THE MAN ON THE BENCH

by Hy Conrad ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2026

A reporter based in Austin, Texas, digging into a seemingly random murder, unearths a bevy of dark secrets in Conrad’s mystery-series entry.

The best part of Callie McFee’s post-work evening run is chatting with Barney, an unhoused man who always sits on the same park bench on her route. Thanks to her brother, State, a local homicide detective, she’s one of the first people to hear the tragic news of her friend’s fatal shooting. Just as shocking is the notepad that cops find on Barney, which suggests he was compiling information on Callie herself. This discovery makes the McFees nervous; she’d confided quite a lot to Barney, and one particular tidbit—her power-broker father’s dementia—is one that the family has long fought to keep secret. The authorities surmise that Barney’s death was a mugging gone wrong, but something more sinister may be afoot. As Callie looks into the case, she discovers that he wasn’t the man she thought she knew; he’d jotted notes about other people as well, including Callie’s new “bench buddies,” whom she meets over the course of her investigation. These were Barney’s friends, but if there’s a chance that he uncovered something incriminating about one of them, they’re all potential suspects. One could easily say the same thing about the McFees, however—and indeed, Callie and State do what they can to prevent their father’s condition from going public. Circumstances become more dire when one of Barney’s friends is brutally murdered. Callie vows to get to the bottom of it all, even if it means confronting a merciless killer.

Conrad’s whodunit offers exemplary plotting, opening with a scene that reintroduces series hero Callie and establishes Barney as her warmhearted confidant. It’s not long before there’s a murder, followed by a string of surprises, such as what Barney’s pal Daisy finds when she pokes around his former bench. Callie is a smart and sublimely practical gumshoe; she knows exactly what police do at a crime scene, and although she doesn’t immediately tell State about every piece of evidence she finds, she keeps him informed as much as possible. The seemingly simple case turns increasingly complex, especially after more characters enter the narrative—each new “bench buddy,” for instance, comes with a fresh personality and a backstory that, on occasion, isn’t entirely true. Standouts among the cast include the gruff but reliable State; Gil Morales, Callie’s father’s plainspoken “number two”; and a few suspects whom Callie gradually learns to trust. The book’s abundant dialogue scenes pop, and Callie picks up many details through casual conversation. Her deductive skills are without question, as well; she takes her time deciphering the shorthand in Barney’s notepads, and she notices when people slip up (although maybe not right away). As in the preceding installment, Sins of the Family (2022), the humor is quick and sharp: Gil, for example, sidelines a discussion with Callie by noting, “I need to get you ready for a funeral.” “I’m not that bad off,” she jokes, to which he clarifies, “Not yours.”

A keen, charming amateur detective headlines a snappy murder mystery.

Pub Date: April 1, 2026

ISBN: 9781735555591

Page Count: -

Publisher: Mason Hill Inc

Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2026

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

MYSTERY & DETECTIVE | DETECTIVES & PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS | GENERAL MYSTERY & DETECTIVE