Between 1975 and 1997 Rex Burns released about a dozen fine police procedurals set in Denver, Colorado, with homicide detective Gabe Wager as the protagonist. The first one in the series, The Alvarez Journal, was shortlisted for the Edgar for Best First Novel in 1976. Burns also wrote four books about a former Secret Service agent named Devlin Kirk between 1987 and 1997. Kirk and his friend Homer Bunchcroft owned a company in Denver that focused on the burgeoning field of industrial security.
In the first book of the series Suicide Season (Viking, 1987) Kirk and Bunch are scrambling for any bit of work they can find to keep their fledgling office afloat. A college professor named Loomis, who knew Kirk’s father, insists on introducing Kirk to the owner of McAllister Enterprises, who is looking for capable but discreet help. Owen McAllister, CEO of a large corporate development firm, has been told that one of his senior officers is funneling information to a competitor. McAllister values Austin Haas and does not want the slightest rumor to affect his reputation unless the accusation can be validated. If it proves to be true, however, McAllister is prepared to throw a legal book at him and the corporation he is helping.
Kirk and Bunch begin digging into Haas’s background; they are especially interested in his finances. Their process and technique in the pre-internet, pre-social media, and pre-Google age make interesting reading. They also arrange to tap his office and home telephones. Kirk is listening to the home phone tap the night that Haas’s wife calls 911 and announces that her husband has committed suicide.
Haas’s suicide sets off a series of events that keep Kirk and Bunch searching for more evidence about his potential corporate espionage. The outcome is completely unexpected with an original and plausible plot twist. Anyone in the corporate world will see exactly how the data security breach took place and wonder why they didn’t think of it themselves.
Burns was an early regional crime writer who settled on a city other than Boston, Los Angeles, New York or San Francisco as a location for his stories. Regional mysteries flourished in the late 20th century; Burns was one of the authors who led the way. His books have a strong affinity for Denver and its people, which is one of the reasons I enjoy them so much.
I was sorry not to see more entries in this series, it would have been interesting to watch the evolution of security technology through them.
Great plot, appealing characters, strong writing – highly recommended!