Shadow of a Broken Man

Penzler Pick, February 2000: Mongo's back! One of mystery fiction's most interesting, unusual, and enduring characters, Dr. Robert Frederickson, better known as Mongo the Magnificent, is back in print after a too-long hiatus. For those unfamiliar with this terrific series, Mongo has a genius I.Q., a Ph.D. in criminology, a black belt in karate, and an engaging personality. He is also a dwarf (he was once a circus performer) and a private investigator. Shadow of a Broken Man, the first book in the series, is the adventure of Mongo's investigation into the tangled history of Rafferty, a famous architect, who allegedly died in a bizarre accident. Mongo must deal with Lippitt, a strange victim of Communist torture, whose interest in Rafferty goes deeper than patriotism. Before he is finished with the case, Mongo sets in motion an incredible chain of events leading to an explosive and terrifying climax on the New York waterfront. --Otto Penzler