A lonely widow finds the severed head of an unknown young woman on her front porch in a quiet, rural community. In seeking her identity, retired police chief Daniel "Sticks" Hetrick discovers a link to a major theft of rare ornithological books and a trail that leads from the big city to his hometown where he must confront danger and the darker side of his community and its residents.
Excerpt
Sticks shrugged and smiled. "Like lovers, criminals and their victims always have something in common," he said. "Finding the links, that's how we track 'em down. It's not always easy, but the cop who keeps his nose to the ground like a hound'll find his man--or woman--given enough clues and time to run 'em."
Following several murders, means, motive, and opportunity all point to out-of-work actresses Bootsie Kittredge and Babs Harrison. Their claims of righteousness and lack of guilt seem fabricated, thanks to a cheerfull announcement made to the patrons
An Internet stripper finds fortune, love and murder in New York City after an encounter with a rare first edition book, which opens doors to many possibilities.
