Sam McCain is back, and it’s the early 1960s in FOOLS RUSH IN, the seventh of Ed Gorman’s mystery series, which best can be described as a look back to a simpler time … minus the-rose colored glasses.

This one takes place at a very significant time in American history: June 1963, three days before the march on Washington for civil rights. Sam is called in to investigate some photographs that a state senator wants back. It seems his daughter is going out with a black student – a huge no-no for the time, especially for Iowa, where this takes place.

Sure, now we can say, “What’s the big deal?” But Gorman’s magic is in showing this was a different time, one filled with shameful attitudes. As Sam investigates – i.e. breaking into the photographer’s home to grab the pics – he literally stumbles upon a dead body. The body, of course, is the photographer, so the case would be easy enough if that was it.

But as Sam makes his way around, he comes across another body: that of David Leeds, the black student. Why were both men killed? Meanwhile, Sam’s judge pal breathes down his neck along with other people who just want him to forget the case altogether.

Gorman plants plenty of suspects into the mix to keep the reader from figuring it all out. I promise anyone who reads this novel will think, “Oh, they must be the killer” at least a few times … and be wrong. I’m so grateful to Gorman for that, because I had no idea who the killer was until the puzzle finally came together.

This is a fine addition to Gorman’s output; can’t wait to see Sam deal with the upcoming hippies. My only beef with Gorman is why call it FOOLS RUSH IN if you don’t even reference that great Elvis tune? –Bruce Grossman

Buy it at Amazon.

OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS AUTHOR:
• THE ADVENTURE OF THE MISSING DETECTIVE AND 19 OF THE YEAR’S FINEST CRIME AND MYSTERY STORIES edited by by Ed Gorman and Martin H. Greenberg
• BLACK RIVER FALLS by Ed Gorman
• DEAN KOONTZ’S FRANKENSTEIN: BOOK TWO – CITY OF NIGHT by Dean Koontz and Ed Gorman
• DIFFERENT KINDS OF DEAD AND OTHER TALES by Ed Gorman
• GHOST TOWN by Ed Gorman
• GRAVES’ RETREAT by Ed Gorman
• GUNSLINGER AND NINE OTHER ACTION-PACKED STORIES OF THE WILD WEST by Ed Gorman
• INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS: A TRIBUTE edited by Kevin McCarthy and Ed Gorman
• OUT THERE IN THE DARKNESS: THE COLLECTED ED GORMAN – VOLUME ONE by Ed Gorman
• THE WIDOW OF SLANE AND SIX MORE OF THE BEST CRIME AND MYSTERY NOVELLAS OF THE YEAR edited by Ed Gorman and Martin H. Greenberg
• WOLF MOON by Ed Gorman