Dig Your Grave

Starred review from August 20, 2018
A murder scene in a Phoenix, Ariz., cemetery, where the unknown victim was forced to dig his own grave before being beaten to death, puzzles homicide detective Alex Mills and his team in Cooper’s funny, thoughtful sequel to 2017’s Desert Remains. A cardboard sign bearing a message of apology from the dead man marks the grave. Alex turns for help to his psychic friend, Gus Parker, whose visions can be useful, even if fragmented and erratically available. Gus does start getting tantalizing glimpses of events that led up to the crime—mixed with hints that a stalker is after his lover, rock ’n’ roll legend Billie Welch. More graveyard murders occur, while an apparently deranged fan closes in on Gus and Billie. Along with the authentic police procedural detail, Cooper provides quirky and vivid characters, smart and snarky social observations, and challenging but fulfilling personal relationships. This is first-rate entertainment. Agent: Anne Collette, Rees Literary Agency.

August 15, 2018
A longtime unofficial detective and a psychic team up once more to find a killer desperate to make a statement.It's not news to find a dead body in a cemetery, but it is when that body has been freshly killed and is purposely showcased in a shallow grave. That's the M.O. of a new killer in the Phoenix area who's leaving cryptic messages that seem to blame the victim. Even though there's clearly a lot going on in the killer's mind, Detective Alex Mills, when he's assigned to the case, is less interested in the perp's psychology than in preventing another crime. Both the importance and the difficulty of his work are emphasized when the victim is identified as the very important Davis Klink, the CEO of Illumilife Industries. Not only is Klink's list of business enemies longer than one man could investigate in a lifetime, but after dealing with Klink's wife, Alex is almost ready to add her to the list. To help navigate the wide swath of suspects, Alex calls on his frequent collaborator and friend Gus Parker. Gus is a psychic whose intuition could help guide Alex and his partner, Detective Jan Powell, to whomever thought murder was the best gift to give the man who had everything. Now if only Gus could direct his powers and draw on them when he chose. Though he does get a few signals to help guide Alex, Gus isn't able to get much more than a sense of the killing before the team hears about another body. And in truth Gus is distracted by trying to figure out who's stalking him and his girlfriend, Billie Welch, a rock-and-roll legend who may have to pay for her fame with her safety.Though his writing sometimes verges on cliché, Cooper (Desert Remains, 2017) continues to blend solid investigative work, psychological insight, and personal touches to create a broadly appealing series that could capture readers interested in procedurals even if they're indifferent to psychic woo-woo.

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October 1, 2018

Det. Alex Mills of the Phoenix Police Department doesn't care if his team laughs at him. When they're called to a cemetery where the body of a well-dressed man was found in an open grave, he asks his psychic friend Gus Parker to take a look at the scene. Gus usually has a vision that will point them in the right direction. When a second body is discovered, and the victim appears to have dug his own grave, the case becomes more complicated. Both men were prominent in their field. In the middle of the investigation, as Mills's team works to find a connection, Gus goes missing. His frantic rock star girlfriend can't locate him, and it isn't like Gus to miss work or not answer his phone. Mills juggles personal issues and looks for Gus while trying to catch a killer. VERDICT Cooper follows Desert Remains with an intricately plotted police procedural perfect for readers of P.J. Tracy's "Monkeewrench" novels. The strong sense of place and teamwork further complement this compelling, intense story.--Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN

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