First Kill - Tapa dura

"First kill" is related through the mind-and heart-of Hank Berlin, a detective whose cases have not been more than relatively ordinary - the sort of thing one would expect in a small Wisconsin River town. The assignment he has now, however, not only involves the murder of his former best friend, reporter Jack Drucker, but the dead man's widow, Liz, whom Hank loved and lost. Pinery Falls is not a big city. Even so, Hank and Liz have not been in touch for over fifteen years; now Liz comes to Hank begging him to find her husband's killer. Hank is reluctant; he is caring for Harry, his six-year-old son, while his ex-wife is in Europe. But remembrances from the past lead him to agree. The logical place to start is Drucker's work; was he about to spill some very dangerous beans? It's a good guess, but there are twists and turns in the story that put not only Hank but young Harry in peril.

Michael Kronenwetter has written more than thirty books, many of them for the young-adult and reference markets. He and his wife live in Wausau, Wisconsin.