Norman Green, Sick Like That

Sick Like That

Norman Green

Minotaur, Mar 30 2010, $25.99

ISBN: 9780312385439

While her employer private investigator Marty Stiles is in rehab following a gunshot wound that has left him wheelchair bound and without a will to live; Alessandra "Al" Martillo takes charge of the office. She assigns the tedious tasks to office receptionist Sarah Waters, but also takes the newcomer out into the field. Sarah searches for a dying wealthy client Mrs. West's estranged stepson Jake. Al seeks Sarah's ex-husband, Frank, who vanished after informing his former wife he scored a terrific job that sounded suspiciously too good.

Sarah's simple job takes a nasty turn while Al finds herself surrounded by law enforcement when Frank becomes a person of interest by NYPD and the Feds. Each Brooklynite struggles with their respective case but reacts differently.

Although both females are from Brooklyn and kick butt, they are different and thus their particular subplot handled radically dissimilar. Al and Sarah make the tale work as their nominal boss Marty may have seen his Last Gig. Readers will appreciate this exciting double dose female noir as the dual searches don't quite go by the book as written by Norman Green.

Harriet Klausner