendment folk, Pete, too, enjoys the perks of fame. But something about that now-famous moment feels off, so he uses his journalism skills to poke around. Suddenly, he's not sure what he captured is the truth.

And now opportunistic political and media figures are threatening Pete's life if he doesn't back off. Can he blow the whistle on a coverup, out the real villain, and stay alive?

The Bystander combines the twists and turns of Catherine Steadman's Something in the Water with a bit of Carl Hiaasen's Florida snark.

©2025 John David

Fun and fast read

Good mystery with an interesting twist. Fun dialogue and the perfect book for a road trip.