The Catch Archer Mayor St. Martin's $24.95 Oct. 08

When Ed McBain died the mantle of responsibility for police procedural writing fell on the shoulders of Archer Mayor.
His newest novel, The Catch, shows why the choice was wise, easy and obvious. Joe Gunther appears for the 19th time in a story that begins with a cop killing. The presumed killer has ties to drug smuggling. A multi-state task force is created with Joe and his Vermont Bureau of Investigation, unobtrusively leading. Multiple points of view, multiple sub plots and multiple characters, are kept in line with easy style from Mayor. Like McBain, Mayor lets procedure set the story. Pacing and tension are built into most police stories with the idea that the first 24 hours are crucial to any investigation. Mayor handles those hours and the hours after with realistic aplomb. Fans of Archer Mayor will pick up where they left off. Joe's team is all there. Those new to Mr. Mayor and Joe Gunther needn't worry as the story stands alone well enough without having to go back to earlier novels. Anyone looking for consistently good police procedural writing who hasn't found Archer Mayor can stop looking with The Catch.

Dave Biemann