by Karen White
First published 2008
These nineteen crime tales move across American landscapes and eras. In "Skinhead Central," T. Jefferson Parker follows a retired ex-cop who discovers danger lurking in his peaceful retirement haven. Alafair Burke's "Winning" centers on a female police officer who survives an attack on duty, then must shield her husband from his own destructive urges. Edward D. Hoch presents a police academy hopeful who destroys his career prospects while solving a case in "Friday Night Luck." Michael Connelly contributes an unpublished Harry Bosch story called "Father's Day," where the detective confronts the emotionally devastating investigation of a child's death. The collection spans from twentieth century Hawaii to the post Civil War American West, from Los Angeles smog to Idaho forests. Each story follows law enforcement officers who risk everything to confront criminals, though some officers drift toward the criminal behavior they fight against.
Genres: short-stories, mystery, crime
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: criminal-investigation, police-officer
Setting: America, Hawaii, American West, Los Angeles, Idaho
Period: 20th Century, 21st Century, Post Civil War
Audio CD · Tantor Media Inc