Jake Joelson is more than broken. He’s a down and out private investigator with a heavy-duty drinking problem. All he’s got to his name is a collection of overdrawn credit cards, a truck, couch and TV.
But he loves his mom and will do anything to make sure she’s financially okay when he heads to jail in two weeks. For Jake, that means one last case before his life shrinks to a seven-metre square concrete cell.
His job: find a woman’s missing sister. And switch the booze for a stack of AA meetings that just might convince the judge to reduce his sentence.
Dragging his past behind him like a ball and chain, Jake struggles to track down the woman who disappeared, while dealing with his own demons.
In his debut novel, Nedecky has adeptly created a flawed underdog that readers can’t help but root for. Right from page one, Nedecky presents the story in a unique voice. His terse prose is close to the bone, aptly capturing the rough edges of Jake’s life.
The story, set in Winnipeg, Manitoba, provides a vivid image of the city and a splendid backdrop for what just might be happening in its shadowy corners.
A high school teacher, Nedecky and his family live in Winnipeg, where he’s working on his second novel.
For more info, visit jnedecky.com.