From the acclaimed author of Primal Fear, a stunning new suspense epic of California corruption in the first half of the twentieth century.

Young Thomas Culhane grows up in the small Californian town of Eureka. But, although he is adopted by one of the town's wealthy families, he knows he must escape Eureka to make his own way in the world. Then World War I intervenes and Culhane ships to Europe to join the American forces in Europe, where he proves himself a hero. On his return to Eureka, he soon becomes deputy sheriff to the town's legendary lawman. In the early 1920s, he steps into his boss's shoes after the sheriff is killed in a shootout. Some twenty years later, Sheriff Culhane is a powerful man about to run as state governor. One hundred miles south of Eureka in Los Angeles, Verna Wilensky has been electrocuted in her bathtub. At first, her death looks accidental. But as the police investigate further and discover that she had almost 100,000 in her bank account, they begin to dig deeper. Who was this woman, where did she come from, how did she get all this money, and what was her connection to Eureka, to Thomas Culhane and to the bloody events of the 1920s that saw Culhane's political star begin to rise?

William Diehl shot to fame with the publication and subsequent filming of his novel SHARKY'S MACHINE. Since then he has written several other bestsellers, including PRIMAL FEAR - also filmed to great acclaim. He and his wife live in Woodstock, Georgia.

2008-01-22 not fantastic but not bad

This was the first book I had read by this author after my father-in-law recommended it to me. The story spans over several years (which I like) and involves some great characters. A lady is found dead in her bathtub at home and the search for the killer spans back over many years. I did enjoy the story but I felt that the characters were a bit unbelievable and therefore I didn't really connect with them. The plot was very well written but I don't think I will be rushing to buy another book by this author.