Sinister Heights by Loren Estleman
ISBN: 0-89296-738-2
Shipping Date: Feb 12 2002
In Sinister Heights, the 15th Amos Walker book, Mr. Estleman has surpassed himself. It's not just hardboiled, It's rock hard. Full of short bursts of Detroit and the auto industry’s history. Enough to educate, but not long enough to bore. Estleman’s love of this city and surrounding area are very evident. This book is crime literature at it's finest.

Amos is hired by the widow of a Detroit industrialist to clear up some old family business. Along the way he gets tangled up with the steel haulers union, dirty cops, shady politicos, and the intrigue of a strange plan for extortion. Also along for the ride is his old friend Iris, who is running a shelter for abused women. Caught in the middle, a young boy. Walker handles this case like all his others, with the style of by gone era, making it timeless.

The book has a fast pace and never slows down. Walker's way of dealing with obstacles is as ever, down and dirty. I can safely say that this is by far my favorite in the series so far. Amos Walker at his best. And that’s saying a lot, because Estleman is one the finest mystery writers writing today.

And the finish will knock your socks off.

Jon Jordan