Bad Samaritan

Nick Forte has a hard time leaving well enough alone. He seriously injures a man for slapping a woman Forte has never seen before, so when Becky Tuttle comes to him with disconcerting letters sent to her author alter ago Desiree d’Arnaud, he does more than a cursory investigation. Following the thread of Becky’s problem leads through a local cop who takes the situation too lightly for Forte’s taste and into the disturbing world of men’s rights activists, for whom he has no use at all.

Becky’s case isn’t the only thing going on in Forte’s life. A chance meeting with Lily O’Donoghue, a former prostitute whose mother’s death Forte feels responsible for, leads to a blackmailer who has videos of Lily’s former occupation. Forte takes care of the blackmailer with minimal fuss, but learns (again) that no good deed goes unpunished. Forte’s innocent intercession brings him back into the sphere of Chicago gangster Mickey Touhy, who has interest in both Lily and Forte.

Forte’s usual cast of Sharon, Goose, Delbert, Sonny, Jan, and, of course, his daughter Caroline do what they can to keep him on an even keel. The problem is that Forte’s keel may be permanently damaged and the only resolutions he can arrive at satisfy no one, least of all himself.

Praise for BAD SAMARITAN:

“Nick Forte is a throwback to the classic tough guy, politically incorrect PI who takes care of business. He’s the kind of guy you’d want working for you, if you were in a tough spot. And Dana King is a master at creating a low-down, dirty world where everyone needs a someone like Forte on his side.” —Charles Salzberg, author of the Henry Swann mysteries

“Tough, taut, unsentimental, and as hard-boiled as a dinosaur egg; Dana King delivers a private-eye procedural that would make Joe Gores proud.” —David Housewright, Edgar Award-winning author of Darkness, Sing Me a Song

“Dana King’s Nick Forte is a two-fisted, no-nonsense PI in the tradition of Amos Walker and Mike Hammer, who is aware of his strengths and willing to confront his weaknesses. Don’t pick up Bad Samaritan if you can’t take a punch.”—J.L. Abramo, Shamus Award-winning author of Circling the Runway

“Dana King is such a terrific writer that if he wrote soup label copy, I’d have a cupboard full of tomato, mushroom and chicken noodle soup… and never open a can. The good news is that he has a new book out titled Bad Samaritan and once again, King doesn’t disappoint. His bad-ass detective, Nick Forte, is after nasty guys who abuse and exploit women and since these jerks operate in Chicago, they’re in a world of hurt as Nick also lives in Chicago and doesn’t suffer creeps gladly. Full-bore action coming at you on every page. Glom onto this one—you’ll thank me if you do.” —Les Edgerton, author of The Bitch, The Genuine, Imitation, Plastic Kidnapping, The Rapist, Just Like That and others