This is another excellent Stephen J. Cannell novel, full of twists and turns and lots of memorable characters -- not, by the way, all especially likable but nearly all likely to stick in your memory. Another that I recommend. ( )

First, I'll say that this is a review of an ARC from Goodreads First Reads Program. Second, this is the 11th (?) book in a long series and I have never read any of the others.

One good thing is that I'm not sure you need to have read the others int he series. I had no problem at all following who everyone is or the plot. I felt this was a pretty uncomplicated plot with some nice twists in it. All the characters had some good development and I was always trying to guess where the plot was taking me with little success.

This is a pretty good mystery novel if you like the genre. ( )

Nix Nash, the star of a syndicated TV series that specializes on exposes of police corruption and incompetence, targets detectives Shane Scully and Sumner Hitchins for his next victim. Nash always selects a politically significant, high profile case and manipulates the detectives assigned to investigate the case by providing false leads. This forces the officers to spend time and resources investigating these red herrings. Meanwhile a bevy of investigators hired by Nash works to solve the crime. When the TV broadcast shows the bungling police detectives running here and there following false leads while the Nash and his crew solve the case with apparent ease.

That's the conundrum confronting Scully and Hitch as they attempt to solve the murder of a community activist who has had countless confrontations with the police.

For the first third of the book Cannell depicts Scully as too pliable, repeatedly responding when Nash's call to say he has a lead for Scully. "Just send a patrol officer to take a statement," I wanted to shout. I guess Cannell needed to establish concern on the part of the reader before Scully and Hitch began to transition to the effective detectives depicted in previous books in this series.

This book is not as good as The Prostitute's Ball, Cannell's previous book in this series but still worth a read. Unfortunately, this is the last book in the series ad Cannell succumbed to complications from melanoma shortly after completing this book. ( )

This was his last book. It was finished after his death. I, for one, will surely miss him. You know he was one of the authors that Richard Castle played cards with. I see his chair was empty and remained empty for the entire last season of Castle. ( )

Lita Mendez was an outspoken critic of the LAPD and supporter of gang rights. When she's found shot in her home detective Shane Scully and his partner Sumner Hitchins know they might be in for a orugh ride with the possibility of a cop as a killer. Then Nixon Nash and his t.v. show Vigilante begin following the investigation. Nash ruined the acreers of the detectives on the last case he featured on his show and Scully and Hitchins are concerned about what surprises Nixon has in store for them. A fast moving crime novel. ( )