Too Many Clients: A Wild Onion Ltd. Mystery

Near the outset of Walker's muddled fourth mystery to feature PI Kirsten and her lawyer husband, Dugan (after 2005's All the Dead Fathers), crooked police detective Johnny O'Hern is scheduled to appear before the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission in downtown Chicago, but Johnny's found shot dead behind the wheel of his car that same morning. Though Johnny was despised by most of his family, including father Patrick, sister Janice, and brother Richard, Richard hires Kirsten to find his killer. Dugan, who violated the rules by paying Johnny to chase cases for him, is a prime suspect, giving Kirsten all the more reason to identify the real culprit. Despite plenty of pressure to back off, Kirsten won't quit investigating while Dugan's on the spot. Kirsten and Dugan make an amiable couple, but an unsatisfying ending will leave few looking forward to their next outing. (Nov.)