Fixed In His Folly

Mal Foley #1

by David J. Walker

When knife-wielding street punks warn private investigator Malachy Foley against "bein' even close to happy," the message isn't about Mal's state of mind. Harriet "Happy" Mallory, a high-powered Chicago attorney with political ambitions, has just hired Mal to find her son, placed for adoption thirty-one years ago. Seems there's more here than just the late-blooming maternal interest Harriet claims. Mal, fast on his feet and more quick-witted than prudent, follows the trail to a gentle woman headed home from prison, a beautiful woman headed nowhere but the grave, and then to Harriet's boy - trapped in a maelstrom of vengeance and death. Bad cops, tarnished priests, and Scripture-quoting killers stalk Chicago's mean streets together. He ought to take time to salvage his own failing marriage, or maybe stick to playing barroom piano, but Mal presses forward into the center of a strange and violent vendetta. With a furious pace and meticulous plotting, David J. Walker gives us characters we care about and a vivid portrait of love gone wrong in this unusually accomplished debut mystery.

Genres: Mystery

Paperback

First published May 1, 1995

About the author

DAVID J. WALKER has written twelve published mystery/suspense novels, and one novella. His most recent book is Company Orders, a 2012 release. This is a stand-alone thriller in which the hero is--of all things--a priest.

David is the author of two private eye series, the "Mal Foley" series, and the “Wild Onion, Ltd.” series. The Wild Onion books feature a wife/husband private eye team, and are set in and around Chicago.

David is the author of the acclaimed 2008 suspense novel, Saving Paulo, also a stand-alone, and his short story, “A Weekend in the Country,” was published in the popular 2006 anthology, Chicago Blues.

One of Walker’s Wild Onion, Ltd. books was short-listed for the Society of Midland Authors best novel award. He has been an Edgar® nominee and has won several Lovie awards. He has served on the Board of Directors of Mystery Writers of America. He is also a member of Private Eye Writers of America, and has been a judge for both the Edgar and Shamus awards.

Walker is a life-long Chicagoan. He has been a parish priest in Chicago, an investigator with the Chicago Police Department, and an attorney. At present, he is a full-time writer
and lives with his wife just north of the city.

Reviews

[Barb]

The first in David Walker's Mal Foley series. I am loving this book! Set in Chicago and a great thriller to boot!

[Sandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Debut in a Chicago PI series. Saw the author at the Baltimore Bouchercon.