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Remember Sherman? Charlie Sherman? one cop says early on in this hugely entertaining thriller. He was once a high-ranking officer with the Sacramento Police Department, but he managed to corrupt fellow officers into becoming moonlighting meth dealers selling dope out of the evidence room. Now, after Detective Paula Newberry busted his operation, he's safely tucked away in a maximum-security prison. Yet he haunts the opening chapters. How can his blood turn up at a crime scene? A dying ex-cop croaks Newberry's name. Another murder is done, this time with a hammer from Newberry's workshop. Her signature appears on a fat check drawn on department funds. And more. Somehow Sherman has managed to link these mysterious goings-on to Detective Newberry. While waiting for everything to be explained, the reader can enjoy pages of sprightly writing that move the story effortlessly forward. There's an undercurrent of droll humor in the dialogue, as when the beleaguered police chief, at risk of erupting, threatens to turn up in a city-sponsored anger-management class. Then, in a riveting scene, Charlie Sherman steps out of the shadows. Shrewdly plotted.--Crinklaw, Don Copyright 2017 Booklist

Publishers Weekly
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Loyalty, revenge, and politics drive L'Etoile's tight sequel to 2016's At What Cost. When Sacramento, Calif., detectives John Penley and Paula Newberry investigate a murder and a series of street drug thefts, they conclude that the crimes may be committed by a group of corrupt cops whose leader, Charles Sherman, is in prison. Sherman, a former cop who's appealing his conviction on multiple counts of fraud, corruption, and drug possession, appears to be targeting those who testified against him. Sherman has Newberry in his crosshairs, trying to ruin her career and her personal life. But how did Sherman's fingerprints end up at a crime scene when he was locked up at the time? Each respectful of the other's detective's skills, Penley and Newberry work well together while wading through a morass of double-crossing colleagues and shady politicians. L'Etoile, a former associate prison warden, keeps the suspense high while illuminating the culture of criminals and the ties that bind cops. Agent: Elizabeth K. Kracht, Kimberley Cameron and Associates. (Dec.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Library Journal
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While Sacramento cop John Penley deals with the family fallout of At What Cost, his partner Det. Paula Newberry has worse troubles when she is linked to the death of a former officer. Soon, there's political pressure to blame Newberry for stolen street drugs and the actions of crooked cops. The riveting police procedural will appeal to readers of Michael Connelly's "Harry Bosch" books.-LH © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.