And so begins Michael Drayton's first adventure.
Set in and around the state of Rhode Island, Michael Drayton, Detective Guy is a different kind of hardboiled mystery featuring a different kind of detective.
In the tradition of Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade, Michael Drayton works alone and keeps to his own code of personal honor. Drayton uses humor, wit, intelligence, and willingness to do surprising things to deal with trouble. In Michael Drayton, Detective Guy, this approach comes into conflict with his attempt to quit smoking, the tension of which is exacerbated by events that occur as a result of the murder of his only wealthy client.
The novel features strong characters, excellent dialog, and Drayton's own, distinct narrative voice. I have worked on sections of two other Drayton novels and think that he can easily carry a series of books. Michael Drayton, Detective Guy was recently named as a finalist in the “Emory Goes Novel” competition sponsored by the Creative Writing Program at Emory University.