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Robert Andrews is a former Green Beret, a CIA operative and senior liaison officer with the White House, Departments of State and Defense, and a national security advisor to a U. S. Senator. This background prepared him well for the four spy thrillers he has written. But outside the glitz of federal politics and international intrigue, the unique city of Washington D.C. exists with its own local bureaucracy and urban problems. Andrews draws upon his experience as a longtime resident of D.C. to craft his first crime novel. Frank Kearny and Jose Phelps are veteran homicide detectives with the D.C. police. They have been partners the entire time. Much of their communication is instinctive, based on a nod or a glance. They have experience in Viet Nam, so the guerilla warfare of urban crime is nothing new to them. Their ambitious boss is a bit jealous of their success rate, so he hands them a case that seems impossible to solve. Father Robert O¼Brien, a popular Washington priest known for his social action programs, has been killed in an apparently motiveless drive-by shooting. Kearny and Phelps go through the motions of an investigation without expecting much in the way of results. Before long, they turn up some evidence that seems unbelievable. Also, two more bodies are discovered that seem to be inexplicably linked to the priest¼s death. The investigation follows a series of separate events that ultimately lead to the solution of more than one crime. This is a solid urban police procedural. An assortment of multi-ethnic urban characters is depicted, and the action becomes heart-stopping at times. Although this is the first of a series, these veteran cops have a history, and Andrews creates enough background story to keep the reader satisfied and looking for more to follow. Readers who enjoy inner city settings, independent-thinking detectives, and well-drawn characters will like this book.
Reviewed by Suzanne Epstein, August 2001
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