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Summary
Summary
Keith Gilman's provocative debut is a dark and atmospheric tale of an ex-cop from Philadelphia who must face old ghosts. Louis Kline, PI, is asked to track down the missing teenage daughter of an old friend. In doing so, he uncovers truths about the alleged suicide of his friend, a fellow officer with the Philadelphia Police Department. They shared accusations that ended both their careers, and a love for the same woman. As Louis further investigates, he comes to understand the tortured life of the girl he's trying to find, and some truths about himself. Keith Gilman knows how cops think and he pulls back the curtain on a disturbing vision of a decaying urban world, haunted by shadows of deceit and death. Father's Day , a novel of great psychological depth and stark visual imagery, is a terrifying exploration of what lies at the heart of our deepest fears.
Author Notes
Keith Gilman has been a cop in the Philadelphia area for over fifteen years. He lives in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Some overly familiar situations, including a kidnap victim held in an abandoned warehouse and an unwilling patient kept at a remote sanitarium, undermine Gilman's otherwise promising debut, winner of the Minotaur Books/PWA Best First Private Eye Novel award. Former Philadelphia cop Louis Klein returns to the decaying and dangerous neighborhood he grew up in to help Sarah Blackwell-the widow of his old partner, Sam, who supposedly committed suicide-find her missing teenage daughter, Carol Ann. Klein and Sam vowed that if anything happened to one of them, the other would look after the partner's daughter. Klein, who has problems with his own feisty and impulsive daughter, navigates a bleak and unforgiving Philadelphia with grim bravado as he unravels the unsavory history of Carol Ann and her family. An impressive conclusion provides a serious jolt and appears to set Klein on the path to further gritty adventures. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Kirkus Review
An ex-cop must confront his past when he moves into his late mother's West Philly row home in Minotaur/PWA's Best First Private Eye Novel of 2009. First Lou Klein's stepfather, the only father he ever knew, was killed handling a domestic dispute in Logan. Then his partner Sam Blackwell took himself out with his service revolver after a traffic accident ended his employment by the Philadelphia Police Department. Lou's own 12-year career ended just as dramatically. Called by a neighbor who heard screams, he interrupted a pedophile mid-molestation with a swift crack to the skull that disabled the predator for life. The murder of his mother sent Lou into a self-imposed exile in the Poconos that ended only when his divorce made him crave something familiar. Now Blackwell's widow Sarah offers familiarity at a price. She wants him to find her daughter Carol Ann, a 20-something runaway whose hobbies are dope and dating degenerates. The other obstacles include Sarah's new husband Vince Trafficante, who owns the sleazy massage parlor where Carol last worked. Vince definitely doesn't want Carol found and sends out his best goon Tommy Ahearn to reinforce the point. But Lou has some folks in his corner too: Lieutenant Kevin Mitchell, a police-academy buddy who now runs the 19th District, and his daughter Maggie, who defies her mom in order to come live with Lou, exposing his vulnerability as well as his strength. Despite some awkward flashbacks, Gilman's debut keeps the tension strong while showing that Philadelphia isn't just about brotherly love. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Library Journal Review
Lou Klein, an ex-Philadelphia cop-turned-PI, returns to his old neighborhood and moves into his deceased mother's house. He has been asked to find the missing daughter of one of his oldest friends. Complications arise when Lou's own daughter comes to stay and bodies begin springing up all over Philadelphia with possible connections to his case. Narrated in a wise-old-guy tone that is matched by Lou's knack for getting under people's skin, this debut takes us on a roller-coaster ride of surprises. This winner of the Minotaur Books/PWA Best First Private Eye Novel competition is essential for fans of the genre. [Library marketing.] (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.