Robert N Hughes

Down Among the Dead Robert N Hughes

Publisher Marketing: Meet Gabriel Cole, New Orleans newest and most unusual Private Investigator. He specializes in finding missing persons the police have given up on, including a troubled teenage girl he has just been hired to find. To say his methods are unusual would be an understatement. Fortunately for Gabriel, he has a rare 'gift', which does appear to help him in his one-man crusade against crime. So, you see, it doesn't matter who you are, you can run, you can hide...but he will find you. The story begins in late August of 2005 and Hurricane Katrina is days away From ripping the heart out of New Orleans, when Homicide Detective, Rachel Cruz, receives a call from the chief Medical Examiner. It seems a local priest just happened to stumble over a body down in the French Quarter. The man had been stripped naked, beaten, tortured, and left for dead. However, there is something very strange about this mystery corpse and it looks like this kindly old cleric may not be telling the whole truth. As if all of that wasn't bad enough, the new P. I. in town has also upset one of the City's most influential families by opening old wounds and threatening to expose dark family secrets, so he can uncover the truth behind the missing teenage girl. Unfortunately for Detective Cruz, she has been ordered to keep a close watch on him to prevent any further trouble. It's not long before they discover a clear link between the cases they are both working on. The ensuing mayhem is heightened by an alarming rise in the local body count, not to mention a local hood doubling as a Voodoo priest, kidnapping, missing drugs, blackmail, prostitution, and police corruption. This first novel rattles along at a cracking pace and you have all the ingredients of a rich Louisiana 'Gumbo' with plenty of heat and flavour to keep you turning the pages right up to the heart-pounding climax. GABRIEL COLE MAY HAVE A RARE 'GIFT'... BUT IT'S ALSO THE KIND OF GIFT THAT CAN GET A GUY KILLED!