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Sam McCain #7
Fools Rush In
Death visits the drive-in in this new mystery featuring America's favorite small-town detective.
Sam McCain is back, with all "the rueful wisdom and charm of an exemplary hero who"—says the San Francisco Chronicle—"is curious not only about whodunit but also about some of the more elusive riddles of human existence."
It's 1963, June. All spring Freedom Riders have been advancing the cause of civil rights in the South. While no one's marching in Black River Falls, Iowa, except maybe the high school band, the sleepy heartland town is showing signs of racial unease.
For the body of a black college student—David Leeds—has turned up dead. The evidence points to blackmail, and to a scandal that could ruin the already encumbered campaign of the very white Senator Lloyd Williams for reelection, if photos exist to prove rumors that romantically link the senator's daughter to the handsome, bright, ambitious—and black—David Leeds.
Prejudice runs mean and deep in Sam McCain's hometown, as the amiable young attorney and sometime detective discovers in an investigation that takes him from the unlit backstreets of Black River Falls to the cliquey precincts of the martini-fortified rich.
Sam McCain is back, with all "the rueful wisdom and charm of an exemplary hero who"—says the San Francisco Chronicle—"is curious not only about whodunit but also about some of the more elusive riddles of human existence."
It's 1963, June. All spring Freedom Riders have been advancing the cause of civil rights in the South. While no one's marching in Black River Falls, Iowa, except maybe the high school band, the sleepy heartland town is showing signs of racial unease.
For the body of a black college student—David Leeds—has turned up dead. The evidence points to blackmail, and to a scandal that could ruin the already encumbered campaign of the very white Senator Lloyd Williams for reelection, if photos exist to prove rumors that romantically link the senator's daughter to the handsome, bright, ambitious—and black—David Leeds.
Prejudice runs mean and deep in Sam McCain's hometown, as the amiable young attorney and sometime detective discovers in an investigation that takes him from the unlit backstreets of Black River Falls to the cliquey precincts of the martini-fortified rich.
329 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2007
7 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Ed Gorman
468 books122 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Edward Joseph Gorman Jr. was a prolific American author and anthologist, widely recognized for his contributions to crime, mystery, western, and horror fiction. Born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Gorman spent much of his life in the Midwest, drawing on that experience to set many of his novels in small towns. After working over two decades in advertising, political speechwriting, and industrial filmmaking, he published his first novel, Rough Cut, in 1984 and soon transitioned to full-time writing. His fiction is often praised for its emotional depth, suspenseful storytelling, and nuanced characters. Gorman wrote under the pseudonyms Daniel Ransom and Robert David Chase, and contributed to publications such as Mystery Scene, Cemetery Dance, and Black Lizard. He co-founded Mystery Scene magazine and served as its editor and publisher until 2002, continuing his “Gormania” column thereafter. His works have been adapted for film and graphic novels, including The Poker Club and Cage of Night. In comics, he wrote for DC and Dark Horse. Diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2002, he continued writing despite his illness until his passing in 2016. Critics lauded him as one of the most original crime writers of his generation and a “poet of dark suspense.”
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Edward Joseph Gorman Jr. was a prolific American author and anthologist, widely recognized for his contributions to crime, mystery, western, and horror fiction. Born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Gorman spent much of his life in the Midwest, drawing on that experience to set many of his novels in small towns. After working over two decades in advertising, political speechwriting, and industrial filmmaking, he published his first novel, Rough Cut, in 1984 and soon transitioned to full-time writing. His fiction is often praised for its emotional depth, suspenseful storytelling, and nuanced characters. Gorman wrote under the pseudonyms Daniel Ransom and Robert David Chase, and contributed to publications such as Mystery Scene, Cemetery Dance, and Black Lizard. He co-founded Mystery Scene magazine and served as its editor and publisher until 2002, continuing his “Gormania” column thereafter. His works have been adapted for film and graphic novels, including The Poker Club and Cage of Night. In comics, he wrote for DC and Dark Horse. Diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2002, he continued writing despite his illness until his passing in 2016. Critics lauded him as one of the most original crime writers of his generation and a “poet of dark suspense.”
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 5, 2017
Ed Gorman has created a mystery series featuring Sam McCain, an attorney who has returned to his hometown in Iowa. The story takes place in the 60's and the advance of civil rights is coming slowly to this sleepy town. The body of a black college student is found and Sam is trying to determine the circumstances surrounding his death. He must deal with the prejudice and closed minds of the citizens while working around an old-fashioned police force.
March 10, 2017
A good mystery novel set in '60's Iowa. I didn't predict the ending, which is always refreshing, but the climax wasn't as intense as I'd hoped. Sam McCain is good detective character. I'll look into more of his stories.
August 17, 2010
Ed Gorman's long-running series featuring Sam McCain, a somewhat naive, small town Iowa attorney and sometime private detective, has now advanced to 1963. In the South, the civil rights crusade is gathering momentum and in Black River Falls, Iowa, a black student named David Leeds has created a furor by dating the daughter of a white Republican Senator.
