The Hidden Assassins

by: Robert Wilson

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Every Secret Crime

I'll try to not let my negative feelings about the media and their thirst for 'the story' at any price influence my review for Doug M. Cummings' Every Secret Crime – although I must admit it's difficult to praise a novel using a TV crime reporter for his protagonist – plus the fact that Mr. Cummings is of that ilk himself! The book is a good one – full of plot twists and the usual corruption in high places – sure to please those who avidly follow writers like John MacDonald, Ross MacDonald or any other author who relishes fights along with his beer and babes.

Every Secret Crime begins with two brothers – neither of whom is identified until the final pages – one locked in a lightless cellar and the other (the real culprit) bringing him food. The actual story also begins with an unidentified man – an individual who thinks the house he's about to search is empty. It isn't – and in the ensuing conflict, a male teenager lies dead.

Reno McCarthy, A Channel 14 TV crime reporter in Chicago, is notified that his old friend and mentor, Vinnie Seamans, has been taken to the hospital with a major heart attack. Reno hasn't contacted Vinnie for the past three months because he feels Vinnie betrayed him. But he goes to the hospital and finds his friend comatose, with all kinds of tubes and other monitoring equipment attached. Meanwhile Reno gets another call – and this one takes him to the house where the teenager was killed.

The Haydens – parents of Trey Hayden, the murdered boy – have a lawyerly TV show on Channel 14, and are well respected in the community. Theo Zak, Robert Wescott, Duane Grum, a man named Wozniak and a number of others, both male and female, become involved as Reno begins to dig into the reason for the murder, discovering that still another murder some years ago was hushed up – with evident corruption in the police force as well as the judicial system.

The subplot features Vinnie, of course, although he isn't referred to very often. Primarily, Reno is concerned more with discovery – and proof – that who he feels is the killer is caught and unmasked on his TV show.

The story builds to its climax, with one suspect getting away, but Reno has his story and it also puts the quash on a casino for Wihega County – a prime point in the investigation, and tied to the crème de la crème of political appointees. No question that Every Secret Crime is a fine novel. Complete with edge-of-the-seat suspense, Doug M. Cummings' book is a well-crafted murder mystery (even if I don't particularly like the main character's occupation!).

Alan Paul Curtis

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The Hidden Assassins

Every Secret Crime

by Doug M. Cummings

Alan Paul Curtis