Older than Goodbye -- Richard Helms

Richard Helms is a Derringer winner (in two categories), a winner of the Thriller award for best short story, and a Shamus nonimee.  So you know you're in good hands when you pick up one of his stories or novels to read.  

Older than Goodbye is Helms' third novel about police chief Judd Wheeler, who works in the small town of Prosperity, North Carolina.  It starts off with a bang, and instead of a twist ending, you could say that it has a twist opening.  And things get even better after that.  There's a murder and a mysterious disappearance, but what really complicates Wheeler's life is a reappearance, that of Shug Burch, once Wheeler's best friend.  Friendships can fray when, as in Burch's case, your best friend sends you to prison for rape, but Burch isn't just your run-of-the mill ex-con.  He's become a country singing star.

Unfortunately for Shug, his stardom is tarnished by his involvement with some very bad people.  This doesn't bode well for either him or his former best friend, and it all leads up to a bloody confrontation in the final chapters.

Older than Goodbye has great characters and atmosphere, along with plenty of action.  Check it out.