All the old favorites are back in this eagerly awaited ‘next in the series’ PI Dick Hardesty offering by Dorien Grey.

Ramons Bar, Napoleon, Rasputin and Calypso eating joints, the Nightengale and Ruthie’s bars all figure in the tale woven by Writer Grey.

Hardesty’s friends Bob Allen, Jimmy, Jared Martinson, Jim Marsh and Cory Lockhart are all here and taking an active part in the city. Homophobic Police Chief Rourke is gone and has been replaced by Kensington Black. Black has instituted a new policy of social awareness for his officers. Not all of them are completely sold on the idea.

Gang turf, Hardesty’s college friend Tom Brady and his wife Lisa, mobster Joey Giacomino, the Montero Hotel and arson provide grist for Hardesty as he works with the police department to keep a lid on roiling feelings within the gay community. When Tom Brady telephones Hardesty to tell him that he and Lisa have just moved into town the pair resume the friendship started so many years before.

Tom’s Hotel magnate father has sent Tom to turn the Montero Hotel into a success. Tom has a true penchant for the work, however his longheld dream is to become a police officer.

Tom joins the force is assigned to the burgeoning gang task force and finds himself involved in an unexpected alley shootout. Tom is not seriously wounded; but the fact that the incident took part in the gay sector of town has become a subject of rumor and distrust from his fellow officers.

When Tom is found shot dead everyone has to wonder if perhaps a fellow officer might have been the perpetrator. Hardesty has his work cut out for him as he endeavors to uncover the truth, maintain his integrity and avenge his friend’s death.

What part, if any the Amalgamated Hotel Workers of America local president Giacomino may play in the situation will be cleared up as Hardesty unravels the conundrum surrounding Tom Brady’s assassination.

Writer Grey’s hard hitting account The Good Cop continues the gritty dialogue, well developed plots, twists and turns and nicely advanced situations we have come to expect from his PI Hardesty tales.

This talented prolific writer presents another credible tale filled with many of the sights, locales, and characters we have enjoyed in the earlier works along with a whole new group of performers for us to enjoy. Chief Black is a refreshing change from the overwrought homophobic Rourke. Hardesty’s sleuthing skills are becoming more refined.

The Good Cop may be writer Grey’s best effort to date. Watch those red herrings. Grey will lead you down a merry chase leading to deadend and confusion if you are not very careful.

The Good Cop is everything I look for in good entertaining mystery writing: Grey presents winning characters, a well-crafted tale and just plain good writing.

Gripping read            Highly Recommended

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Reviewed by: Molly's Reviews     molly martin

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Criterion use for review:

__+_____ Original Story Idea?

__+_____ Does the first sentence, paragraph, page hook your attention immediately?

__+_____ Is there a plot? a subplot? Do they tie in to make the story complete?

__+_____ Are transitions handled so the flow of reading isn't interrupted? __+____ Do the main characters seem real?

__+_____ Does the dialogue between characters seem natural?

___+____ Conflict Present? Was the conflict believable? Was it able to sustain the book?

___+____ Was motivation logical? Believable? Could you see yourself reacting that way in that situation?

___+____ Was the climax believable? Could you envision this really happening?

___+____ Did the conclusion seem a natural outcome?