Still Among the Living: A Novel of Suspense

Matt Jacob's shrink hires him to investigate a break-in and theft at her office--in spite of his continuing use of drugs to quell his pain and guilt--thus launching this gritty and fast-moving mystery, a first novel set in the environs of Boston. While resurrecting his career as a private investigator, Matt is also called on by friend and lawyer Simon Roth to follow his wife and discover the cause of her nightmares. Emerging from the isolation of the apartment building he manages, Matt is obliged to confront reality and responsibility, not always with success. Forced to develop new contacts, he starts with his dealer/tenant Julius and with ex-cop Phil, now running an eatery. When Phil runs into trouble getting the report on a simple robbery and two rogue cops do a dance on Matt's chest, Matt begins to take the case personally. He follows a young drifter in an expensive Lincoln and begins to learn uncomfortable facts about his friend's wife. An ugly confrontation with an old girlfriend leads him to think seriously about all his relationships in a resolution that is imperfect but believable. (Aug.)