The Chicago Way (Michael Kelly Series)

I just loved every second of reading this debut novel by one of the writers of the "Cold Case" TV series. The dialogue is in the style of the Raymond Chandler type of detective stories, sparse, snappy and right to the point. Kelly is an ex cop, now operating as a private detective after being framed by a corrupt DA's office and becomes involved with a glamorous TV news reporter with whom he has a brief fling. When the body of a former friend of Kelly's from police days is found, only a few days after contacting him for the first time in years, Kelly takes it upon himself to sort things out..his way! It's a quick, exciting read which takes the reader into the underworld of Chicago's crime families and when his childhood friend, Nicole is murdered, Kelly leaves no stone unturned in his quest to find her killer and avenge her death.

Former police officer turned private investigator, Michael Kelly, is paid a surprise visit by John Gibbons, his old partner. Gibbons tells Michael a tale of Christmas Eve 1997. Gibbons happened on a girl who was being attacked and stabbed and he intervened. The man was arrested but by the next morning he had been released and Gibbons was advised to put a lid on the case. Now years later Gibbons has received a letter from the victim. She wants him to find her attacker, and Gibbons is hiring Kelly to locate him. Gibbons wants Michael to figure out why the attacker was released. Early the next morning Michael is contacted by Channel 6 News with the information that Diane Lindsay, wants to discuss the shooting death of John Gibbons. So begins Michael's investigation. His client is dead but Michael is determined to get to the bottom of this cold case and see how the facts fit into the present time. He discovers that a serial rapist from the past and a current day serial rapist are somehow tied together. Michael shares information with his best friend from childhood who is currently involved in a just-created rape task force. The shared information brings danger to both Michael and his friend. Michael Harvey is the creator, writer, and executive producer of the television series "Cold Case Files." The Chicago Way is a fast-paced novel with an ending that is very unexpected. I look forward to future books by this author. Armchair Interviews says: Good crime story that ties the past and present together.

...but I thoroughly enjoyed Harvey's The Chicago Way. The dialogue was crisp and eclectic. The characters are deeply drawn and you absolutely care about them. Great Debut! I look forward to Harvey's next novel.

I bought this book because I'm from Chicago and Michael Connelly, one of my favorite authors, was quoted on the cover as saying it was good. I wasn't expecting too much. We haven't had a consistently good Chicago crime/mystery writer since Bill Granger and maybe Stuart Kaminsky. Sara Paretsky had a promising start, but her books got old really quickly. Anyway, this novel blew me away. I haven't enjoyed a debut mystery novel this much since Dennis Lehane, and this book and character are similar in some ways to Lehane's Patrick Kinzie. Michael Kelly, a tough kid from a tough part of the city grows up to be a PI, and we see just enough glimpses of his backstory to know that this is a complicated, conflicted guy who's very good at what he does, but he's also very good at making enemies. Harvey knows Chicago inside and out and he shows the city's glitz (black-tie at the Drake) and warts (street-walkers on the south side). He has borrowed some real city characters (reporters, serial-killer) and tweaked them into his own cast of supporting characters. The plot has a surprise ending that leaves you wondering why you didn't see it coming, but it's perfect. Most PI series like this include a group of continuing characters around the PI (like Joe Pike for Elvis Cole), but Harvey doesn't seem too concerned about blowing his characters away for the good of the plot. I can't wait for the next one.

What's more fun than a good mystery for which you don't see it coming? That's why I read the book in one night. There is an added plus with the diaglogue, which reminded me of the mystery shows and Mike Hammer-like novels of the 1960s. It was a great walk down memory lane and a great way to enjoy an evening of reading.