Father's Day-Keith Gilman

Father's Day
Keith Gilman
Minotaur, May 2009, $24.95
ISBN 9780312383657

Louis Klein and Sam Blackwell were partners on the Philadelphia Police Department. Knowing how dangerous their jobs were, they not just had each other’s back, they vowed to take care of each others dependents if something happened to one of them. Sam ultimately committed suicide while Louis left the force.

Sam’s widow Sarah begs Louis to help her. Her teenage daughter, Carol Ann has disappeared somewhere on the streets of Philadelphia. Mindful of his vow to Sam and having a free spirited daughter of his own, Louis begins the search for Carol Ann, but soon finds out some sleazy information about the Blackwell family.

Though some of the crime scenes detract form an otherwise terrific investigative Noir as they have been overused in books and movies, FATHER’S DAY will hook readers once Klein works the mean streets of the City of Brotherly Love. Klein makes the tale work as he is propelled to find Sam’s daughter as much from their joint vows as from the nightmarish thought that this could be his late partner searching for his offspring. Fans will agrees FATHER’S DAY is a worthy winner of the Minotaur Books/PWA Best First Private Eye Novel award.

Harriet Klausner