Two recent crime novels by Michigan authors have heroes with answers at their fingertips — if they don’t get them cut off first!
There’s violence galore, with nasty villains and controversial topics that could be taken straight from today’s headlines.
“Shadowland” by Lansing writer Richard Lassin (self-published, pb $20) deals with a variety of subjects not intended for younger readers.
Former detective Dana Andrews gets involved when a young woman’s body is recovered from Lansing’s Red Cedar River. Andrews contacts her friend, former U. S. Marshall Dalton McKenna. Together, with other not-so-squeaky-clean associates, they follow their own guidelines to track down the perpetrators of crimes of sexual exploitation involving women and children.
The highly atmospheric tale has numerous scenes in East Lansing and Lansing; one very likable character is an antique shop owner in REO Town.
Serious attempts to quell the investigation are made by crooked oil executives and politicians who have a lot to lose if the truth is uncovered.