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John M. Daniel lived in Santa Barbara, California for twenty years, where he and his wife, Susan, owned (and were owned by) a small-press publishing company. In 2003 they relocated McKinleyville, California, where they continue to publish books while John also does free-lance editing and teaches writing through adult education. He has taught fiction writing at UCLA Extension and Santa Barbara Adult Education and is on the faculty of the Santa Barbara Writers Conference. His stories have appeared in dozens of literary magazines, and he is the author of several books.
<p> Entrepreneur Fritz Marburger persuades Santa Barbara poetry publisher Guy Mallon to publish singer Lorraine Evans first novel in hopes of expanding his business. Fritz also rents him a warehouse to store the books, which Guy must share with a crooked vanity publisher. Unfortunately, Lorraine reneges on her offer to publicize the novel, leaving Guys business in deep financial troublecompounded by an arson fire that destroys his warehouse stock, leaving him without any books to sell. The fiasco is further compounded when a body is found in the wreckage, and Guys partner, Carol, leaves him as the publisher slides down the slippery slope of lost integrity in an effort to recover his financial losses. Along with stripper Kitty Katz (an employee of the vanity publisher), Guy investigates, hoping to find the murderer and salvage his career. Fast pacing, a strong sense of place, and plenty of -publishing-business details combine with a likable although flawed main character to produce an engrossing read. --Booklist<p> <p>
