Cold Justice

I read this Spencer Manning Mystery in just three days – couldn’t put it down! Rick Polad’s superb use of dialogue in all of his books draws you into each of his stories and brings the characters to life. The background provided about Chicago in 1981 when this story takes place is spot on – you feel like you’ve been transported back to those great years on the brink of technological change. The information Polad provides about the city, the great restaurants, the beers (and crime bosses!) that made it famous … provided a great backdrop to another mystery that had me reading fast and furiously. As always, Polad provides enough clues to keep the reader interested, but the ending was beyond what I ever imagined. These books have become even more alluring (if possible) with each installment.

—robmj, verified review on Amazon

Spencer Manning returns in Rick Polad’s newest book. The book is a great read for several reasons. Polad does a remarkable job of creating the setting for the reader. Fans of Chicago will find much here to enjoy. It may be a description of a gritty warehouse district, Lake Shore Drive, or deep-dish pizza. Polad brings Chicago culture to life for his readers, including earthy characters in Chicago’s organized crime community and police department. The book hinges on a murder accusation against a crime boss, who may or may not have committed the crime. The thought of being hired to help clear a crime boss bothers Manning, but the thought of someone getting away with murder bothers him more. We follow Spencer Manning as he finds threads of all sorts and weaves them, finally, into nice, neat picture of who bears responsibility for the crime.

—DZ, verified review on Amazon

Spencer Manning is at it again, working for a crime boss this time, trying to clear his name from murder. Polad does an amazing job at setting each scene, while giving you just the right amount of Chicago history to help put things in perspective, which gives the story a truly authentic feel. Having grown up and living most of my life in Chicago, I can appreciate even more how well it is written. Spencer is a very likable character (who has internal conflicts like the rest of us and can relate!), and so are those that work with him to help him solve his case. The subplot that was woven into the main story was enjoyable as well. The technological humor had me laughing out loud, as I have experienced the same scenarios growing up. While the book hints at things that occurred in previous books, one could read this as a standalone without taking away from it at all.

—Karen Bedore, verified review on Amazon

He is a great author. Wonderful weaving of plot, characters and Chicago history and twists it all up to a nice finish. Quite an artist with a full palette of verbal color! I have just purchased the first four and I’m starting at the beginning. Great job! I’m looking forward to number six!

—Don Hood, verified review on Amazon

Rick Polad chalks up another win with Cold Justice. This book is the fifth installment of Mr. Polad’s Spencer Manning detective series and his character development and plot twists continue to evolve and mature within the present-day detective fiction genre. But in his writing, he also exhibits a fundamental tie to the classics of a different era with Chandler-like zingers… ‘He was kind of pudgy with wavy brown hair and a solid square jaw that invited an uppercut.’ And there is a marvelous scene in which Manning is sharing a pizza and discussing information about the case with a friend on the police force. While the subject matter is serious, the underlying dynamics between the two is humorous as they both position themselves to get the last few pieces of Chicago’ s famous pizza pie.

—D.J.T., verified review on Amazon