Noah Braddock, a plucky and tenacious San Diego PI and surfer guy, is back and in over his eyeballs when a simple missing person case turns literally ballistic. Peter Pluto hires Noah to find his missing brother Linc. Yes, a missing Linc! Although portrayed as an industrious college student by his brother Peter, it seems that the missing Linc Pluto has been less than academic. He has a cache full of guns in his apartment. An equal opportunity target, Noah is soon dodging fists and bullets from both white supremacists and black gang-bangers. What is their interest in Linc Pluto? Noah needs to stay alive long enough to find Linc, find out, and maybe even collect his fee.
Jeff Shelby's second Noah Braddock mystery shines like sun glinting off California waters. His chapters are short, his dialogue witty, and both Noah and his sidekick, Carter, are likeable good guys ready for the rough-and-tumble chase for justice, along with a few dollars to pay the bills. Shelby's writing style demonstrates skill--showing, not telling. His plot is engaging and his conclusion ignites all the collected pieces into a satisfying blaze.