The Dark Mirror (Black Dagger Crime Ser)

Californian private eye Mike Faraday reckons the case is routine, until a silenced gun cuts down Horvis the antique dealer and involves Mike in a trail of violence and murder. The story has memorable characters: Dan Tucker, the big police chief with the penchant for green apples; MacNamara, the sour-faced surgeon; sadistic Captain Jacoby; and Uncle Tom, the huge negro with the silenced automatic. Between the violence and the girls, Faraday's sardonic humour enlivens the plot.