Cold Trail Blues — Raymond Miller

When a college student is accused of killing his girlfriend, his distraught parents ask private detective Nathaniel Singer to look for evidence that might have been overlooked by the police. Unraveling the story of the girl's last days, Singer discovers that her tranquil-looking little college is a nest of rivalries and intrigues, and that the girl who seemed to be admired by all had many enemies. Fast, violent, and funny, Cold Trail Blues is Raymond Miller's second Nathaniel Singer novel -- the return of a writer Lee Child calls a "great new talent," and of a character Kirkus Reviews calls "a welcome addition to the ranks of hard-boiled private eyes with a softer side."