Jane Shoup Pedestals

Pedestals

Jane Shoup

Echelon, Jul 2005,

ISBN: 1590804260

In 1998 Jack Wilmont is tired after fifteen years as a cop, somewhat from the work but more so from his personal life as his past year has been the year in hell. His father, who walked out forty years ago, suddenly reappeared as he wanted benediction from his son before dying. His long time partner Carson took a bullet and is on disability. His girlfriend Elaine dumped him. With all this eating at him, Jack informs his boss Captain Chester Whitesel that he going on a six month sabbatical.

Chester asks Jack to handle one last case, the disappearance of nine-year old Cassie Bennett-Lee whose guardian Cameron raises the child. Although the biological parents live nearby; neither is interested in their child's well-being. Jack wants to ignore the case and that of a dormant serial killer who has resurfaced, but admires Cammie so he makes inquiries concentrating on the divorced parents. He gets Carson to help him with the missing kid but struggles with the FBI take over and butchering of the serial killer inquiry so Jack delays his leave until he finishes both cases.

What makes PEDESTALS a refreshing exciting police procedural is the attitude of a bone wary dedicated cop who knows that he can no long give it his best. Still as his superior, who knows Jack, insists, he remains one of the elite guns so Jack reluctantly investigates two cases, one because he is attracted to and admires the dedicated guardian and the other because he knows the Feds are failing and someone will die because of that. Jane Shoup provides a top echelon mystery that readers will cherish and want Jack and Carson to star in future tales.

Harriet Klausner