Primary Beneficiary

David Tackett
Insurance Fraud Publishing (2007)
ISBN 9781424319381
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (10/07)


In “Primary Beneficiary” David Tackett spins a yarn that takes the reader from a small town high school sports arena in Hot Springs, Arkansas to the corporate offices of the Premiere Insurance Company of America. David provides glimpses into the back room of a booking office, clandestine meetings in dimly lit booths with mafia members, a behind the scenes look at the horse races, as well as insights into the inner workings of the insurance business.

Tackett has developed a strong cast of colorful characters.  The plot unfolds through dialog and back flashes. These help the reader become intimately acquainted with the thought processes, motives, and weaknesses of the main players.

Bradley Clevenger was the star tail back on the football team at Hot Springs high school for three years. Bright, athletic, and likeable Bradley was the hero of the high school, and toast of the town. 

Tony La Tour struggled with his class work but had a knack for getting others to do his work.  Tony lived the law of the jungle.  He grew up in a gambling family and learned how to book races at an early age.

Ricky Alexander loved basketball.  He married Rebecca, an attractive cheerleader. After high school graduation Ricky left Hot Springs to go to Lawrence, Kansas to get into the cattle business. Over the years he developed a gambling problem and was soon deep in debt.

David weaves a tale of greed, deceit, crime, and cunning around the lives of these three young men.  A sports injury in Bradley’s junior year at the University ended his sports career. Ambitious and eager Bradley was soon established in his own Insurance Agency in Hot Springs.

Tony’s continued to develop his booking skills and became an expert at the daily racing form and a regular fixture at the Oaklawn Park. As a sideline he provided his under age high school acquaintances with liquor, cigarettes, and other entertainment, sidelines and benefits, for a price.  In his mid twenties he got involved with bigger drug deals.  After a drug deal gone wrong Tony found himself in debt to the Mafia for $ 200,000.

Desperate for money, Tony came up with a plan.  He contacted Bradley at his newly established insurance office. Rick Alexander and Tony La Tour had kept in contact after high school. Tony
 often fronted Rick’s cattle deals.  Rebecca, Rick’s wife recognized these as Rick’s gambling downfall. After a Jayhawk’s basketball game against the Kansas State Wildcats Rick met with an untimely death. 

“Primary Beneficiary” depicts a story of insurance fraud, one of the fastest growing crimes in America today.  David Tackett, successful in an insurance career of his own, is well qualified to provide the background for this intriguing novel.  David has chosen to use his home town as the setting for the story. This gives authenticity to a fast paced complex story of revenge, retribution, and reward.

Make comment on weblog