Sweet Women Lie

In the debut novel of Loren Estleman's excellent Amos Walker P.I. series, "Motor City Blue," his hero says to the reader that he will tell more about his ex-wife when "I get to know you better." Well, ten novels and a short story collection later, in "Sweet Women Lie" we finally get to get to meet Caterine Walker, who is every it as much of a hellcat as you would expect her to be. She inadvertantly ensnares her ex into one of his better cases. Involving an ex-movie starlet, an inept fellow p.i., two shady CIA operatives and a tough but honest cop, this one has all the elements of a great Walker novel. But its the personal touch of Amos dealing with his ex that makes this novel one of the better in the series. Checking in at a very brief 193 pages in small hardback form, it manages to contain plenty of excitement while giving a long overdue glimpse into Walker's psyche. Though not quite as good as "Sugartown," or "The Glass Highway," (the best of the series), for fans of this great long running series, this entry is top notch. For beginners, its a good place to start.