Listened: "Midnight Rambler" by James Swain

Listened: Midnight Rambler by James Swain, 2007, Overdrive download.

I read a review when this come out and wanted to read the book I never got around to it. There are a lot of books like that.

Jack Carpenter is an asshole and disgraced police detective in south Florida.  He lost his job after a vicious beating on a suspected serial killer. His anger and crap attitude drove his wife away and he has few friends left in the police department.

The crook Carpenter clobbered killed a corps of cuties.  Carpenter specialized in missing persons cases and knew each of the Skells victims through work. Simon Skell was only convicted of one killing and the victim never found.  Six months after Skel's imprisonment that victim shows up buried in her sister's back yard. Buried with the woman is possible evidence the sister's pimp boyfriend killed her.  Skell is angling to be set free from prison.

Carpenter currently works as a private investigator and still helps police departments with missing persons cases.  Carpenter has been dragged over the coals by the media as a vicious, evil copper for beating Skell. Photographic evidence of Skell's injuries was splayed across the papers and TV and many people recognize him. A local radio host regularly features Carpenter as his kicking boy.

Carpenter gets involved in trying to find out who buried the victim. Carpenter drives around with his dog in Carpenter's car. (I wrote "Carpenter's car" just in case you thought the dog had a car.) An FBI agent comes and talks with Carpenter, they join forces. Carpenter is against a deadline of Skell being released. Carpenter uncovers a ring of pedophile and sex crime killers.  When one of Skell's surviving victims, who testified against Skell, is captured.Carpenter is under pressure to rescue her.

The pressure is on as Carpenter helps find a kidnapped child in Disney World, races from bad guy to bad guy trying to find the missing woman.

Comments:
1. Gratuitous Colt 1908 love.
2. Gratuitously bad handgun shooting by Carpenter. The FBI Agent is disgusted with Carpenter's marksmanship.
3. I liked the book. Good thing it's a series.
4. Carpenter is driven to stop Skel and has let go of his manners, good taste, and consideration for others.