Wright, Edward – CLEA'S MOON

[LJ Roberts]

CLEA'S MOON (Amateur Sleuth-Los Angeles-1950s) – Ex Wright, Edward – 1^st in series
Berkeley Fiction, 2004-Paperback

John Ray Horn is a former soldier, western movie actor and prison inmate. He's now working for his former movie Indian sidekick, now casino owner, collecting gambling debts. A friend shows him sexually explicit pictures of young girls, one of whom is John's former step-daughter, Clea. The friend is murdered, Clea has run away and John is determined to find out who is responsible.

John Horn is a very interesting, fully dimensional character set in post-War Los Angeles who respects women, children and horses. To the author's credit, he has provided his character a strong supporting cast as well. Add to that an interesting plot, very good dialogue, a wonderful sense of LA during the time and you have a well-paced, excellent story. I liked it so well that I've ordered the next.