by Mary Aldrin

I love it. Ms. Aldrin has done an excellent job… This novel is pure P.I. genre.
—Tom Lipinski, Shamus Award winner

The characters are very realistic…the story is well-written and well-paced with vivid scenes…
—Patrick Picciarelli, author of Bloodshot Eyes

In this soft-boiled mystery, a wealthy financier is murdered, and Nora Pearl, homicide detective turned P.I., gets the opportunity to match wits with two rivals. Mavens, the lead police detective, has always been hostile toward her. Marty, Nora's unfaithful and soon to be ex-husband, was promoted over her, many say unfairly, to C.O. of Homicide. Mavens and Marty's prime suspect is the victim's wife. She hires Nora to investigate, and Nora jumps at the chance to prove herself the better man, so to speak.

Everyone has a motive—the brother who wants a bigger part of the family business, the ex-wife and former screen star whose income can't support her lifestyle, the drug addicted son who may not actually be the victim's son, the mistress who is all sexuality and ruthless ambition. Or could Mavens and Marty be right? As Nora delves into the case, she begins to fear her client might actually be the murderer.