Where All The Ladders Start

by Richard Bowker

Walter Sands is back!In crippled, post-nuclear Boston, private investigator Walter Sands is neck-deep in the mysterious--and possibly miraculous--disappearance of Flynn Dobler, the charismatic leader of the Church of the New Beginning.Meanwhile, the governor of New England orders Walter to follow the head of a Federal delegation charged with negotiating a vital treaty, a man who the governor suspects is fomenting a revolution.Before long, both cases collide, and Walter's life hangs in the balance.Where All the Ladders Start is a memorable addition to The Last P.I. series.THE LAST P.I., in series orderDover BeachThe Distance BeaconsWhere All The Ladders StartOTHER TITLES by Richard BowkerSenatorSummitReplicaPontiffABOUT RICHARD acclaimed author Richard Bowker has published a variety of novels including science fiction, mysteries and thrillers. When he isn't writing, Richard enjoys life with family and friends, and offering thoughts on writing, reading and learning at www.richardbowker.com.

394 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 16, 2015

Reviews

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walter Sands is coming into his own as a private investigator after nuclear apocalypse. Rather clueless in Dover Beach, rather bumbling in The Distance Beacons, in Where All the Ladders Start, he's developing into a real investigator.

Ladders has him solving more than one mystery: where an administrator from the federal government is going each night and what to do about it; and what really happened the night the leader of a religious cult vanished. In true noir style, Walter's lied to, bashed on the head, and shot at. And, yes, he solves the mysteries before I did.

Walter is his usual engaging self, becoming acquainted with a variety of people. He talks his way into the heavily guarded enclave of the super-rich and figures out how to ingratiate himself with a hostile bureaucrat. Other characters are changing as well: Dr. J is becoming a reader, and Stretch has gained a little cynicism after the events of Distance Beacons.

Ending the book at Christmas could have been a little hokey, but it works; it's a satisfying ending in a lot of ways.

(btw, I didn't read the kindle edition; I'm a Barnes & Noble Nook reader.)

[Paul Jarzabek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first two in the series. But still worth reading and true to the theme.