Created by Michael Sears
Originally from Queens, TED MOLLOY was riding high as a big shot Manhattan lawyer, until his career crashed and burned. Now he’s back in Queens, disgraced, disbarred and squeezing out a semi-legit living as a foreclosure profiteer–negotiating bailouts on behalf of folks whose properties are facing foreclosure–for a percentage. Nothing too big, though–fifty grand is his self-imposed limit.
But then a potential jackpot lands in his lap, in his 2021 debut, Tower of Babel. Molloy passes, figuring it’s too big, too messy. But his partner, Richie Rubiano, an almost-legit former scam artist, jumps at the chance–only to be shot to death, and we’re off to the races, as Ted seeks to find the killer, with Richie’s widow urging him on.
Because, you know, when a man’s partner is killed…
It’s an auspicious debut, with Ted stepping into a swamp of greed, corruption and violence–in other words, the world of New York City real estate.
P.I. action? You’re soaking in it.
And his meal-by-meal gastronomical take on the streets of Queen’s ain’t too shabby either, whether he’s wolfing down a couple of chorizo baleadas from the Honduran bodega on the corner, or lingering over bun cha and pho bo at some Vietnamese joint.
But then, Sears is no stranger to the shamus game. He nabbed an actual Shamus Award back in 2013, for Best First Private Eye novel, for Black Fridays, which introduced P.I. Jason Stafford.
UNDER OATH
- “Even if you’re not already sold on Queens, Sears makes real estate law as sexy and dangerous as international intrigue.”
— Kirkis Reviews - “Razor-edged prose, sharply defined characters, and a fast-paced plot boost this noir-wrought drama. Fans of Raymond Chandler and classic gangster films will be rewarded.”
— Publishers Weekly
NOVELS
- Tower of Babel (2021) | Buy this book | Buy the audio | Kindle it!
FURTHER INVESTIGATION
- The Importance Of Food In Fiction
Michael Sears eats his way through crime fiction (April 2021, CrimeReads)
