Reviews

The Blue Door by David Fulmer

vkemp's review

4.0

This new stand-alone, featuring “Fast” Eddie Cero, broken-down boxer, is another winner from David Fulmer, Shamus Award winning author. After one too many beatings in the ring, Eddie decides to hang up his boxing gloves and join Sal Giambroni in SG Confidential Investigations. In the course of their first case, Eddie discovers he has a knack for snooping and he and Sal take down Walter Stollman, who is embezzling from his employer and wants to take off with his secretary. In the glow of this success, Eddie decides to take on a cold case – find out what happened to Johnny Pope, lead man for a South Philly doo-wop group, the Excels. This is the Golden Age for South Philly, Dick Clark and the Bandstand rule the airwaves and doo-wop is all the rage. Johnny Pope was here one day and gone the next and nobody knows where he went…except maybe his sister, Valerie Pope, who now sings at The Blue Door, Eddie’s hang-out joint. Or, his agent, Eugene White. Or, his cousin, Tommy. Or, Fat Cat, the Philly DJ. Or, George Roddy, the record label executive. With too many suspects and not enough information, Eddie stumbles around and eventually finds out the truth. It is a too familiar tale of betrayal and power, set in the early days of rock and roll.