THE SUREST POISON
by Chester D. Campbell
Night Shadows Press
8987 E. Tanque Verde #309-135
Tucson, AZ 85749-9399
www.nightshadowspress.com
ISBN: 9780979916786
Tradeback, 272 pages, $15.95
Genre: Mystery

Former police chief turned private investigator Sid Chance is hired by a businessman who’s being sued for a chemical spill on a piece of property he owns. People in the surrounding area have been suffering from physical disorders and the water supply has been polluted. The businessman, however, claims the spill was left by a former company that occupied that parcel. With the help of his good friend, business owner and computer whiz Jaz LeMieux, Sid tries to find the owners of an auto parts rehab business that operated at that location for several years, but everyone seems to have disappeared, including former employees. And the few employees he does manage to unearth either die suspiciously or are too terrified to speak to him. As Sid doggedly pursues the case, he is threatened to back off, but when he doesn’t comply, finds his life in mortal danger.

The pairing of Sid and Jaz makes for a dynamic investigative team. Both have their own unique talents and skills to bring to the table, and their chemistry as a team is appealing. Campbell delivers a tough-to-solve mystery, with plenty of red herrings and enough twists and turns to keep the reader turning pages.