RARA-AVIS: Sleeping Dogs by Ed Gorman

From: Dave Zeltserman ( dave@hardluckstories.com)
Date: 12 May 2008


Up front let me mention that I'm friends with Ed, but I don't think that changes the fact that every time I read one of Ed's short stories or novels, I keep being reminded what a pro this guy is. Ed's latest, Sleeping Dogs, features a political consultant who's got the heart and soul of a two-fisted hardboiled PI. The book takes places during a Senate race, where our consultant (Dev) is trying to get his guy reelected among a bunch of dirty tricks. The story quickly goes from political campaign to mystery as Dev needs to find out who slipped his guy a mickey before a televised debate. More mysteries crop up--who killed a sleazebag trying to blackmail the senator, and who now has the incriminating evidence. As mentioned before, Ed's a pro who knows how to ratchet up the suspense, and whose writing flows as well as anybody's, including Lawrence Block's. This book came at the right time--I'd been mired in a bunch of books I wasn't too keen about, and any one looking for a solid, masterfully written hardboiled PI mystery, you won't go wrong with this one. Btw. Sleeping Dogs might have one of the worst covers I've seen in a while--but that's the only flaw I could find with this fine book.

Dave "Mildly-Peeved Dog" Zeltserman



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