Lucky Bones

In Wiley’s strong sequel to 2019’s Trouble in Mind, Chicago PI Sam Kelson, who left the police force after a bullet wound damaged his frontal lobe, takes on a new client, Genevieve Bower, who wants his help retrieving a hundred pairs of knockoff Jimmy Choos, which she claims were stolen by her boyfriend, Jeremy Oliver. Kelson visits Oliver’s home only to find him dead of a gunshot wound. After Kelson reports the death and returns to his office, he finds Genevieve waiting for him. She admits to moving the corpse to make Oliver appear to have committed suicide. Things get even weirder when the police arrive at the crime scene and there’s no body. After Oliver’s van is torched, Genevieve discloses that Oliver possessed a valuable thumb drive, which has gone missing and is wanted by some dangerous people. Humor enhances the clever whodunit plot. Wiley’s quirky lead, who’s unable to keep his thoughts to himself because of his injury, will appeal to fans of oddball sleuths like Jonathan Lethem’s Lionel Essrog. Agent: Philip Spitzer, Philip G. Spitzer Literary. (Aug.)