Monkey in the Middle by Loren D. Estleman

Published by Forge Books on June 21, 2022

Hardboiled private detectives have always been a mainstay of crime fiction. They no longer dominate the field, but there are still a few fictional private eyes who are worth following. Loren D. Estleman’s long-running Amos Walker series is near the top of my list of current private eye stories that are worth a reader’s time.

Shane Southern is a researcher who worked for a successful but recently retired writer. Shane hires Amos under a pretext. Amos has a nose for pretext and, after accepting Shane’s retainer, follows him to learn what the man is really about. His investigation leads him to Abelia Hunt, a fugitive who stole some government secrets that the government wants back. The monkey in the middle is the one that hears no evil. The government does not want its secrets to be heard.

When a DIA agent searching for Abelia turns up dead, Amos has a murder mystery on his hands. The DIA agent’s partner, Abelia’s lawyer, a journalist, and a retired cop all play significant roles in the plot as Amos pieces the clues together.

A secondary plot begins with the death of Amos’ ex-wife. She died of cancer, but the man with whom she was living tells Amos that a blue Buick was following her in the last weeks of her life. Readers who understand how crime novels are constructed will suspect that there is a link between the surveillance of Amos’ former wife and the surveillance of Shane (and eventually Amos) by agents who are trying to find Abelia.

With its history of corruption and a pronounced gap between wealth and squalor, Detroit is a natural setting for a crime novel. An abandoned gas station that was once a thriving front for a criminal organization is the kind of landmark that adds the color of noir to Amos’ tale.

Estleman is a reliable storyteller who writes with flair. Amos’ office is decorated in “tasteful earth tones of dirty olive and oil spill.” Estleman’s evocative prose, his smart plot, and his atmospheric setting make Monkey in the Middle a good choice for fans of traditional private detective stories.

RECOMMENDED