Tough Luck L.A.

Edgar Award Finalist: Ben Crandel came to Hollywood to strike it big as a writernot become the prime suspect in a prostitutes murder. L.A. seemed like a good idea at the time. Having published two novels, Ben Crandel left a sweet teaching job back east and moved to Hollywood to write a screenplay. Now languishing in development limbo, he pays the rent on his seedy bungalow by cranking out porn novels. And his girlfriend, Ellen, has decided she needs some time apart. The only bright spots in his life are being a Big Brother to an eleven-year-old orphan named Petey and walking his drooling but lovable basset hound, Stanley. But Bens crappy California life is about to get a whole lot worse. Bens friend Vicky, a former prostitute, is beaten and murdered in her apartmentshot execution-style in the back of the head. The Beverly Hills police grab Ben at the crime scene and charge him with first-degree murder. Freed on bail, Ben is determined to track down Vickys real killer. At first it seems like her death may be connected to the adult film industry. But as Ben digs deeper, he becomes entangled in a multimillion-dollar game of survivor-take-all . . . Praise for the Ben Crandel Mysteries Sinclair has the unique ability to dish out hard-edged realism withbelieve it or nota touch of humor. Goodbye L.A. is a fine piece. Gerald Petievich, author of To Live and Die in L.A.