When Leeds is found murdered along with a white photographer, there is no shortage of suspects. Any number of Iowans, including the Senator who is running for re-election, were furious with Leeds. The bumbling police chief hasn't a clue and so McCain enters the fray.
Despite the violence, this is a gentle, nostalgic series that attempts to recapture the mood of an earlier, less complicated era. Even though we are now in the increasingly turbulent sixties, McCain is still the same innocent likeable guy he was in The Day The Music Died the series debut from a number of years ago. McCain's caught up in the music and the culture of the age and his love life reflects the standards of a different era. It's fun to watch him investigate the crime, although it's hard to take his "investigation" very seriously, but the real enjoyment of these books lies in the era that they evoke.
When Leeds is found murdered along with a white photographer, there is no shortage of suspects. Any number of Iowans, including the Senator who is running for re-election, were furious with Leeds. The bumbling police chief hasn't a clue and so McCain enters the fray.
Despite the violence, this is a gentle, nostalgic series that attempts to recapture the mood of an earlier, less complicated era. Even though we are now in the increasingly turbulent sixties, McCain is still the same innocent likeable guy he was in The Day The Music Died the series debut from a number of years ago. McCain's caught up in the music and the culture of the age and his love life reflects the standards of a different era. It's fun to watch him investigate the crime, although it's hard to take his "investigation" very seriously, but the real enjoyment of these books lies in the era that they evoke.
February 1, 2015
This is a very special 'private eye' series built around a lawyer and special court investigator, Sam McCain, in a small town in the midwest (Iowa) in the fifties and sixties. I absolutely love this series for several reasons:
1. the wonderful immersion into a different time, spanning a decade from the late fifties to the late sixties. The descriptions are detailed, evocative, engaging and realistic. They are exceptionally well done.
2. The protagonist is a likeable average joe, who is easy to identify with and tells the stories in the first person. His back story is as engaging and interesting as the murder mysteries he gets involved in, and has become the main reason why I have become hooked on this series.
3. There are plenty of connections to the pop culture of the fifties and sixties, which is a bonus for any lover of music, books, cinema and culture of the period.
4. The mysteries are well crafted and keep you guessing until the end.
5. Every single one of the entries in these series is excellent without exception and well worth the read.
Give this a try, you won't regret it. I read all 9 books in 2 months and can't wait for the 10th entry, 'Riders' on the Storm', that will appear in October 2014! I hope Mr. Gorman gets the opportunity to write several more before he retires.
1. the wonderful immersion into a different time, spanning a decade from the late fifties to the late sixties. The descriptions are detailed, evocative, engaging and realistic. They are exceptionally well done.
2. The protagonist is a likeable average joe, who is easy to identify with and tells the stories in the first person. His back story is as engaging and interesting as the murder mysteries he gets involved in, and has become the main reason why I have become hooked on this series.
3. There are plenty of connections to the pop culture of the fifties and sixties, which is a bonus for any lover of music, books, cinema and culture of the period.
4. The mysteries are well crafted and keep you guessing until the end.
5. Every single one of the entries in these series is excellent without exception and well worth the read.
Give this a try, you won't regret it. I read all 9 books in 2 months and can't wait for the 10th entry, 'Riders' on the Storm', that will appear in October 2014! I hope Mr. Gorman gets the opportunity to write several more before he retires.
December 9, 2024
Rassirahutused augustis 1963... Seekord algab lugu hoopis topeltmõrvaga ja šerif Sykes sekkub toimuvasse varem kui eelmistes osades. Autor on otsustanud lisada talle hulk lähemaid ja kaugemaid sugulasi, kes töötavad samuti kohalikus õigusemõistmise süsteemis. Nende hulka kuulub uus ringkonnaprokurör Jane Sykes, kes lööb seni kehtinud jõuvahekorrad sassi ja loeb vabal ajal Camus’ „Võõrast“ (no on ikka lektüür!).
Seekord on algus veidi Ross Macdonaldi moodi (eriti „The Galton Case“), aga déjà-vu tunne läheb kiiresti üle. Eelmiste järgede põhjal tekkis vägisi kahtlus, et Sami vedru on maha käinud ja midagi uut temalt oodata ei tasu. Aga võta näpust, Sam McCain on samuti tuunitud ega tegele üksnes hättasattunud neiukeste lohutamisega – nagu sellest sarjast selgub, elab Black River Fallsis uskumatult palju daame, kes 24/7 tema hingelist toetust vajavad. Selle asemel jagab ta maad baikerite gängiga, annab kolki kohaliku rikkuri võsule ja peksab 45kaliibrise püstoliga välja tunnistuse kaagilt, kes oli juba enne seda viletsas seisus. Kas võib olla, et pidevad peatraumad on peategelase isiksust nii palju moonutanud? Ka selles osas saab ta ühe kolaka, nii et mina tema asemel ostaksin endale kiivri – kaua sa kannatad neid pidevaid obadusi?
