Loren Estleman’s 32nd Amos Walker mystery is a tired affair. The protagonist admits to being exhausted, and enduring pain in the places where an experienced PI is likely to experience being shot, stabbed and beaten up. Yet, he goes through many of the same motions he’s been refining for the past 44 years. His Detroit Police Department frenemy, the indestructible tough guy John Alderdyce, is clinging to life after what appears to have been a suicide attempt. Corporate bad guys and their enabling attorneys are rubbing out their rivals. Forest fires occurring across the Ambassador Bridge in Canada are sending clouds of smoke and ash into Walker’s Detroit bailiwick. It has never been like Estleman’s protagonist to kvetch more than a reasonable share, but in this episode he seems to go the fully Woody Allen.

I love Estleman’s work, and have no doubt he has many exciting yarns left to spin. That said, “Smoke on the Water” goes through the motions without adding much to the series arc. There’s an encouraging development at the book’s conclusion that suggests the introduction of a new antagonist for Walker. Perhaps that, and a rethink by the author on how to keep his creations current, will revitalize this thoroughly enjoyable series, which, to use the Motor City metaphor, is in danger of running on empty.

PI Amos Walker is hired to investigate a hit and run and discover where the important legal documents the victim had in his possession. The further he gets into the investigation the more bodies turn up. Someone wants the documents and will stop at nothing. The book had action suspense and a mystery. I didn’t find it as engaging as some of the books I have read by this author, which is why I give it 3*. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Loren D. Estleman always does a fantastic job in writing this type of book, it had that hard-boiled detective elements that I was expecting. The overall story worked with the genre and was engaged with the world and characters. It worked as a Amos Walker mystery and enjoyed this entry.

As the smoke from Canadian wildfires chokes Detroit, PI Amos Walker is tasked with investigating a fatal hit-and-run. The victim is Spencer Bennett, a junior law associate with the Waterford Group, and he supposedly had a file of confidential documents on him when he died. But those documents have now gone missing, and the firm is dead set on Walker finding them. As Walker digs deeper into the events leading to Bennett's death, all signs are pointing towards the crash being anything but accidental! Good book! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, a great who done it and a few twists and turns. The story was interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

3.75 stars

This long-running series is a throwback and so is the main character, private eye Amos Walker. Amos is getting older, maybe in his 70s by now, and he gets more world-weary and cynical with every passing year.

This one has kind of a convoluted plot involving the disappearance of a damning evidence file against a corporate giant with a great image but a horrible business ethic. The file is so explosive that more than one person dies because of it.

One of the best things about this series is the Detroit setting. Amos knows where all the bodies are buried and is familiar with the long and troubled history of his city. But somehow, even though Amos has seen it all, he still believes that bad guys should get punished and some sort of justice should prevail.

Estleman is a master of noir phrasing and pacing, and his writing is a pleasure. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.