There Was a Crooked Man: A Cat DeLuca Mystery

Chicago private eye Cat DeLuca, founder of the Pants on Fire Detective Agency, catches liars and cheats-and, from time to time, killers. Cat’s brief marriage to runaround Johnnie Rizzo was a bust. But it gave her the mad skills she needed for her agency. She doesn’t investigate for insurance companies and she won’t find your long lost Uncle Harry. But if you’re in Chicagoland and you suspect your partner is stepping out, give her a call. Cat comes from a long line, and big family, of Chicago cops, stretching back to the day when her greatgrandfather gave Al Capone protection and a truck to move bootleg whiskey. Most DeLuca men are straight-up guys. Some are flexible, like Ferrari-driving Uncle Joey. But Cat’s Poppa stands above the rest, a man of integrity who one day took a bullet when on duty and became a hero. So why, after someone kidnaps Captain Bob’s dog and claims to have evidence of cop corruption, do Captain Bob and Poppa not only deny the accusation, but order Cat to leave it alone? Long ago when they were partners, the two cops responded to a hit-and-run that claimed the life of one of Bridgeport’s most beloved citizens. Daniel Baumgarten, owner and proprietor of Baumgarten’s Jewelry was killed in the street outside his shop. The unsolved death was relegated to a dusty cold case file where it was almost forgotten. Until now. Meanwhile Cat’s romance with FBI Agent Chance Savino still gives her goose bumps. Her Mama’s latest scheme to marry her off involves a romantic cruise, insane amounts of champagne, and a hijacked priest to tie the knot. But saving Poppa and Captain Bob comes first. There Was a Crooked Man is another funfilled, surprising page-turner. It’s a story of greed and betrayal. And the utterly astonishing things we do to save the ones we love.