A Country of Old Men (Dave Brandstetter 12)

For the sake of a frightened child, Dave Brandstetter takes on his very last case In his decades as an insurance investigator, Dave Brandstetter has never shied away from violence, and hes had more than his share of close calls. Time is catching up with him, his body is slowing down, and his wit is not as sharp as it used to be. But he will forgo retirement once more for the sake of a puzzle no detective could resist. Walking on the beach, a friend finds a bedraggled child who claims he has witnessed a murder. The victim is a drug-addicted pop star, and the obvious suspect is the dead mans ex-girlfrienda junkie whom the child saw standing over the body, gun in hand. In the final installment of Joseph Hansens groundbreaking series, Dave looks for justice once more, hoping that he will also find a lasting measure of peace. A Country of Old Men is book twelve in the Dave Brandstetter Mystery series, which also includes Troublemaker and The Man Everybody Was Afraid Of . From Library Journal Hansen concludes his long-running Dave Brandstetter series with a well-worked, compact scenario that begins with an abused child's eyewitness account of murder and kidnap. Despite his retirement and a noticeable sense of fatigue, Dave immerses himself in events surrounding the crucial item in the little boy's story: the shooting death of one Cricket Shales, a failed and recently paroled guitarist. While aiding the police with a lengthy list of suspects, Dave still listens to several old friends worried about publication of some high school memoirs. Skilled characterization, humane concerns, and a surprise or two commend this title to Brandstetter fans, but the book stands equally well on its own. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. Review A cool stylist who never loses control over his emotional voice, Mr. Hansen trusts his lifelike characters to earn our compassion. The New York Times A moving elegy for Hansens unique hero and a fitting conclusion to his distinguished series. The San Diego U-T A well-worked, compact scenario. Publishers Weekly More Tags : farm Version : 5.0 With retirement just out of reach, Dave Brandstetter investigates the killing of a Vietnamese immigrant.As an insurance investigator, Dave Brandstetter has spent his life unraveling suspicious deaths. Now, well into middle age, he has decided to retire for the sake of Cecil, the young TV reporter who loves and cherishes him, and has too often risked his own life for Dave’s work. But retirement does not come easily.An old friend in the public defender’s office asks Dave to help Andy Flanagan, a shiftless young man accused of murdering a Vietnamese businessman to defend the Old Fleet - a shantytown of houseboats that has been earmarked for development. Unable to resist the case, Dave heads to the Old Fleet and begins asking questions. Beneath the surface of this oil-slicked slum lurks an international conspiracy so appalling that Dave will regret postponing his retirement.