Once again, inept private detective Davis Reed gets caught up in an iffy investigation in Cruso, North Carolina in Steven Tingle’s Buried Lies. It’s a good thing Davis has a couple disreputable friends, Deputy Dale Johnson and his cousin, Floppy. And, Floppy is always my favorite character in these books.

Dale and Reed are relaxing at Davis’ cabin when Dale receives a phone call that someone was hit by a golf ball and died at Springdale Golf Club. Four men whose businesses deal with real estate were golfing, and three of them claim a person golfing behind them hit a ball that killed Prentiss Wells. Of course, it’s a fluke accident.

But, Vance and Laura Roth aren’t convinced it wasn’t an accident. The well-to-do couple were at the golf club, and ran into Davis Reed. The couple are mystery aficionados, and they’re willing to hire Davis to prove Wells was murdered. They’ll pay him $5000. Davis is down to his last few dollars, and hasn’t even started writing the book he was supposed to write. So, he’s eager to spend time with the couple and investigate on their behalf.

Thanks to Floppy, Davis finds a news story from thirty years earlier in Prentiss Wells’ past. Combine that story with the current murder investigation and Davis Reed is running all over the county, to offices, golf courses, and retirement homes while trying to hide from a group of bikers. Davis is desperate to earn that $5000, and Floppy is the only one who seems to think he isn’t nuts. But, then, Floppy himself is an out-of-control character.

The quote on the front of the book refers to Tingle as “The Carl Hiaasen of the Carolinas”. The book doesn’t remind me of Carl Hiassen’s writings. I tend to think of Tim Dorsey and his Serge Storms with his off-the-wall adventures. Davis Reed’s tragic life is so sad it’s comedy.

Steven Tingle’s website is https://www.steventingle.com/.

Buried Lies by Steven Tingle. Crooked Lane Books, 2024. ISBN 9781643859125 (hardcover), 247p.

FTC Full Disclosure – The author sent me a copy of the book, with no promise of a positive review.