Dead Air

Mike Cobb, an ex-cop turned private investigator, is hired to protect right-wing radio personality Buckley-Rand Larmer in this unfortunately but aptly titled mystery, the second book (following Serpents Rising) in Poulsen’s series featuring Cobb and freelance journalist Adam Cullen. When Larmer is accused of murdering a close associate, it’s up to Cobb and Cullen to find the real killer. This is a passable mystery, full of suspects, clues, and red herrings, but it is slow-moving and lacks excitement. There is no peril, and Poulsen fails to get readers invested in the characters. He offers little insight into Cobb’s personal life; readers learn that Cullen is a widower with a new girlfriend, but Poulsen leaves the relationship underdeveloped, instead detailing the kinds of coffee, food, and music Cobb and Cullen enjoy. Similarly, Poulsen could have done more with the setting. The city of Calgary, Alberta, which has a long history of right-wing politics, is reduced to points on a Google map; names of neighborhoods, restaurants, bars, and other business are dropped, but without any insight into the social, political, and physical fabric of the place. This faltering would-be thriller lacks depth and danger. (June)