The Detective & the Pipe Girl

Finalist for the 2015 Nero Wolfe Award

Finalist for the 2015 Shamus Award

With a style as distinct as crime masters such as Elmore Leonard, Carl Hiassen, and Harlan Coben, Michael Craven delivers a richly atmospheric, humorous, fast-paced mystery that introduces unforgettable private eye John Darvelle and brilliantly captures the seductive mood and magnetism of Los Angeles.

Private Detective John Darvelle is a man of specific tastes--simple design, smart women, cheap American beer. He's a man of specific opinions--drive a car nobody can remember, avoid brunch at all costs, and don't live in Brentwood. And he adheres to his own professional code--an indelible blend of commitment, loyalty, and experience. He also plays a lot of ping-pong.

Arthur Vonz is one of Tinseltown's most powerful men, a filmmaker among the ranks of Spielberg, Coppola, and Kubrick. He hires Darvelle to find a young woman named Suzanne Neal, an incandescent beauty who just might be hiding something.

What starts as an easy assignment soon has Darvelle plunging deep into the seductive and hidden world of Hollywood's elite. A twisting, turning journey that puts him face-to-face with the LAPD, a ruthless underground crime operation, and a cold-blooded killer.

It's the case of a lifetime that could end his life.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
Published: 05/27/2014
ISBN: 9780062305596
Pages: 336
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 8.00h x 5.20w x 1.00d
Award: Shamus Award - Nominee

Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 04/07/2014
Library Journal 05/01/2014 pg. 58
Booklist 05/01/2014 pg. 30
Kirkus Reviews 05/01/2014
Shelf Awareness 05/30/2014