"Dark urban noir supernatural private investigative story"
Private Investigator Jimmy Miles attends Joel Kinsey's
Mensa: a Night of Mystery Party at a Malibu mansion. At
the event, his host introduces him to Jean Kantke, who
wants to hire him to find out whether in 1977 her father,
an assistant district attorney, really killed her mother
and her lover. He always swore until he died in the gas
chamber in 1992 that he was innocent. Jean knows that
there is something different about Jimmy, who only takes
an occasional case and not always for money. She doesn't know that he's a Sailor, a person who died but
still retains his human form except to those who knew him
when he was alive. They see a different face when they
look at him. He never ages and doesn't need sleep.
Though alive, he can't be killed although he can be hurt
or injured. Nobody could be better suited to find out the
truth about Jean's family than him because he has to deal
with some very nasty people, including other dangerous
Sailors. This dark urban noir supernatural private investigative
story is different, quirky and scary because nobody,
including the Sailors, knows why they still live or what
they have to do to be at rest. Jimmy is a refreshingly
original character who seems at peace with his state of
affairs and helps others like himself when they first
become aware of what has happened. This reviewer hopes
that the protagonist stars in other novels because he is a
complex person whose realm is interesting and his solving
a case a delight to observe. Dan Vining has made a niche
in the urban noir world that readers will love. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted May 3, 2004
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