REDUCED CIRCUMSTANCES by Vincent H. O'Neil (Thomas Dunne Books)

Winning the St. Martin's Press/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Contest may turn suspense and thriller readers away from O'Neil's works, but they'll be missing a bang-up read! O'Neil proves that gratuitous sex and foul language aren't essential to a compelling thriller. Frank Cole is facing bankruptcy after his high-tech business failed. He's living under the radar in Florida, working as a taxi dispatcher at night and a computer fact checker by day. When a young boy who flagged down a Midnight Taxi near a hotel drug bust disappears, things start happening fast and Frank's visitor list explodes—from a sexy teenage girl to a couple of thugs to a private investigator to the godfather of the Southern mafia. Cole is definitely a sleuth who uses his brain. I look forward to visiting the Florida Panhandle again--from the comfort of my easy chair.