Little Easter — Reed Farrel Coleman

Dylan Klein, having come into some money during his last case, has given up his distinguished career as an insurance investigator in order to pursue his dream as a writer. But like stray light near a black hole, Klein is sucked into the vacuum of a deadly love triangle by the appearance of a mysterious woman and her subsequent execution.
Klein, alarmed that his best friend -- ex-New York City detective Johnny MacClough -- might somehow be involved, temporarily turns in his pen for the tools of the trade. With the questionable assistance of an alcoholic newspaper woman and a notorious criminal lawyer, Dylan Klein plunges headlong into the quicksand of organized crime and the powerful men behind it.
Klein faces enormous problems in his quest, not the least of which is Johnny MacClough's stubborn refusal to cooperate. If anything, the ex-detective appears bound and determined to sabotage the efforts being made on his behalf. Further complicating Klein's travails is the potential fallout from a tragic love affair. Left unresolved and dormant for over two decades, it threatens to explode like some forgotten time bomb left ticking in the attic. Can Klein defuse the situation or will it blow up in his face?