Thicker Than Water
By P.J. Parrish 

     Louis Kincaid returns for this fourth book in the series. His life is still in flux as he bides his time as a private investigator. He seems to grow in each episode. I have no idea how many novels are planned in this series but I’m sure that I will read them all.

     Jack Cade has just been released from prison after serving twenty years for a rape and murder when the attorney who represented him long ago is found shot to death. Jack is charged with the killing and his son hires Louis Kincaid to help establish his father’s innocence. Susan Outlaw, the public defender, resents the intrusion of Kincaid and they get off to a rough start.

     An old nemesis of Kincaid’s, Sheriff Mobely, also threatens to hamper the investigation but then seems to experience a metamorphic shift and becomes a solid ally.

     The cast of characters in this story is made up of a mixture of new faces as well as some holdovers from earlier Louis Kincaid adventures. It’s a blend that works well: a complicated plot with a lot of strange twists and turns. Surprises come at the reader from all directions, but the author has skillfully put the story together in logical progression and the plot line is easy to follow. Author P.J. Parrish has provided another winner.

     P.J. Parrish, with only four titles in print, has already been nominated for an Edgar, one of mystery writing’s top awards and has made the New York Times Best Seller list. Seems as if I’m not the only one who’s noticed the talent.