Loren D. Estleman is one of Americas most prolific and acclaimed mystery writers. He is the author of more than 65 books and has been awarded more than 17 national writing awards. Many of these awards have been for his mystery series, but surprising, he has also won numerous awards for his series of Westerns, one of the few authors who are able to write top quality fiction in more than one genre. He is perhaps most well known for the 20 books he has written featuring hard boiled Detroit detective Amos Walker. The recently released “The Left Handed Dollar” is the latest installment in the Amos Walker series.

Hired by a well known Detroit defense attorney Lucille Lettermore, (“Lefty Lucy’), Walker begins his search into the case of Joey Ballista (aka "Joey Ballistic"), a Detroit gang lord now facing a terminal illness. Joey Ballistic was convicted in the car bombing of Walkers oldest friend Barry Stackpole, an investigative journalist. In spite of the resentment this engenders between the two old friends Walker begins to uncover the truth behind the bombing by searching for the source of the anonymous tip that sent police looking for Joey and led to the conviction that sent him away to prison. When a series of murders complicates his search, it’s apparent that someone doesn’t want the truth to be found and sets Walker on a collision course with the real killer. The story moves seamlessly from the seedy underbelly of Detroit to the manicured manses of Detroit’s wealthy suburban communities.

Filled with the gritty dialogue and descriptive settings Estleman is known for, the stories fast paced action keeps Walker dodging bullets, the police, and a host of criminals as he searches to raise questions about a past that many would just as soon forget. The story rockets along right to the last page when the perpetrator surprises even Walker and he must use all his acerbic wit and skill to survive to reveal the truth.