This is the third book in the series about a New York cop named McQuaid. I have the paperback edition of the first, and I've never read the second. I might have to remedy that.
The book opens with McQuaid agreeing, against his better judgment, to do a favor for a woman he doesn't know. He winds up spending the night in her apartment, and partially because of fatigue and partially because of having had too much to drink, he falls into a deep sleep on her couch. When he wakes up the next day, the woman has been murdered.
McQuaid knows nobody's going to believe his story, so he calls in sick and begins to try to solve the case himself. He figures he has two days before anyone finds the body, so the clock is ticking. He identifies his primary suspect pretty quickly, and the cover gives you a clue about what's going to happen. The suspect is an expert chess player. McQuaid isn't, but he's about to be involved in an intricate game. All he has to do is stay cool (not easy in New York in August) and not go crazy. It's not easy.
This is a very different cop novel. Now I have to look around for the middle book in the series.
5 comments:
I've been a fan of Shepard Rifkin's work, too. Very underrated writer.
I thought I had read this one but apparently not, though I read McQUAID back in 1975. I loved his THE MURDERER VINE, which Hard Case Crime reprinted several years ago.
Jeff
I also read his non series LADYFINGERS but don't remember anything about it.
Jeff
I remember that I liked it, but that's all.
OK, I ordered the second book (THE SDNOW RATTLERS). My library has #3.
Jeff
Post a Comment