The Deadline — Ron Franscell

This novel of a small-town reporter drawn into a chilling cold case is “an impressive debut that will keep you on the edge of your seat” (San Francisco Chronicle).
 
A dying convict's last request thrusts small-town newspaperman Jefferson Morgan into a deadly maelstrom as he explores a fifty-year-old case of child murder -- a wound his town still isn't ready to scrape open.
 
Under the heaviest deadline of his life, and amid threats from unexpected foes, Morgan must struggle with his own conscience to tell a story no matter the consequences, dig deep into the town's past, and unveil a killer who's managed to remain hidden in plain sight for almost fifty years.

Now a bestselling true crime author, Ron Franscell began his crime-writing career with fiction. This was his first mystery featuring newspaperman Jefferson Morgan, followed by its sequel, The Obituary.
 
“As a bonus, [Franscell] packs the novel with plenty of fascinating details about the newspaper business. A nice little sleeper of a mystery that deserves a wide audience.” -- Booklist