Michael Koryta A Welcome Grave

A Welcome Grave

Michael Koryta

St. Martin's, Jul 2007, $23.95

ISBN: 0312340117

In Cleveland, in a fit of jealousy enhanced by the man's superior airs Lincoln Perry assaulted influential affluent attorney Alex Jefferson. His actions led to his dismissal from the Cleveland Police Department and he still lost the woman as his beloved former wife Karen married Alex. Lincoln moves on becoming a private investigator ruing his foolishness.

However, Lincoln soon has a new reason to rue his temper fit when someone brutally murders Alex. The police immediately think of Lincoln whose motive remains jealousy as the homicide looks like it was performed by a raging culprit. However, unable to say no to Karen, he agrees to search for Jefferson's estranged son Matt although that makes him look guiltier to the cops investigating the murder. He finds the lad in Indiana only to have Matt commit suicide in front of him. Now the police suspect Lincoln for murdering the father and the son all because they assume he still holds the torch for Karen and ergo will do anything for this "femme fatale" especially with millions involved.

Lincoln is terrific in his third urban noir case (see TONIGHT I SAID GOODBYE and SORROWS ANTHEM) is personal as he is the prime and only suspect in the murder of Alex and the questionable (by the cops that is) suicide of Matt. The story line is fast-paced as the police assume Karen is a femme fatale black widow who uses Lincoln as her tool to get Jefferson's millions. Fans of hard boiled detectives will want to read the escapades of Lincoln Perry has he struggles to expedite himself from quite a mess.

Harriet Klausner