"Well-plotted look into the world of newspaper reporting."

Eddie Bourque, reporter for the Lowell Empire, has a full cup. Between cups of exotic coffee and cold bottles of beer, he has to cover a shooting, balance his personal life and deal with quarrels with his publisher. As a favor to his beat partner, Danny Nowlin, he takes on one more project and investigates a hot political tip. Danny never has the chance to check back in with Eddie, as Danny becomes another story to cover when Eddie watches Danny's dead body being pulled from a local canal.

Disobeying orders to stay out of the Nowlin murder investigation leads Eddie to a mysterious Oriental woman. Does she have any answers, or is she the reason he's attacked and left for dead? After the attack, Eddie is rescued by junkies living under a bridge by the same canal in which Danny's body was found.

Eddie finds himself in over his head, fighting for the story of his life. Beset on every side by grasping politicians, devious supervisors and underworld characters, it takes a continual stream of caffeine from his favorite coffee to keep his investigative abilities sharp. Whirling along a path of destruction, Eddie hopes to live long enough to file his final copy.

This is a tightly plotted glimpse into the world of modern- day newspaper reporting. The story will keep you guessing right to the bottom of your triple latté.

Reviewed by Tom Blair
Courtesy Old Book Barn Gazette
Posted June 20, 2003