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Product Description The semi-nude body of a woman is found in a two-bit Hollywood motel, a telephone cord wrapped around her throat; face frozen in a grimace of horror. Al Roberts confessed and has spent the last 29 years in prison. Jimmy O\'Brien, defense attorney to the dregs of the criminal world digs into the past, igniting a powder-keg that threatens to expose long-held secrets buried and forgotten with Roberts\' confession. Secrets that could destroy the underground aristocracy that for years has held power in Los Angeles, city of broken dreams. Jimmy\'s ordeal takes him from the bleakness of Roberts\' prison cell to the seedy streets of Hollywood, frantically searching to find out who took this DETOUR TO MURDER. Review HOT READ An Engaging Noir By Steven M. Thomas OC Metro Published: November 01, 2010: Newport Beach author Jeff Sherratt brings his cop-turned-lawyer hero Jimmy O Brien back for a third adventure in this noir set in Southern California in the 1970s. Assisted by his P.I. fixer, Sol, and his partner, Rita, O Brien delves into a pair of 1940s murders in order to free a man wrongly imprisoned for 29 years. Jimmy gets involved in the case when he is appointed by the court to represent the imprisoned man at a parole hearing. The proceedings seem at first to be a mere formality, with no chance of a positive outcome for the prisoner. Even though he believes he is guilty of the brutal murders, Jimmy still prepares diligently for the hearing and uncovers a discrepancy in the record that sets him off on a quest to discover the truth. Sherratt does a great job with snappy comedic dialogue and evocative descriptions of the Southland from the gritty streets of Downey, where his office is, to Chino, Los Feliz, Hollywood and the coast north of Santa Barbara. The story involves stolen identity, political corruption and tragic romance, as well as murder. What more can a reader ask? --OC Metro From the Back Cover In 1945, the semi-nude body of a woman is found in a two-bit Hollywood motel, a telephone cord wrapped around her throat; face frozen in a grimace of horror. The stolen car of a murdered motorist is parked in the motel parking lot, the driver lying broken and dead on the side of an Arizona highway. Al Roberts confesses and has spent the last 29 years in prison.Now, nearly three decades after meekly confessing, the aged Roberts swears his innocence. Jimmy O\'Brien, defense attorney to the dregs of the criminal world, must find out why. Why did Roberts give a false confession? And why has he waited 29 years to tell the truth? O\'Brien digs into the past, igniting a powder-keg that threatens to expose the long-held secrets behind Detour, the iconic Hollywood film documenting Roberts\' story. Secrets that could destroy the underground aristocracy that has held power in Los Angeles, city of broken dreams, for years. Jimmys ordeal takes him from the bleakness ofRoberts\' prison cell to the seedy streets of Hollywood, frantically searching to findoutwho took this DETOUR TO MURDER. About the Author Jeff Sherratt is the bestselling author of the acclaimed Jimmy O\'Brien mystery series. His novel, DETOUR TO MURDER, published by Innova Press, is the latest in the Jimmy O\'Brien mystery series. Other novels in the series include GUILTY OR ELSE and THE BRIMSTONE MURDERS. Jeff has written nonfiction articles for corporate newsletters and his short stories have been published in H2O Magazine and the anthology, The Heat of the Moment. He is a past board member of Sisters in Crime/LA, and a member of Mystery Writers of America. Jeff has been a speaker and guest panelist at many book events, including Literary Orange, Murder on the Menu, and the prestigious Southern California Writers Conference. He is currently working on his fourth Jimmy O\'Brien novel, CYANIDE PERFUME. Jeff lives in Newport Beach, CA with his wife, Judy.