It’s Friday the 13th. For 1950’s private eye Randal Murphy, it’s the end to another bastard of a week. Then Valerie Haynes, a gal Murphy once adored, sways into his office.

Valerie’s husband, Paul Jenson — a guy Murphy once loathed — has vanished, and she wants Murphy to find him. The Jenson name triggers a flashback to the death of Paul’s father, prominent St. Louis banker, Aaron Jenson. Coincidence or clue? Handwritten notes warn Murphy to back off or else, so he digs deeper. A failed money-laundering indictment links Paul’s east-side mobster boss, Vince Bartelli, to Aaron Jenson, plus the prospect of a police coverup. Bullets flying at the Jenson mansion draw Murphy and Valerie closer––much closer. Determined to end this case, Murphy travels to Paul’s last-known whereabouts, where the local sheriff shares proof that Paul Jenson is dead. Case closed? Murphy isn’t convinced. A late-night jingle verifies Murphy’s suspicions, and that the real danger still lies ahead.

DEAD LEGENDS: On the Heels of the Earl transports readers back to the gritty, black-and-white world of noir, filled with snappy dialogue, characters from sleazy to sophisticated, one-liners that won’t quit, and settings that take on roles of their own.