Murder Book

When a sudden crime wave sweeps through several small Midwestern towns, the U.S. Attorney for the region asks Harry Duncan to look into it. Duncan is an ex-cop known for his unorthodox methods, and he is reluctant to take on a widespread criminal organization. But the U.S. Attorney is Ellen Leicester, the wife who left him fifteen years earlier, and he cannot say no to her.

He is brought in as a consultant to decide whether the racketeering is serious enough to justify a full FBI investigation. Duncan soon finds himself up against a syndicate far more violent than anyone suspected. As the case grows, he begins keeping a "murder book," the notebook in which a detective gathers records, interviews, photos and everything else needed to build a case.

But his scrutiny of the gang soon makes him a target, and Ellen too. The novel takes readers through a string of crime-ridden Midwestern towns, with sharply drawn characters, tightly written action and a fast-moving plot. It is by Thomas Perry, the author of The Old Man.