The Bottle Ghosts
a Dick Hardesty mystery

Dorien Grey

Review by Molly

When Investment counselor John Bradshaw comes to P I Hardesty to enlist the detective's help in finding Bradshaw's gone missing partner Jerry Shea; Dick does not realize where the conundrum will lead or how many missing gay, alcoholic men there have been over the past five years. Despite the fact that homophobic Chief Rourke's leaving the police force; missing persons reports are not handled too differently. Gay partners then and now are not the top priority. Fortunately one sharp-eyed young officer working on his master's thesis has noted a particular pattern surrounding some of the missing persons. Before the puzzlement surrounding what may have become of Shea is unraveled Hardesty will have nineteen names on his list of missing.

Each time I think writer Grey cannot possibly meet the standard of his last book, he does and more. The Bottle Ghosts continues the pattern author Grey has established for himself. Avid readers of Grey's work will be happy to know old friends Bob and Mario, Chris and Max, Tondelaya O'Toole, Lt. Richman are again found in this particular tome. In The Bottle Ghosts Grey crafts a well written, fast paced novel filled with the excellent gritty dialogue, admirable situations and bang-up scenarios we have come to expect. Grey's expertise with words paint a zestful backdrop of buildings, sights and sounds. I can easily visualize the long broken Trocadero sign now gracing The Troc bar. Guy Prentiss at the piano is nearly audible and Tondelaya! I'm happy to see he/she and her Pearl Bailey routine have returned from New Orleans to help headline the show for the opening of the Steamroller Junction in the gay area.

As always watch the red herrings. Just when you are sure you have figured it all out writer Grey sneaks in another little mischievous word to lead you down another path. Nothing is ever exactly as may be thought when you are reading master mystery writer Dorien Grey.

If this is your first Dorien Grey novel, it is one of author Grey's finest. Grey writes for all audiences who enjoy good mystery, interesting characters and tongue in cheek humor now and then.

The Butcher's Son
The 9th Man
The Bar Watcher
The Hired Man
The Good Cop
The Bottle Ghosts
The Dirt Peddler
The Role Players
The Paper Mirror