Tie Die: A Colleen Hayes Mystery

Tomlinson’s excellent sequel to 2019’s Vanishing in the Haight deepens the character of his multilayered lead, Colleen Hayes, an unlicensed PI and ex-con who’s still on parole. In 1966, musician Steve Cook was rubbing shoulders with the likes of John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix, and his band, the Chords, was set to take America by storm. That bright future didn’t happen. Now it’s 1978, and Steve is living in San Francisco, playing occasionally at a local club. His ex-wife is a rapacious harridan, and his 11-year-old daughter, Melanie, is best described as “In a word difficult. In two words: extremely difficult.” When Melanie is kidnapped, Steve hires Colleen. Soon enough, Colleen realizes that the kidnapping is not as straightforward as it at first appears, and murder is also on the agenda. Her investigation takes her through an authentically rendered San Francisco, as well as on a quick trip to London. Having served time in prison for killing her abusive husband, she has a wary toughness that rings true. Readers will want to learn more about this surprising and pragmatic woman. Agent: Evan Marshall, Evan Marshall Agency. (Aug.)