Sunday, July 20, 2008

Pg. 99: Thomas B. Cavanagh's "Prodigal Son"

The current feature at the Page 99 Test: Thomas B. Cavanagh's Prodigal Son.

About the book, from the publisher:
Three months after he’s undergone surgery to remove a brain tumor, retired police detective Mike Garrity’s cancer is in remission. It’s great news, but when you’ve been planning to only live for a few months, you don’t normally worry about savings. A return to health also means a return to the workforce, and whether he likes it or not, Mike’s going to have to adjust to the role of private investigator.

He's also bounced back into a romance with a member of his cancer support group, Debbie Watson. But while Mike may be celebrating his victory over cancer, Debbie’s just been handed a grim prognosis. Desperate, she asks him for help with what might be her last request: tracking down the son she put up for adoption twenty years ago.

Debbie’s son is not the only lost child Mike has been asked to trace. A high school friend of his daughter has died of an overdose. The boy’s father is convinced that the death was not a suicide and, though the case is officially closed, the officer in charge has his own doubts about its conclusion.

Back at work and stumbling headlong into a new relationship, Mike should have a lot to look forward to. But all is not as it seems, and he’s about to find out that cancer isn’t the only thing trying to kill him.
Among the praise for Thomas B. Cavanagh's work:
“Irresistible . . . Cavanagh is definitely a writer to keep your eyes on.”
--Florida Today


"Carl Hiaasen and Donald Westlake readers will enjoy Cavanagh’s debut.”
--Booklist

“Cavanagh infuses the classic private-eye novel with a bit of dark humor, realistic dialogue, and a clear vision of central Florida.”
--South Florida Sun Sentinel

“Fans of the classic PI novel will hope to see more of this wonderfully crotchety protagonist.”
--Publishers Weekly

“Mixing sardonic humor with fast-paced action, Cavanagh’s emotionally charged, entertaining tale is great fun, leaving the satisfied reader with the hope of a compelling sequel.”
--Lansing State Journal

“Cavanagh's ambitious debut has a terrific premise and many appealing touches, including an unbeatable cliffhanger.”
--Kirkus Reviews
Prodigal Son is the sequel to the award-winning Head Games and continues the story of curmudgeonly Orlando detective Mike Garrity.

Learn more about the author and his work at Thomas B. Cavanagh's website.

Cavanagh is author of the novel Murderland as well as the first Mike Garrity novel, Head Games, which won the Florida Book Awards 2007 Gold Medal for Popular Fiction and was named a 2007 “Killer Book” Selection by the Independent Mystery Bookseller’s Association.

The Page 99 Test: Prodigal Son
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--Marshal Zeringue