THE MERCY RULE

Hardy, a wisecracking detective/lawyer and former bartender reminiscent of Spencer, takes on a case of assisted suicide that dredges up a sordid past and a crime that won't be forgotten. Sal had been a lovable fishmonger who sold to the judges and lawyers in his town until his memory started to go; the Alzheimer's gets to him, along with the pain. When he turns up dead, the police think it's murder and that his son is to blame. John Shea growls and croons as Hardy makes his way from present to past, connecting all the pieces and underlying motives that end in a startling conclusion and an even more unusual murderer. Throughout, Shea keeps pace with the action and tension, drawing the listener even deeper into the cover-up and collusion. M.B.K. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 02]