In this 50s-style story, reporter Jim Malhaven is initially after a scoop (of course). So he investigates a haunted cemetery and rapidly ends up tangled in more trouble than even he realises.

I found this a very easy book to read, with a good pace and an enjoyable voice. We expect a cynical gumshoe, and that's exactly what we get. For my tastes, I found the wisecracking inner reflections a teeny bit overdone, tempting me to skim in places. But that's a very minor point. The clues and plot fitted together nicely (even events which seemed contrived had their reasons for happening and made sense after the fact), and the cast of characters was great fun.

For all the noir setting, there was a pretty light-hearted tone, which I liked a lot. The author ably demonstrates that you don't need grimness and in-your-face violence to achieve that hard-boiled feel.