Very Bad Men

May 9, 2011
Dolan follows Bad Things Happen, his acclaimed debut, with a riveting crime novel also featuring Ann Arbor, Mich., amateur sleuth David Loogan, editor of the mystery magazine Gray Streets. When Loogan finds a manuscript outside his office doorâa story about three murders, two already committed and one still being plannedâhe instantly realizes it's not a work of fiction but a declaration from the murderer of two local men. With the help of his police detective girlfriend, Elizabeth Waishkey, Loogan uncovers an elaborate, at times convoluted conspiracy including criminals involved in a 17-year-old bank robbery gone wrong, an adulterous statesman, a paranormal fantasy novelist turned tabloid journalist, and a charismatic politician running for the Senate. As the body count rises, the intrepid Loogan gets closer to the truthâand closer to becoming the killer's next victim. Relentless pacing, a wry sense of humor, and an engaging protagonist add up to another winner for Dolan. Author tour.

David Loogan, editor of a mystery magazine, returns in Harry Dolan's VERY BAD MEN, which follows his first book, BAD THINGS HAPPEN. Erik Davies is back as well, providing the perfect voice for Loogan--gruff yet empathetic--as he struggles to solve a mystery after a manuscript is delivered to his office that provides an account of two murders and the promise of another. What follows is thrilling and suspenseful, and will have listeners' brains going a mile a minute to unravel the conspiracy. Davies's narration supports Dolan's story, lending it an edge of grit. Where he falls down is in his narration of women, who never sound quite natural. Luckily, the majority of Dolan's characters are men, so one's enjoyment is not diminished. J.L.K. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine