New Hope for the Dead: A Novel (Hoke Moseley Novels, Book 2)

Product description [Read by Stephen Bowlby] Packed with atmosphere and humor, New Hope for the Dead is a classic murder mystery by one of the true masters of the genre. Charles Willeford's tour de force is an irresistible invitation to become acquainted with one of the greatest detective characters of all time. - - Homicide detective Hoke Moseley is called to a posh Miami neighborhood to investigate a lethal overdose. There he meets the alluring stepmother of the decedent and begins to wonder about dating a witness. Meanwhile, he has been threatened with suspension by his ambitious new chief unless he leaves his beloved, if squalid, suite at the Eldorado Hotel and moves downtown. With free housing hard to come by, Hoke is desperate to find a new place to live. His difficulties are only amplified by an assignment to reinvestigate fifty unsolved murders, the unexpected arrival of his two teenage daughters, and a partner struggling with an unwanted pregnancy. With few options, and even fewer dollars, he decides that the suspicious and beautiful stepmother of the dead junkie might be a compromised solution to all of his problems. Review ''This is a telling slice of Miami life...whose gritty realism contributes to a good read.'' -- Publishers Weekly ''A top-notch crime novel . . . both tough and funny.'' -- Washington Post ''If you are looking for a master's insight into the humid decadence of south Florida and its polyglot tribes . . . Nobody does that as well as Mr. Willeford.'' -- New York Times Book Review ''Sergeant Hoke Moseley, last seen in Miami Blues, is back, still saddled with alimony payments and bad dental work. Now Moseley has new troubles. His superior, Major Willie Brownley, is bucking for a promotion and wants Moseley to help him look good by tackling fifty unsolved homicides. Moseley has to shoulder these cold cases while investigating a current murder with drug-scene connections. Moseley is one of the most credibly human cops in crime fiction, and Willeford's depictions of white-flight, crime-ridden Miami are powerfully drawn. Another fine police procedural in a superior series. -- Booklist (starred review) About the Author Charles Willeford (1919-1988) was a highly decorated tank commander with the Third Army in World War II. He was also a professional horse trainer, boxer, radio announcer, and painter. Willeford, the author of twenty novels, created the series featuring Miami detective Hoke Moseley, which includes Miami Blues, New Hope for the Dead, Sideswipe, and The Way We Die Now.