Dead Drop, by Jesse Miles

Jack Salvo takes us back to the days of Jim Rockford and the Rockford files. He is a private eye who has a penchant for getting in a bit over his head, or does he?

As a Philosophy Professor at the local Junior College we find that Salvo has a different take on life than most people, a logical take on things. But this logical take gives him an analytical mind that suits itself well for a detective. He is able to think outside the box and put the pieces together quickly and well. He also seems to be a pretty good judge of people and their character.

In this novel Jack is hired by a local aerospace company to find the person in the company who has been embezzling money from their accounts payable system. There are four employees who are suspected of the crime and he has to narrow it down. Jack is to report to a committee about what he finds. On that committee are two women, Darcy and Lilith. Jack thinks that Lilith, the Asian gal is cute, but she is a bit sarcastic just like him and it appears that they won't hit it off, maybe. Then there is Darcy who takes a shine to Jack, she is good looking, but he is more intrigued with Lilith.

So, we have a crime to solve as well as kind of a romantic triangle. But the crime gets a bit more involved. There will come to light that there was a earlier embezzlement for more money, but who would have done that one? Also there will be murder and maybe a crime boss involved.

All the twists and turns make for a nice crime novel with a "Dragnet" type of feel for it.

I love the novel and all of the descriptions of Los Angeles that come along with it. The scenes are all accurate and as a former Los Angeles resident I loved the memories that they brought.

The only thing I kind of give the author a few minor minus points is that he has a tendency to use three compare and contrast descriptors in a row several times in the book and it seems a bit cheesy, but then again, that's what makes it kind of like an episode of "Dragnet" or the "Rockford Files."

Enjoy!