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Trace by Warren Murphy
Originally published 1983: "In Hollywood, [Murphy] wrote The Eiger Sanction, starring Clint Eastwood, as well as Lethal Weapon II. His Trace books inspired the TV show "Murphy's Law."
Devlin Tracy is a very good insurance investigator in a profession that rewards success. He lives in a luxury condo on the Las Vegas Strip and only works when he feels like it. He also drinks vodka by the pint, cracks wise to damn-near everyone, and has what can charitably be described as a complicated relationship with his girlfriend. None of that matters to the Garrison Fidelity Insurance Company. They’re interested in results. Which is why they keep Trace on retainer.
Problem: A patient at a private clinic died, shortly after making his doctor the beneficiary of his insurance policy. Suspicious. Now a wealthy friend of the Garrison Fidelity is a patient at the same private clinic, and he isn’t doing well. Troubling. Solution: Send Trace, who has a natural way of shaking things up. On the surface everyone’s friendly and nothing points to murder, fraud or larceny. A late-night beatdown from two masked thugs sends a very different message, however, and tells Trace that he’s onto something. If only he could figure out what he’s onto.