by Archer Mayor
Part of Joe Gunther, book 7
First published 2013
A young girl presents detective Joe Gunther with an unusual find: a bird's nest constructed partly from human hair. This strange clue sets Gunther on a hunt to identify the hair's source and locate its owner. His investigation uncovers three troubling cases that appear unrelated at first glance. An unexplained death raises questions. A brutal killing demands answers. A person vanishes without warning. These incidents connect through a complex network involving corrupt city officials, blackmail schemes, and stolen industrial secrets. At the center stands a World War II veteran known as "The Ragman," his mind damaged by combat trauma. This troubled man possesses crucial information that could solve all three mysteries. Gunther must find a way to reach him and extract what he knows. Time works against the detective as the killer prepares to strike again. The investigation forces Gunther to navigate both the criminal underworld and the psychological wounds that war leaves behind.
Genres: mystery, crime, detective, psychological-thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: investigation, unreliable-narrator
Setting: World War II
Period: 20th-century
399 pages · Kindle Edition · MarchMedia LLC
Content warnings: mental-illness, war