On the Grind by Stephen J. Cannell (2009, Hardcover)

What's not to like about a mystery wherein a cheerful grifter peddles "Madonna's underwear…I swear it's her gear", telling our hero, "…this s**t will kill on eBay."

Homicide detective and all-around tough guy Shane Scully is at it again in this hard-boiled whodunit by master storyteller Stephen J. Cannell (creator of "The Rockford Files", "The A-Team", and "21 Jump Street", among others). This time he's resigning his LAPD commission under a cloud, only to be forced to sign up for a job with the LA metroplex's most notoriously corrupt police department.

Relentlessly harassed by an overzealous FBI agent and under the constant, violent, and hyperparanoid scrutiny of his new colleagues, Shane finds himself in a snare greater than any he could have expected. Will he make it out alive?

Shane Scully is the hard-bitten hero of this cops-and-criminals series, so of course the answer is yes. But getting there is all the fun. Events unfold compellingly, and the fast pace is relentless. And once again, the finale is all you could dream of in way over the top shootouts. The gore is more or less glossed over, but the violence (unlike the bullets) is inescapable. Without giving away the plot, let's just say that if you like your good guys larger than life and your bad guys suitably scuzzy, then "On The Grind" is an action novel for you. I read the whole thing in one sitting.

It's not necessary to have read the previous books in Cannell's series to enjoy "On The Grind", but if you like it, then you'll have several more treats in store.

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