WRONG LIGHT

5 stars out of 5

This is the fifth book in a series with which I'm unfamiliar, but the description sounded right up my alley. It got that close and then some; I absolutely loved it and am hoping the next one will be heading up my street before too long. Private detective Rick Cahill is the perfect combination of a flawed (sometimes seriously) but likable character, and the straightforward, no-nonsense plot is a refreshing change from the head games of many of today's thrillers that leave you thinking, "What just happened here?"

At no time, I must add, did I feel the least bit left out because I hadn't read the previous books; in fact, I was impressed with the subtle effectiveness in which the author provides background details (that's not to say, however, that finishing this one didn't make me wish I'd heard about the series much earlier). In this one, told in first-person narrative, we first "meet" Rick as he listens to the sultry, soothing voice of "Naomi at Night" offering consolation and advice to midnight callers to her popular radio show. She's been the subject of somewhat veiled threats, and the station's bigwigs have hired Rick to investigate as surreptitiously as possible to avoid negative media attention.

As the story progresses, we learn that he's a former Santa Barbara, California, cop who once managed a restaurant. As for Naomi, it seems she, too, has a background that she doesn't want anyone else to know about; although the police were shown the latest threatening letter, they claimed there was insufficient evidence to take on the case - making Naomi, who has gone to great lengths to protect her real identify - very happy. When the gun she owns illegally is stolen, she of course doesn't file a police report and insists that Rick keep her secret as well.

Meantime, Rick is forced to deal with issues from his own past - a detente with a Russian mobster and his viciously dangerous daughter suddenly returns to haunt him, demanding repayment of a favor owed. Especially given that he's no fan of the local police, he's limited in who he can call for help (happily, one of his old buddies, Moira, still likes him enough to help with both his investigations, albeit reluctantly). But when Rick's actions result in a young woman's abduction, he's got no choice but to go to the cops - and they're not thrilled to have his nose in their business again.

As Rick's investigation continues with help from Moira, his lack of a perfect moral compass rears its head on several occasions (making the story, and Rick, far more interesting, IMHO). Finally, both cases come to exciting, though not necessarily happy, endings - leaving me, as I mentioned earlier, wanting more. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read an advance copy.

Wrong Light by Matt Coyle (Oceanview Publishing, December 2018); 352 pp.