Killing Frost

by Ron Tierney

Overview

At seventy-two years old, Deets Shanahan is ready to ‘check out’ and embrace old age. But, it seems his body (still functioning – just – after a bout of cancer) and Fate have other plans. Awaiting the arrival of a mystery new client, who wouldn’t take no for an answer, he spies her out of his window, making her way up his drive to the front door. Suddenly, he sees her body jerk, go limp, then collapse in a pool of blood on his driveway – dead.

Why did the mystery client insist on meeting with Shanahan, but telling him nothing about the investigation he was to pursue? If he could find out why she wanted to hire him, he would be one step closer to finding her killer.

Shanahan’s search for answers will uncover a disturbing trail of greed, lies, ambition, family feuds and police corruption.

Twenty-five years ago Deets embarked on his first case. This is his last; a touching story of age, infirmity - and love.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780727884770
Publisher:	Severn House
Publication date:	05/01/2015
Edition description:	First World Publication
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Ronald Tierney was the editor of a San Francisco monthly and founding editor of an alternative weekly. Born in Indianapolis, Tierney attended Indiana University in Bloomington and now lives in San Francisco. He is the author of the acclaimed Deets Shanahan series and the Carly Paladino and Noah Lang series.

Editorial Reviews

I’ve read and greatly enjoyed every entry to feature this brave, cantankerous and often brilliant private eye and highly recommend not only this book, but all those that have preceded it.

George Easter

"The real prize here is the tone, which Tierney keeps expertly hovering between compassionate valediction and civic outrage

Kirkus Reviews

2015-02-14
Tierney celebrates the 25th anniversary of Indianapolis shamus Deets Shanahan's debut with an autumnal 11th case whose subject is its biggest mystery.There's really no reason why Deets (Bullet Beach, 2011, etc.) should still be working. He's had surgery to remove a brain tumor; his left hand and arm are all but useless; and he's been having more seizures than any self-respecting PI can take. So, he's not exactly eager to meet with Alexandra Fournier, founder of Second Chance Community and head of a civilian task force for police oversight. But he's promised her sister, former Indiana Attorney General Jennifer Bailey, so he dutifully waits in his window, and that's where he's standing when he sees his aspiring client get shot to death just after she pulls into his driveway. Now that Ms. Fournier's never going to get the chance to tell him what she wanted to consult him about, her sister hires him to find out. In a trice Deets is up to his ears in suspects and motives. His late client had evidently just separated Tyrus Investments, whatever that is, from the rest of her estate and given it to her brother, con man Charles Bailey. She'd been actively pursuing the volatile case of Sgt. Leonard Card, the city cop who killed Second Chance kid Justice King. When Deets goes to her home to see what sorts of paperwork she's left behind, he finds instead the corpse of Nicky Hernandez, King's close friend. It's ironic that even though Deets constantly feels his mortality, everyone around him, even his ladylove, Maureen, seems to be in greater danger. Deets winds up the case in routine but satisfying fashion. The real prize here is the tone, which Tierney keeps expertly hovering between compassionate valediction and civic outrage.

Kirkus Reviews

This entry is a tribute to human decency and one man’s refusal to give up in the face of age and inevitable physical deterioration.

Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Killing Frost is a beautiful, bittersweet farewell, both depressing and uplifting. It made me want to hug my wife, or buy a dog. Or maybe just drink a lot. You think crime novels are hard boiled? Try growing old.

Kevin Burton Smith