Lõpp oli taas ootamatu ja see, et Gorman lihtsamat teed ei läinud, jättis igati sümpaatse mulje.
Seekord on algus veidi Ross Macdonaldi moodi (eriti „The Galton Case“), aga déjà-vu tunne läheb kiiresti üle. Eelmiste järgede põhjal tekkis vägisi kahtlus, et Sami vedru on maha käinud ja midagi uut temalt oodata ei tasu. Aga võta näpust, Sam McCain on samuti tuunitud ega tegele üksnes hättasattunud neiukeste lohutamisega – nagu sellest sarjast selgub, elab Black River Fallsis uskumatult palju daame, kes 24/7 tema hingelist toetust vajavad. Selle asemel jagab ta maad baikerite gängiga, annab kolki kohaliku rikkuri võsule ja peksab 45kaliibrise püstoliga välja tunnistuse kaagilt, kes oli juba enne seda viletsas seisus. Kas võib olla, et pidevad peatraumad on peategelase isiksust nii palju moonutanud? Ka selles osas saab ta ühe kolaka, nii et mina tema asemel ostaksin endale kiivri – kaua sa kannatad neid pidevaid obadusi?
Lõpp oli taas ootamatu ja see, et Gorman lihtsamat teed ei läinud, jättis igati sümpaatse mulje.
December 30, 2025
I've written before that I like this series very much, but I admit that this outing doesn't quite measure up. Mr. Gorman still wrote his characters effortlessly, and the women are very smart folks who you wish you could meet in real life. This time we are in the early 60s, a period filled with the promise of Camelot along with the bombing of churches. The story itself deals with the sense of privilege the local gentry seem to assume will go on forever, and what that leads to. Eh. Not his best work.
March 19, 2019
A whole lot of violence going on:
David Leeds, young black college man dating a Senator's daughter is found murdered along side the local criminal blackmailer....
Racial unrest & hatred runs rampant.... Two "entitled" punks liked to beat up & harass David, especially since one had just been dropped by the Senator's daughter...
Blackmail, ugly people, just rewards... Too much violence & sadness
David Leeds, young black college man dating a Senator's daughter is found murdered along side the local criminal blackmailer....
Racial unrest & hatred runs rampant.... Two "entitled" punks liked to beat up & harass David, especially since one had just been dropped by the Senator's daughter...
Blackmail, ugly people, just rewards... Too much violence & sadness
November 17, 2023
The story lacked depth, apparently it is part of a series about a 1950’s lawyer/detective… one I won’t be actively searching to read anytime in the future
December 29, 2015
Ed Gorman created a unique detective in Sam McCain. While this is a historical series it allows Gorman to talk about the social inequities of 1950s and '60s America. This book, the seventh in the series, is set in the summer of 1963 as the Civil Rights Movement is gathering momentum. A black college student is found dead in Black River Falls, the small Iowa town where Sam lives. Soon a white photographer turns up dead. Both victims were killed with the same gun. Sam investigates the murders, both of which seem connected to a rumor that the daughter of a senator running for reelection was romantically involved with the student. If you enjoy a solid mystery that can see the past without romance read a Sam McCain novel.
February 10, 2008
This book was on the new mystery shelf. I'e just started it b ut already I like Ed Gorman's stype in the 50's middle american mystery series of 6 books, all the titles of early roc n roll songs. with the hero being Sam McCain. We shall see......... DONE: likeable characters. Light weight compared to the Swedish dourness and darkness of Henning's stories. A good antidote to the depression in Henning.
September 24, 2018
Our intrepid attorney/lawyer returns and soon is embroiled in a racial situation. A white woman and black man are dating until they are found murdered. There are many suspects. However, events related to racial harmony are becoming shattered. Then Sam is able to cook things down when he informs the Chief of Police that he has a suspect. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS
November 8, 2008
Black Falls, Iowa. 1963. Mid-20s. P.I./Lawyer Sam McCain. Gritty, lyrical storyline involves racism and murder. Sam is flawed, full of human folibles, and tough as nails when the chips are down. Another top quality tale and writing to boot.
April 29, 2011
I like these stories by Ed Gorman. He sets them in the early to mid 60s. And it has been awhile since I read one of his novels. This one was really a good suspense. I never had a clue as to who commited the initial 2 murders. It was a good tale.
November 22, 2013
enjoyed the plot in this one but points off for way too much Jamie and having every woman reduced to nothing but boons...I get that Sam is a young male but sheedh enough of the boon descriptions already...is Kenny writing these now
April 17, 2010
Not as good as others.
February 27, 2011
See review of previous book in this series.
September 20, 2011
Only got a few pages into and decided it had too much language in it for me.
October 17, 2015
lots of hate and violence
July 3, 2012
Good little murder/mystery tale concerning racism in Black River Falls, Iowa in 1963. Well told, quite interesting. Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews