In a Pig's Eye: A Jimmy Flannery Mystery

In his eighth appearance (after The Gift Horse's Mouth ), Jimmy Flannery, Campbell's engaging Chicago political foot soldier and sewer worker, is flying high. He is about to become a father and he is elected committeeman of the 27th Ward. Finally getting some respect, he's glad to use his connections to help his neighbors, but then he comes up against something his new influence can't fix. While Flannery is exercising at a local health club, a man drops dead of an apparent heart attack. When the corpse turns out to have no identification--he's registered at the club as P. Pig--Flannery starts to nose around. At first the cops encourage him, but then all his sources dry up: nobody knows anything about anything. His interest piqued, Flannery's investigation leads him to a seedy porn publisher, a seedier topless club and old acquaintance Vito Vellitri, leader of the 25th Ward, who warns him off. On another front, Flannery is disturbed because obtuse Catholic reporter Billy Behan is interfering with Flannery's wife's counseling service for unwed pregnant teenagers. As told by his clear-eyed, clearheaded hero, Campbell's tales of ward-level political life in the Windy City grow better and better. (Oct.)