DOOMED LEGACY

5 stars out of 5

In this series installment, the ninth, P.I. Rick Cahill is struggling with the worsening effects of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE for short) and not so happily earning his keep mostly behind a desk. His wife Leah and young daughter Krista live with him in San Diego, but Leah's successful business remains in Santa Barbara - a bit too far away for commuting very often. They're trying to make things work, but clearly, the only one truly happy with the situation is Krista, who's too young to care. Rick is especially worried, since he has yet to tell Leah about the frightening direction his disease seems to be taking.

While Leah and Krista are back in Santa Barbara, where they live with Leah's parents, Rick gets a call from Sara Bhanderis, his contact at Fulcrum Security, a client for which he conducts background checks on potential employees. She tries to convey her concern over some altered background reports done by a newly hired but suspiciously shady company, but for the most part Rick blows her off because he's worried about the future of his marriage. Shortly thereafter, Sara is murdered - with all clues pointing to her being the victim of an on-the-loose serial rapist.

Soon thereafter, Sara's sister, who (like Rick) isn't convinced the serial rapist is the culprit, hires him to investigate. Once he starts to dig in at Fulcrum, though, the company fires him as a P.I. firm on what Rick knows is a trumped-up reason. That, in turn, gets him fired by Sara's sister - but Rick being Rick (and needing something to occupy his time while he worries about the status of his marriage), he calls in old friend and partner Moira to help.

I can't exactly say all's well that ends well, but the case gets both involved and resolved as a result of some highly effective sleuthing by Rick and Moira. All told, it's another easy-to-read, attention-holding story. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Another one well done!

Doomed Legacy by Matt Coyle (Oceanview Publishing, November 2022); 359 pp.