Murder on Their Minds — George Harmon Coxe

A routine assignment gets a PI killed, and Kent Murdock dives into the case

A thirty-eight year veteran of the Boston police force, Tom Brady has recently retired, and is beginning a new life as a private investigator. Struggling to make ends meet, he turns to newspaper photographer Kent Murdock, who recommends him to a society woman who is willing to pay big for his services. Brady's just wrapping up the case when he asks Murdock for a favor: photographing fourteen pages of important documents for safekeeping. Murdock agrees not to look too closely while he takes the pictures -- a decision he regrets when the negatives are stolen and Tom Brady is found dead.

Normally Murdock stays out of the way of the Boston police, but he gave Brady the assignment. To atone, he must unravel the mystery that cost his friend his life.