Fade to Tomorrow

Rating:
Summary: three well written tales filled with suspense
Review: This collection consists of a new novel and new short story starring "industrial consultant" Steve Madison in both; the other short story from the 1970s contains as its leading light a Madison prototype. All three tales are well written, filled with suspense, and star interesting lead protagonists.

"Fade to Tomorrow". Retired Army Ranger Steve Madison lives in an isolated section of mountainous Colorado with no human contact for weeks on end. He comes out of his roost to do 3-4 jobs a year requiring a special clean-up in which he expedites a musical hotshot from trouble. His client Arn Shapiro knows the ropes of dealing with Steve. Arn hires him to help music superstar Johnny Willow out of a bad spot. Drummer Eddie Chase runs cocaine and has something on Johnny to keep him silent. In St. Louis as Johnny prepares for a comeback, all will come to a head.

"A Hit for the New Age". Arn hires Steve to investigate the locked dressing room murder of agent George Kodopolous. The police lean towards rock star Tony Jardeen, but this case is going to hit home a lot closer to Steve as the musician's travel companion is Carolyn Gentry, a woman that Madison loved, but left behind.

"The Death Blues". Record producer Carl Hensman hires private detective O'Dair to determine whether blues great Stomper Crawford reported dead eight years ago still lives. However, as he searches for the facts, someone wants the truth to remain obfuscated and is willing to stomp on O'Dair to insure that happens.

Harriet Klausner