About this item
The return of Frank Marr, the "refreshing" protagonist of one of the New York Times Best Crime Novels of 2016 Frank Marr was a good cop with a bad habit until his burgeoning addictions to alcohol and cocaine forced him into retirement from the DC police. Now barely eking out a living as a private investigator, he agrees to take on a family case: a favor for his aunt, who was like a second mother to him growing up. Franks surveillance confirms that his cousin Jeffrey is involved with a small-time drugs operation. Modest stuff until Franks own home is burglarized, leaving a body on the kitchen floor: Jeffrey. Worse, Franks .38 revolver - the murder weapon - is stolen along with his cherished music collection, his only possessions of sentimental value: dozens of vinyl albums that belonged to his late mother. Only Franks stash, his dwindling supply of the cocaine he needs to get through the day, is untouched. Why? Clearly his cousin was deeper in the underworld than anyone realized. With the weight of his family, his reputation, and his own life on the line, hell have to find the culprit by following the stolen goods through a tangled network of petty thieves, desperate addicts, deceiving fences, good cops, bad cops, and one morally compromised taxi driver. Franks as determined to uncover the truth as he is to feed his habit, and both pursuits could prove deadly. This time it may just be a question of what gets him first.
About the Author
David Swinson is the author of A Detailed Man (2011) , The Second Girl (2016) , and Crime Song (2017) . Swinson began his career at the height of the punk rock movement in the early 1980s. After attending California State University as a film major, he booked and promoted punk rock and alternative music at Fender's Ballroom, Melody Dance Center and Bogart's Nightclub in Long Beach, California.Swinson also started a Wednesday night evening of conversation and spoken word at Bogart's with luminaries such as Hunter S. Thompson, Dr. Timothy Leary, John Waters and Jim Carroll. After several years of booking, promoting, as well as developing lasting relationships with such people as Timothy Leary and Hunter S. Thompson, it was a natural segue to develop and co-produce Sound Bites from the Counter Culture for Atlantic Records in 1990. This spoken-word compilation featured writers, orators and politicians, including Thompson, Leary, Carroll, Abbie Hoffman, and Eugene McCarthy. Billboard called the album "essential listening."In 1990, while having drinks with Timothy Leary and friend Billy Henderson, an idea for an offbeat buddy film entitled "Roadside Prophets" was conceived. The film eventually found a home with FineLine Features and was distributed theatrically by New Line Cinema. The film starred John Doe (of the band X) and Adam Horovitz (of the Beastie Boys) and featured Timothy Leary, John Cusack, David Carradine and Arlo Guthrie. Over the past few years, "Roadside Prophets" has become a cult classic among young viewers.In 1994, Swinson pursued another passion - law enforcement. He returned to his home base of Washington DC, where he joined the Metropolitan Police Department. Swinson began his career as a police officer in uniform. He was then assigned to the Gun Recovery Unit as a tactical officer. Shortly after that, Swinson was assigned as a plainclothes/undercover officer, targeting narcotics and crimes in progress. In 1998, Swinson was assigned to the Third District Detectives Office as an investigator, where he covered offenses ranging from burglary and armed robbery to homicide. In 2000, he was promoted to detective and was eventually assigned to the department's Special Investigations Bureau/Major Crimes, and was the lead investigator in the District of Columbia for investigating serial burglaries, high profile cases and organized criminal operations related to narco-fencing. Swinson is a highly decorated member of the Metropolitan Police Department, having received numerous awards including the department's prestigious Detective of the Year Award for 2003; Meritorious Service Medals for significant, outstanding and sustained achievements; Achievement Medals of Honor for a significant case investigation and several Department of Justice, United States Attorney's Annual Law Enforcement Awards for significant case investigations.He has also received to major awards from Target Corpo
