Double Dead: A Steve Harlan Mystery

By Terry Hoover

Book Overview

John Lattimore, a banker, is arrested for the murder of his mistress Delores Green. Former newspaper reporter Steve Harlan is eking out a living as a private investigator. He races to unearth evidence... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1594145873
• ISBN13: 9781594145872
• Release Date: January 2007
• Publisher: Five Star (ME)
• Length: 357 Pages
• Weight: 1.27 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.4" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Great read!

Fast paced thriller that is hard to put down. Provides a glimpse into the past (1961) with many memories for baby boomers. Looking forward to the next in the series.

Double Dead

It's the `60s and tension is high between John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Fidel Castro, the cold war is raging, and you can buy a bomb shelter in a kit. But in the small town of Charlotte, North Carolina, life is slow and easy until John Lattimore, one of the town's most esteemed members, is arrested for murdering his girlfriend, Delores Green. Lattimore claims he found Delores's dead body at his cabin and simply brought her home, but he made one grave mistake. He bullied Delores's son, Greg, into helping him create the impression she died of natural causes. But 200+ bruises over Delores's body prove otherwise. Former newspaper reporter Steve Harlan has set up office as a private investigator and is barely making ends meet. When Lattimore's defense attorney asks Steve to investigate Delores's death, this offer seems like a godsend. Steve learns Delores was an alcoholic and took prescription medicine, and this becomes Lattimore's defense. Although Steve does not believe Lattimore is innocent, his investigation leads him to a gas station robbery in a nearby town and back to Lattimore's cabin, where danger awaits. Hoover's Southern ambiance and dialect read true to the time and place. Harlan is a likeable character, a man of principle whose first priority is his family. This debut in the Steve Harlan mystery series is a fast-paced whodunit with plenty of red herrings and suspense.

A must read book

I've been longing for a good male PI for a while now. Steve Harlan more than fills the bill. Hoover is destined to rank among the likes of Hammett and Parker. From the first page through to the last Steve Harlan peels back the layers of this thriller and his complex character until, at the end, we are left with only the highly polished pearl of truth.

Unforgettable from the first scene

"Double Dead" plops the reader down in a hot, sultry summer and a 1960s murder in a South those who flock to Charlotte for modern-day jobs at the big banks might not recognize. Visiting Charlotte in that time and place is a real treat. Hoover takes the seeds of history and weaves a suspenseful tale that will have you hooked from the first scene. Did he ... or didn't he? The courtroom scenes will have you reaching for a cardboard funeral home fan in hopes of generating a cool breeze. The details are finely wrought, and newspaper-reporter-turned-PI Steve Harlan is a real hero -- the kind of guy who takes care of his family and loves his wife and fights for right. Trouble is, it's hard sometimes to know what's right. Come sit for a spell and enjoy!

Hoover delivers a southern mystery even a Yankee could love!

Hoover's use of period and regional dialect, compounded with her extensive knowledge of southern and Charlottean culture, makes for a delicious read. This story is so well balanced, residents of Charoltte and the surrounding region will be drawn into a story with local landmarks and references, while non-locals will be treated to a mystery even a Connecticut Yankee would love!!