Up front let me mention that I'm friends with Ed, but I don't
think that changes the fact that every time I read one of
Ed's short stories or novels, I keep being reminded what a
pro this guy is. Ed's latest, Sleeping Dogs, features a
political consultant who's got the heart and soul of a
two-fisted hardboiled PI. The book takes places during a
Senate race, where our consultant (Dev) is trying to get his
guy reelected among a bunch of dirty tricks. The story
quickly goes from political campaign to mystery as Dev needs
to find out who slipped his guy a mickey before a televised
debate. More mysteries crop up--who killed a sleazebag trying
to blackmail the senator, and who now has the incriminating
evidence. As mentioned before, Ed's a pro who knows how to
ratchet up the suspense, and whose writing flows as well as
anybody's, including Lawrence Block's. This book came at the
right time--I'd been mired in a bunch of books I wasn't too
keen about, and any one looking for a solid, masterfully
written hardboiled PI mystery, you won't go wrong with this
one. Btw. Sleeping Dogs might have one of the worst covers
I've seen in a while--but that's the only flaw I could find
with this fine book.
Dave "Mildly-Peeved Dog" Zeltserman
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