Hunting a Detroit Tiger

Troy Soos

7/24/2003

Mickey Rawlings is a utility baseball player. In the 1920's, that means he plays in a game when one of the regular nine players can't play. When a player depends on his skills to keep his job, he tries to be in every game. Which means the utility player sits on the bench a lot. The utility player is often distrusted but accepted.

Mickey has been traded to Detroit. He has a larger problem than normal. Just as the season is opening, a pro-baseball-players-union organizer is murdered. Mickey is identified as the killer in self-defense. He didn't do it. No one will believe his protests of innocence. Since he wasn't charged, the police won't check into the true murderer. The Tiger players don't trust Mickey now because he killed a retired ball player. He is seen "fraternizing" with the union-buster friend of the team owner. He is seen in the union organizers hall more than once. Where do his real sympathies lie?

An old girlfriend shows up in Detroit. His socialist journalist friend visits him in Detroit. Karl gets involved with the dead ball player's socialist daughter. Someone in the police or other agency wants the death to be forgotten. Mickey wants to clear his name and get himself out of the middle of all the intrigue. (And out of the line of fire when someone seems to be out to get him.)

This series is a light, fun look at the early days of baseball. Soos namedrops all over. Rawlings is on the Tigers with Ty Cobb and other players of the day. Rawlings is fighting his own emotions and memories of his days in the Great War. He is also torn between the anti-unionist ideals and socialist ideals. This is enjoyable and well done. The mystery is put together well, although I followed it and had pretty well figured it out by the end. This is a fun way to while away a summer day at the beach.

You can find more about this book at .

Murder at Fenway Park
Murder at Ebbets Field
Murder at Wrigley Field
Hunting a Detroit Tiger
The Cincinnati Red Stalkings
Hanging Curve