Reading a Dave Bandstetter novel is like watching a master untangle a mess, one knot at a time, until all the threads come loose. Mystery solved. And no one does it better than Dave.

This time it’s the murder of Ben Orton, the man who was The Law in a small town in California. Authorities have their suspect, who had publicly threatened to kill the man; only Dave doesn’t think he was the one who killed him. Coupled with that is some serious life-or-death health problems with his dad and some major commitment problems with his partner Doug that are becoming hard to ignore. Is it any wonder the poor man hasn’t gotten much sleep?

The number of suspects in this one kept me guessing until the end, which I love. But what really has me intrigued is Cecil, a young man who connects with Dave in the book and interestingly, seems to have something going on with his past and his family, if the ending is indicative of what is to come. I can’t wait. Glad to know that the next in the series is on its way to me.