New York City private eye Nic Knuckles gets the call all private investigators live a mysterious client with money to burn who needs answers and needs them now. The job is simple. Fly to Kleinstadt, Indiana, and determine whether fifteen years ago, teenage murder victim Mindy Prettypucker got justice, or if her classmate, Timmy Hanlon, was wrongly convicted and wasting away in prison.
Nic's analytic skills lack the rigor of a Sherlock Holmes, as memories of past romantic failures derail his thinking. But they all pale in comparison to the long-running emotional issues Nic has with his mother. He may not have a silky-smooth interrogation style, and more than one nature documentary has informed his decision-making. But Nic’s saving grace is a relentless drive to solve criminal mysteries, owing to his soft spot for forgotten victims and their loved ones. As Nic himself would say, “I’m a big city private eye with a boatload of heartbreak, traversing the universe in pursuit of justice for the little guy.”
Nic Knuckles is back! In Bill Ade’s latest, Big Scream in a Small Town, fearless Nic travels to the heartland to tackle a cold case. Nic applies his unique skills to solve this old murder, leaving us to wonder whether he’ll identify the real killer, and spring Timmy Hanlon, convicted years earlier. Along the way Nic encounters a colorful collection of small-town characters, including a hostile and malicious sheriff and a libidinous landlady, and deals with each using his trademark detective skills and a dash of New York attitude. There’s no messing with our Nic. His dogged detective deductions cleverly engage the reader, propelling the story and leading to an unexpected conclusion. As with Bill Ade’s other work, his keen observation of human nature seasons this tale and leaves the reader wanting more.