Detective Fiction by William Wells

In William Wells’ Detective Fiction, Jack Starkey, ex-Chicago homicide detective is living the retired cop’s dream. He lives on a boat in Fort Myers Beach, FL, owns a bar, dates Marisa, a beautiful Latina, and is the basis of a successful mystery series written by a journalist friend.  When approached to assist the Chief of Police in nearby posh Naples with several suspicious deaths, he realizes he misses the action and accepts. Marisa suggests the only way to learn about the upper one percent is to become one, which is arranged by the Naples’ mayor. Average guy Jack Starkey assumes the persona of rich Frank Chance (named for the Chicago Cubs first baseman). However, living the good life yields no clues and the investigation stalls. He grabs onto the flimsiest of leads.

Starkey is a guy’s guy, liking cars, shapely women and ballpark food. He is out of his element in Naples. The case almost takes a back seat to Starkey’s humorous commentary comparing the life of the elite to Chicago’s South Side, the Cubs and the Baby Doll Polka Lounge, his former hangout. The fact that the body count continues to increase and he must ultimately combine forces with a known gangster makes him seem like an amateur, but so what.  This novel is shouting ‘series’ which would be perfectly fine.