Murder on the Waterfront (Bill Donovan) - Hardcover

Jahn, Michael

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0312278578 ISBN 13: 9780312278571

Publisher: Minotaur Books, 2001

Synopsis

Parties of vastly different orders rage aboard two ships docked side-by-side on Manhattan's legendary West Side waterfront. On the ultramodern, palatial, and pastel cruise liner Trinidad Princess, a conservative candidate for president presides over a posh fundraiser. On the ancient, barnacle-encrusted, and fashionably decadent Sevastopol Trader, the head of an ultrachic modeling agency holds an all-night soiree of supermodels and who-knows what else to celebrate the launch of her perfume line. When dawn breaks the following day and the body of a top conservative political strategist is found in the litter-strewn hold of the old freighter, N.Y.P.D. Captain Bill Donovan is called in for the investigation.

Helped by his wife, the multiracial firecracker Marcy, and his friend and associate, Brooklyn's massively muscled Brian Moskowitz, Donovan delves into a web of waterfront intrigue that includes national politicians, global environmental activists, top fashion models, menacing harbor water rats, lonely homeless old men, waterfront regulars, and a host of New York eccentrics.

Michael Jahn's Murder on the Waterfront is the latest novel in the Bill Donovan mystery series, complete with his usual cast of quirky New Yorkers and his trademark New York flair. With twists and turns galore, Jahn will keep you guessing until the very end.

About this title

From Publishers Weekly

The repartee between Captain Bill Donovan, his sidekick, Sergeant Moskowitz, his wife, Marcy, or anyone else who wanders into his ken isn't enough to enliven this eighth episode of Edgar-winner Jahn's New York environs series (Murder in Central Park; Murder on Fifth Avenue; etc.). The NYPD's Donovan, accompanied by Marcy, has the dubious honor of standing in for the mayor to welcome Compassionate Conservative Party presidential candidate Pete Bennett to the city. While the reception is taking place aboard the luxury cruise ship Trinidad Princess, a much livelier party is proceeding aboard the odd ship Sevastopol Trader docked next to it, where Captain Dennis Yeager and a boatload of beautiful people are partying the night away. The next morning, when Bennett's campaign manager is found slain aboard the Sevastopol Trader, Donovan switches from host to investigator without missing a beat. Either Donovan or Marcy already knows almost all the suspects, from Yeager to supermodel Caren Piermatty, videographer Michael Avignon and an old wharf rat. The ensuing investigation turns into a kind of parlor game, with Donovan and Marcy playing teetotaling versions of William Powell and Myrna Loy. Donovan must sort through some tricky comings and goings, political shenanigans and environmental issues before solving the murder, but the solution seems secondary to the breezy interplay between Donovan and his foils.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

The eighth Bill Donovan mystery shows some signs of fatigue. This time around the New York City detective investigates the death of a presidential candidate's rather hateful campaign manager--lots of potential suspects here. The story is generally straightforward and not especially challenging, almost murder by the numbers. If the plot is less than spectacular, though, the principal attraction of the series remains as vibrant as ever. New York is much more than a setting to the Donovan mysteries; it's an integral part of the whole: it sets the mood, and it participates in the stories. Jahn's ability to evoke the tactile presence of the city makes it feel as though we're walking the streets with Donovan; even when the story is thin, the city is rich and exciting. Not the best entry in the series by a long shot, but recommend it confidently to anyone who likes mysteries set in the Big Apple. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0312278578
• ISBN 13: 9780312278571
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320