The Kill Floor

by John Desjarlais

Frank "Flash" Gordon knows it's a detective's duty to speak for the victim, even when the world would rather they turn their back.

When the brash CEO of a huge swine factory is found dead on the property, most of the rural town wants to say "good riddance" and let the world move on one billionaire fewer. Frank can't shake the feeling that something is off. How can he solve the murder when the whole town seemed to want the victim dead? To make matters more complex, most of the clues point to a dead man.

As the case twists and turns, Frank struggles to maintain his marriage to local environmental activist Stephanie. Frank's hunt for the truth puts him, his marriage, and his career on the kill floor.

Perfect for fans of police procedural novels, this small town murder mystery weaves drama and intrigue among the vibrant midwestern community members and the new industries throwing their way of life off balance.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

250 pages, Paperback

Published September 20, 2022

Reviews

[Wisconsin Alumni]

John Desjarlais ’76
Author

From the author
Frank "Flash" Gordon knows it's a detective's duty to speak for the victim, even when the world would rather they turn their back. When the brash CEO of a huge swine operation is found dead in the manure lagoon, no one in town wants to raise a stink. Frank can't shake the feeling that something is off. How can he solve the murder when the whole town seemed to want the victim dead? To complicate matters, all the clues point to a dead man. As the case twists and turns, Frank struggles to maintain his marriage to environmental activist Stephanie. Frank's hunt for the truth in a rural town full of secrets puts him, his marriage, and his career on the kill floor.

[J.J. Hanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gritty, realistic detective story that unveils the nature of humanity in a visceral way. From the realistic rural small town you can drive through with Frank Gordon to the smell and the feel of the sweltering heat of an Illinois summer, Desjarlais masterfully depicts the people and places we've all seen and known--dropping us right into the lose-lose scenario of the murder of someone everyone wanted dead.

This is the perfect read for you if you like descriptive, by-the-book detective stories with main characters you can root for and are looking for a different pace from the high speed mysteries in big cities.

[Michele Bean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nobody liked Jacob Diedrich, the wealthy CEO of a swine factory, that stunk up the whole town. So when he’s found dead, buried in pig mud, no one is upset. Yet, practically everyone is under suspicion.