Green with Envy Likable, wryly humorous San Francisco private eye Nick Polo wins the annual Serendipity Award in his sixth outing (number five, Polo’s Wild Card, SMP, 1990, has been nominated for a Shamus award for Best Private Eye Novel of 1990). It all begins when fellow P.I. John Henning is found dead, an ostensible suicide. In his will, Henning leaves half of his earthly possessions to Polo (the other half to the Catholic Church and Alcoholics Anonymous), and names Polo his executor. A key leads Polo to a local bank and Henning’s safety-deposit box, where he discovers a cache of “drops of oil” — priceless Colombian emeralds. But where would Henning, a lone-wolf P.I., have gotten the money to buy such exotic jewels? And why would a recovering alcoholic choose to end his own life when it seemed to be on the upswing? With the assistance of local reporter Jane Tobin, his on-again, off-again lady friend, Polo begins a search for the answers that will explain Henning’s death, a search that takes him to the home of a woman whom Polo suspects may have been one of Henning’s last clients. There’s only one problem — the woman is dead. That’s one death too many for Polo, who is determined to catch the killer in a case sparked with Kennealy’s special humor and intrigue, undoubtedly inspired by the author’s own firsthand knowledge of the true professional investigator’s trade. Jerry Kennealy, a real-life private investigator who works the San Francisco Bay area and lives in nearby San Bruno, is the author of several “Nick Polo” mysteries, the latest of which are the aforementioned Polo’s Wild Card and Polo in the Rough (SMP, 1989). Jacket art and design by Michael Chesworth St. Martin’s Press 175 Fifth Avenue New York, N.Y. 10010 PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. Praise for Jerry Kennealy’s Polo novels: Polo’s Wild Card: “…Kennealy’s hands-on knowledge of an investigator’s techniques adds verisimilitude and interest.” —Publishers Weekly “Polo’s at his most raffishly amusing throughout… Highly recommended for people who read mysteries for the detective’s company…” —Kirkus Reviews “Damn few pauses for breath.” —Booklist “Kennealy has a knack for weaving local scandal with San Francisco topography…. Add to this the latest methods in picking locks, buying burglar gloves, computer hacking (private-eye style) and use of criminal indexes…and we get quite a bit for our money from ex-con and ex-cop Polo.” —San Francisco Chronicle Polo in the Rough: “Diverting caper featuring P.I. Nick Polo… Kennealy, a P.I. himself, weaves a series of twists and turns that reveal a sure-handed knowledge of detective work.” —Publishers Weekly “Kennealy’s finely crafted stories always hold my interest. Never a wasted word.” —San Francisco Examiner ISBN 0-312-06572-8

Jerry Kennealy

Green with envy