KEITH PETERSON – The Rain. Bantam, paperback original, December 1988. Softcover reprint by “Andrew Klavan writing as Keith Peterson,” Vista, UK, September 1997.

   The third tale about New York reporter John Wells by Keith Peterson takes place exclusively in a sweltering August in New York City. A lowlife acquaintance of Wells’ invites him over and tries to sell him sexually compromising photos of an ostensibly strait-laced senatorial candidate.

   Then the lowlife becomes a non-life, the photos disappear, and Wells’ paper is ignominiously scooped by the other rag in town. John’s popularity with his bosses reaches new lows, and a local mobster also takes a dim view of Wells’ meddling. It’s not clear he can work his way out of this mess even if he dies trying.

   Beautifully plotted and paced.

Editorial Comments:   I do not know whether the name behind the Keith Peterson pseudonym was known when Al wrote this review, but I suspect not, or it seems likely he would have mentioned it. The four “John Wells” books came out in a flurry, three in 1988 and one in 1989, then no more. I bought them all, and even though they looked interesting, I set them aside and almost totally forgot about them until now.   Perhaps I shouldn’t have; see below:

    The John Wells series, by Keith Peterson. —

There Fell a Shadow (n.) Bantam, August 1988.
The Trapdoor (n.) Bantam, 1988.   [Nominated for the Edgar Award, Best Paperback Original.]

The Rain (n.) Bantam, December 1988.   [Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original.]
Rough Justice (n.) Bantam October 1989.