Trigger City: A Novel

Sean Chercover

Sep 2008 · Harper Collins

About this ebook

The facts:

A lonely woman was murdered by her disturbed coworker.

The police have investigated. The case is closed.

But facts are not truth.

A routine investigation of an open-and-shut case is just what PI Ray Dudgeon needs to recover from the physical and emotional consequences of confronting the Chicago Outfit—until "routine" spirals out of control. The victim was no quiet, unassuming, unlucky single woman; she lived a double life in the shadowy realm of covert intelligence . . . and she died for the truth. Suddenly, Ray's ensnared in a conspiracy of darkness that weaves its way through the very fabric of the nation, and in grave danger of becoming collateral damage in America's war on terror. And his greatest enemy may be himself.

Ratings and reviews

This is a follow up to "Big City, Bad Blood," with P.I. Ray Dudgeon reluctantly accepting a case to find out what was behind Joan Richmond's recent murder by Steven Zhang. Joan's father, Isaac, a retired army colonel, tells Ray that he needs closure. He had been speaking to Joan, she left to answer the door and was killed by Zhang. Zhang then went to his own home, apologized to his wife over the phone and committed suicide. Through Ray's best friend, reporter, Terry Green, Ray finds that Joan's prior employer was H.M.Nichols, military contractors. There are rumors of assassinations and sabotage by the company employees. Joan ran the payroll dept. and now a congressional committee is looking into the company's billing practices. Joan was scheduled to testify to the committee. When Ray speaks to the man in charge of Nichols, he's given a cursory meeting and introduced to Blake Sten, VP of corporate security. He attempts to intimidate Ray without success. What Ray and his buddy, Gravedigger, surmise is that Steve Zhang found something in the company's computer files. Sten fires Zhang with a fabricated story and soon both Joan and Zhang are dead. I was captivated by this story. Not only is Ray a good detective, showing his knowledge and intelligence but he also shows his shortcomings in his not being able to give up on his girlfriend, being aflicted with a bad shoulder and making mistakes that have a fatal result for two characters. Critics agree: "Trigger City" has had the following: Agatha Award nominee: 2009 Barry Award nomination: 2009 Crimespree Award, Favorite Book of 2008 Dilys Award

Had to put it down for work and the occasional meal, but it was always hard to do. More great characters, another tightly woven plot, and still more incite into the less commercial side of the hometown. Definitely worth a read.

A little disjointed but I enjoyed it

About the author

Formerly a private investigator in Chicago and New Orleans, Sean Chercover has since written for film, television, and print. His first novel, Big City, Bad Blood, won and was nominated for numerous awards. He lives in Chicago and Toronto, and the commute is killing him.