Deviant Behavior

"Deviant Behavior" is the fifth Thomas Black novel by Earl Emerson. Seventeen-year-old Todd Steeb has run away from home, and his parents hire Black to investigate. Thomas and Todd's brother, Buzz, travel to Seattle's Chinatown and the old Milwaukee hotel in search of Todd, whom Buzz thinks is investigating the suicide of their uncle Jan. The plot is somewhat convoluted. It involves murder, suicide, missing money, and the author of a cult classic novel. All this said, "Deviant Behavior" was entertaining and is another fine addition to the Thomas Black series.

"Deviant Behavior" was the first novel in the Thomas Black P.I. series that I have read. I am a huge P.I. fiction fan, and on the basis of this novel I would place Earl W. Emmerson's hero only a notch or so below masters like Raymond Chandler, Lawrence Block and Loren Estleman. Black is not as quick with a metaphor as the best P.I.s, nor is he as world weary or cynical. And Emmerson leaves a lot of the details of his story a little fuzzy around the edges. But the central mystery in "Deviant Behavior" held my interest and it raises some interesting points about the human capacity for guilt and mistrust. The ending may stretch credibility a bit, but overall the novel is a good one for P.I. fiction fans. I guess the best recommendation I can give is that I do plan to spend some more time with Mr. Black in the future.

I enjoyed Emerson's "Deviant Behavior" greatly! Not only because of the "hero" Thomas Black, but because it is located here in Seattle, WA and is incredibly accurate as to locations, etc. Question for anyone: Read Raymond Chandler's "The Lady In The Lake" last week. Our instructor indicated today that Emerson perhaps stole something from Chandler. I cannot find what this might be. Can anyone help me with this? Many thanks. (Loved both books, by the way.)