Reggie Nadelson, Disturbed Earth

Disturbed Earth By Reggie Nadelson

The jogger running near Coney Island finds blood stained clothing. The Special Unit Dealing with Kids Crimes chief Sonny Lippert is disturbed by the apparent crime scene because he has been involved with similar and now cold cases like this one. Bloody clothing belonging to a preadolescent, a nearby hole, and no corpse at the locale, but the body turns up elsewhere later. He orders Detective Artie Cohen to help with the inquiry officially because he can speak Russian so will foster communication with the local community, but unofficially because he trusts him unlike the rest of law enforcement involved in the case.

Artie would like nothing to do with the case, but knows he must become involved especially with the Russian community that is his heritage. When a possible second child homicide occurs, the city, still under siege mentally and physically from 9/11, goes berserk. With a storm coming, Artie realizes that his godson Billy is missing and could be the next victim of an apparent serial killer.

This series is one of the best urban police procedurals on the market today as Reggie Nadelson combines a deep look at the Russian communities living in the Brooklyn Spit beaches with a top rate investigation. Artie is a terrific protagonist whose barbs lighten a tense tale at just the right moments. The investigation is fabulous as readers watch Artie turn desperate as the child he loves like a son has gone missing.

Harriet Klausner