The Esmeralda Goodbye
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Description
1955. In the sleepy seaside town of La Jolla, CA, rookie cop Jake Stirling saves the life of infamous crime writer Raymond Chandler, earning the respect of his hard-nosed captain, Wade Lennox, who served with Jake’s father, a police detective whose suicide two years earlier shocked the town and shattered Jake’s family.
Jake gets called to the Hotel Del Charro, a luxury hideaway for the rich and famous. Budding starlet Zsa Zsa Gabor’s diamond necklace has been stolen. She and other hotel guests—FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, political wheeler-dealer Artie Corcoran, and mob boss Meyer Lansky press their own cryptic agendas, while Raymond Chandler provokes outrage with drunken allegations of police corruption. When a local hoodlum is murdered Captain Lennox takes Jake into his confidence, demanding loyalty.
More killings follow as Jake finds himself caught up in a conspiracy that could change the course of American history. Can he clear his father’s name and save those he loves from the cold-blooded brutality of desperate and powerful men?
Advance Praise for The Esmeralda Goodbye
“A finely crafted coming of age story featuring a Who’s Who of 20th century historical figures who find there’s meanness and mayhem aplenty in paradise.”
ALAN RUSSELL, number one bestselling author of Burning Man
“Fans of James Ellroy rejoice! The Esmeralda Goodbye is a startling and shocking snapshot of an era, with gritty prose that grabs you by the throat.”
DAVID PUTNAM, author of the bestselling Bruno Johnson series
“Fayman deftly balances a noir whodunnit with a keen portrayal of the social and political environment of the 1950s. Worthy of Raymond Chandler, who figures centrally in the novel.”
ONA RUSSELL, Award-winning author of the Sarah Kaufman historical mysteries and host of Lithub’s Authors in the Tent.
Reviews
“Murders, mobsters, intelligence agency intrigue, and a touch of old-Hollywood glamor power this accomplished crime noir novel.”
Booklife (Editor’s Pick)
“The Esmeralda Goodbye is a masterpiece with excellent character development. Its remarkable tale and charming hero revel in the excess of 1950s Southern California atmospheres.”
CHANTICLEER BOOK REVIEWS (5 Star Review)
“Fayman evokes the era well, particularly the anti-porn, anti-Communist crusades of the 1950s, and the characters reveal themselves in vivid, distinct dialogue. Fans of Raymond Chandler and his inheritors will enjoy this nostalgic spree.”
BlueInk Review
“Delighting in the excess of 1950s Southern California atmospheres, The Esmeralda Goodbye is a winking noir novel with a winsome hero.”
Foreword/Clarion Reviews