PUBLIC ENEMY #1

A newly minted Virginia private eye gets her uncle’s help to investigate dirty cops in a case that rapidly goes off the rails.

Soon after leaving her TV reporting job to become a full-time private investigator in Norfolk, Khloé Mercer meets client Frances Larson at a Starbucks to hear what she wants. Frances is a Rihanna look-alike, apart from her obvious pregnancy, and her self-confidence raises Khloé’s hackles almost immediately. Her new client offers to pay Khloé $40,000 to find out what happened to her husband, Gavin, a narcotics detective who supposedly died by his own hand. Frances is certain that some dirty cops in the department did him in. Khloé’s not so sure. She’s sure about the dirty cops, though, because she runs into some as soon as she digs into the case. Since things seem dangerous, Khloé wants to make sure someone has her back, so she subcontracts with her uncle Eddie to help keep her safe. As a longtime member of the notorious gang Ace of Spades, Eddie has off-the-books connections Khloé doesn’t even want to know about. The investigation quickly heads south. Frances’ frequent calls to check on Khloé’s progress suggest that something’s just off, and Uncle Eddie gets sidetracked by shady dealings of his own. By the time Khloé starts to figure out what’s really going on, Uncle Eddie’s gone so off course that she’s got more to solve than just the mystery she started with.

The novice investigator faces heat from both her case and the street in this fast-paced read.