Cold Medina: 9a Novel of Suspense

Television writer Hardwick (Me and the Boys) crosses media with ease in his first novel, a gritty, boisterous crime thriller featuring a tough, savvy--and volatile--Detroit homicide cop. Inspector Tony Hill, head of the Special Crimes unit, is called in to investigate the mutilation murder of a crack cocaine dealer whose hands have been severed by a psychopath. The case quickly falls into place as one of a series of similar, drug-related killings, with the murderer, dubbed ``the Handyman,'' identified in a politically explosive turn of events as Caucasian. The killings continue as cops and drug lords alike take to the streets to stop the macabre blood bath. Meanwhile, a trio of hustlers blows into town with the formula for manufacturing Cold Medina, a cheap, super-addictive version of crack cocaine. After the streets are saturated with Medina, the drug is discovered to produce unpredictable aggressive behavior. Set against the political pressures of a hotly contested, racially tense mayoral race, this fast-paced, suspenseful chiller, which can hold its own with the N.Y.C.-set crime thrillers of Stephen Solomita, is fraught with intriguing situations and offbeat characters--not the least of whom is Tony Hill, one cop who definitely deserves another literary tour of duty. (Feb.)