The Man with the Blue Suede Shoes

David M. Baylis’s The Man with the Blue Suede Shoes is a fast, witty novella that makes excellent use of its Las Vegas setting. The premise is immediately fun: a private investigator is hired to find a missing Elvis Presley—not an impersonator, but a man legally named Elvis Presley—before a high-profile wedding falls apart.

Cal Chance is a flawed but entertaining lead, with a dry voice, questionable ethics, and just enough buried decency to keep him compelling. The story has a strong noir-comic energy, mixing private-eye cynicism, Vegas absurdity, stolen memorabilia, influencers, wedding chaos, and a mystery that clearly opens the door to a larger series.

I especially enjoyed the dialogue and the way the novella balances humor with show more genuine intrigue. Blue Suede Shoe Repair, Elvis Presley the Welsh cobbler, Lisa Marie, Benedict Rowan, and the missing “Wedding Elvis” all add texture to a mystery that feels both playful and promising.

As the first book in the Kings of Clark County series, this works well as an opening act. It resolves enough to satisfy while leaving larger questions in motion for the next installment. Recommended for readers who enjoy modern private-eye fiction, Las Vegas settings, dry humor, and mysteries with a slightly offbeat premise. show less

A new "PI" in the literature? A bumbling private investigator (Columbo's grandson?) is tasked with finding a stolen pair of blue suede shoes that are purported to have belonged to the real Elvis. 10 Elvis impersonators live in the immediate area (Las Vegas, I guess so). This novella is the first installment of two. It's quirky and funny. My thanks to the author and LibraryThing for a complimentary copy.