First published 2019
Aloysius Archer walks out of Carderock Prison in 1949 with a parole officer's strict rules ringing in his ears. The World War II veteran heads to Poca City, where he's supposed to stay out of bars, avoid alcohol, and find honest work. Instead, he lands in a tavern on his first night, accepting what looks like easy money from businessman Hank Pittleman. Archer's job seems simple: collect a debt from a man who owes Hank money. But the debtor harbors a violent hatred for Hank and refuses to pay. Hank's mistress starts playing her own games with Archer. Miss Crabtree, his parole officer, watches his every move. When someone gets murdered right in front of him, the police immediately suspect the ex-convict. Archer knows another trip to prison awaits unless he can prove his innocence and find the real killer.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, crime, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Carderock Prison, Poca City
Period: 1949
433 pages · Kindle Edition · Grand Central Publishing
Content warnings: violence