Review: Deader by the Lake

This is the first Reno McCarthy mystery. Reno was once an investigative TV Reporter who was fired and is currently working at a radio station. His former boss and friend, Frank Hanratty, contacts Reno and asks him to help find a prostitute who claims to have clients in high level political and government jobs. She has contacted the TV station regarding selling her story but before they could meet with her she disappears a week earlier. Frank hints that if Reno can find the girl he might be able to get his old job back.

Reno suspects that there is more to the story than he is being told but is so desperate to get his job back that he accepts the job. Reno quickly finds the girl, however before he can contact Frank with the information, she winds up murdered with Reno on the scene. While everyone from Frank, to the police and the girl’s very politically powerful father try to get Reno to drop it and let the police handle the matter, Reno continues to look for the girl’s killer as he feels guilty for arriving too late to stop her death.

Reno and his bounty hunter friend Sunny and her employees keep turning up suspects the more they investigate in very high level places. The girl happened to also be the girlfriend of the head of the Chicago branch of the Russian Mob who has moved into town. Reno finds himself at odds with the local police force, the FBI terrorist unit and the Russian Mob while trying to solve this crime.

I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. Reno McCarthy is a truly interesting character along with his bounty hunter friend Sunny, whom I suspect might be headed towards a romantic involvement in the future. The vivid characters in the book, the description of the Russian Mob infiltrating a city and the beginnings of a mob war, along with the political implications of the book were all very well written and left me waiting for the next Reno McCarthy book to see where his next adventure takes him.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Gina Metz - RAM

Book Review: Deader by the Lake