FLAT SPIN

Rugged, wry flight instructor turns sleuth to solve the murder of his ex-wife's husband.

Retired marketing expert Arlo Echevarria answers the door one evening to a faux Domino's Pizza deliverer armed with a .40 pistol who shoots him dead. So Echevarria's widow Savannah Carlisle visits her ex, Cordell Logan (who narrates in tangy first person), for help. It's been a long time, but their chemistry is undeniable, and when she appeals to him, Cordell melts a bit. He and Echevarria had a history working as secret operatives for an obscure entity called "Alpha." Sharing information with the investigating police raises both ethical and practical concerns; revealing the details of Alpha operations could put both Logan and Savannah in grave danger. Ironically, after Logan talks with LAPD Detective Keith Czarnek, the lead investigator in the case, he emerges from the interview as the prime suspect. As he's on his way home from a polygraph test, someone in a white Honda Accord tries to kill him. It's the first of many attempts. Solving the murder himself seems the surest way to ensure his and Savannah's safety, as sparks continue to fly between them. This path involves a dicey dive back into the world of international espionage, as well as more conventional suspects like Echevarria's bitter ex-wife Janice and his troubled son Micah.

Pulitzer-winning reporter Freed brings his knowledge of aviation, the military and law enforcement to his fiction debut. His story is full of interesting episodes and feels authentic, even when he strains to make his hard-boiled hero sound tough.