The Left Hand of God

See my review of "Presumed Dead."

Hugh Holton catapults the reader into a swift moving river of crime, deception, payoffs, mob hits and a touch of the X-Files! Chief of Detectives Larry Cole, along with his crime fighting crew of Blackie, Manny and Judy once again thrill the reader with back alley cop tactics that walks the razor thin edge between justice and injustice. Many of Chief Cole's previous contacts are exposed to danger or consulted for advise in this complex saga of future crime.Chief Cole uses his brilliant mind and physical prowess to undo the evil deeds of the diabolical head of the Human Development Institute. However, a softer side of Cole is uncovered as he shares the summer with his son Butch, who is destined to follow in his father's footsteps. Coles seems to be slightly more interested in having fun this novel and seems to be quite attracted to writer Kate Ford.The pages burn up in your fingers as you are blasted about Chicagoland by the diabolical Human Development Institute hitman, portraying himself as a visiting Irish priest from Detroit. Always one step away from handcuffs, he is a master of disguise. His ability to slip away from Chicago's finest leaves you leaping for the telephone to call 9-1-1. Hugh Holton delivers a great balance of characters in this novel. He continues to expand on headline grabbing stories that quenches the thirst of the hard back reader. Every book from Hugh Holton brings an action packed adventure in reading!Jim Gannon

In 2004, Chicago police Commander Larry Cole thought being the Second City's top cop is a tough job. However, he knows spending the summer with his visiting teenager, Butch, will prove even more taxing on his mind. Jack "the Fixer" Carlisle has earned his reputation from both the law and the mob for his ability to "pick" longshots. Neither side has caught Jack doing anything illicit even though they wonder how come he is such a successful gambler. Instead, Jack works on the human element in a sports event even if it means destroying the personal lives of players and coaches in the process. His latest venture is to rig the Olympics basketball games so that the overwhelmingly favorite Americans lose. Larry becomes involved when his son overhears the plan while visiting a night club. That case is enough to keep Larry and his able assistants extremely busy trying to obtain evidence. However, Larry soon learns that someone hired a priest to take out a news reporter, Orga Syriac, who is going to expose the diabolical dealings of the Human Development Institute. Chicago has never been as alive as it is in a Hugh Holton novel. His latest Cole entry, THE LEFT HAND OF GOD is a taut police procedural that opens up both the elite and the underbelly of the city. The crisp story line gracefully moves forward as rarely seen in a police procedural. Butch's visit adds a human touch to the beleaguered Larry. Readers will want more Cole novels because they read as if they are a touch of heavenly delight.Harriet Klausner