Desperate Detroit and Stories of Other Dire Places

March 1, 2016
Estleman, well known to mystery fans for his hard-boiled Amos Walker detective series, is also a master of short fiction. This collection represents some of the best of 40 years' output, all of which has previously appeared in magazines and anthologies. Estleman supplies each with an introduction that will give readers some insight into the story's inspiration and intent. They are all immensely enjoyable, and highlights include a tale in which Estleman's hit man, Peter Macklin, takes a job to restock his bank account after a hiatus. In another, Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde get a genuinely creepy update. Evil Grows is an erotic thriller in the tradition of James M. Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice. A Web of Books and The Tree on Execution Hill both feature Avery Sharecross, the seemingly ineffectual owner of a little bookstore in a New Mexico burgh. He'd be a fun character for a novel. Estleman's long-form fiction is very popular (he has multiple series going); his fans will get a serious kick out of this collection.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)