Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner
East of A
Russell Atwood
Class/Genre: Mystery Noir Private Investigator
Ballantine, Feb 1999, $22.00, 224 pp.
After testifying in a child custody case in Syracuse for the last nine days, private investigator Payton Sherwood buses home to New York City. When he reaches his office-home in the East Village, he feels life is good because no one broke into his house. Without changing form his suit, Payton goes to the nearest convenience store to buy some milk and cereal. On the way back, he intercedes when three thugs accost a teenage girl. For being a Good Samaritan, the three punks kick him from head to toe.
When he regains consciousness, Payton realizes that his $3500 gold Rolex watch was stolen during the incident. Besides the principle of the thing, Payton wants just about his only thing of value returned. He traces the girl, who turns out to be a homeless runaway named Gloria Manlow. Though he catches up to her by journeying through the bowels of the city, he soon finds himself working a much bigger case that places his life in jeopardy.
EAST OF A is well written urban Noir that brings alive the eats Village and surrounding neighborhoods of Manhattan. Payton is a great new entry in the sleuthing world (he has previously appeared in a short story). The story line is quirky and different. Fans will want more works from Russell Atwood, starring Payton in the city.
Harriet Klausner
Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner
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