Sorrow's Anthem

March 28, 2011
Cleveland PI Lincoln Perry must confront his past when he learns that his best friend from childhood, Ed Gradduck, is accused of arson and murder and is on the run. Years ago, when Perry was on the police force, he sent Gradduck to prison, destroying their friendship and earning the detective the disdain of his old neighborhood. With the hope of resurrecting something of their former amity, Perry sets out to help his friend, but he's barely started when Gradduck is killedâhit by a car right in front of Perry. Now, with a deep sense of obligation, Perry sets out to prove the dead man's innocence and clear his friend's name, no matter the cost. The multiple awardâwinning Brick proves an excellent choice to read this noir. Fully embracing Perry's first-person narration, he brings the right world weariness to Koryta's seen-it-all PI.; the intimacy of his reading makes the expository passages sound like Perry is speaking directly to listeners, pulling them into the story, while the dialogue has a smooth, natural flow. It is an accomplished performance that only enhances this well-written updating of the classic detective story. A St. Martin's paperback.

December 12, 2005
Koryta's impressive second hard-boiled mystery is a worthy successor to his debut, Tonight I Said Goodbye
(2004), an Edgar and Shamus finalist. Cleveland PI Lincoln Perry, haunted by the circumstances that led to his estrangement from his best friend, Ed Gradduk, clutches at an opportunity for redemption on learning that Gradduk is a fugitive from the law, suspected of arson and murder. Perry's hopes of repairing their relationship are dashed after his childhood confidant dies in an accident. As a result, Perry shifts his mission to clearing the dead man's name. Perry, aided by his partner, follows a winding trail of dirty cops and multiple suspicious fires toward the truth. The 22-year-old author, who works for a PI and for an Indiana newspaper, displays credible insider knowledge of those professions as well as a gift for creating both sympathetic characters and a fast-moving, twisty plot. Author tour.