Murder Manual

New Orleans private investigator Harry James Denton is down on his luck: his money has run out and his pregnant girlfriend has broken up with him. Then, he's asked to find a bestselling author who's cheating on his wife. Unfortunately, Harry finds the writer--dead--and he's the prime suspect. Harry, whose first outing in Dead Folks' Blues won his creator an Edgar, is still an appealing character, and once again Womack captures the laid-back, old-boy network of New Orleans. However, the plot isn't strong; there's a subplot involving Harry's landlady and another involving corruption at the coroner's office--both of which overshadow Harry's current case. Fans of Harry Denton will read along, but readers wanting a captivating whodunit won't find it here. (June)