THE FLOWER IN THE SAND

In this mystery series opener, blackmail, kidnapping, and a rash of murders in 1956 Los Angeles keep a private detective on his toes while he wrestles with PTSD.

Cole Dunbar, a 30-something World War II veteran and former cop, is sitting in his unair-conditioned office enduring another day of LA’s hot, smoggy summer when he receives a phone call from the gorgeous, mysterious socialite Monique Smythe. The gumshoe is still decompressing from a recurring nightmare that leaves him drenched in sweat every morning, and his rough exterior is on full display when he meets with Monique. She is obviously not one of his usual down-and-out clients. When she finally pours out her story, Cole learns that she is dealing with blackmail and a threat to her father’s life. Mesmerized by her beauty and what Cole perceives is her fragile inner core, he takes the case. It is a decision that will repeatedly put his own life in jeopardy, whether he is in LA or Mexico hunting for clues. In addition, Cole suffers from a severe case of “combat fatigue.” He is seeing a psychiatrist, Dr. James Grimes, to help unravel the root cause of his low self-esteem, a trauma that reaches back to childhood and has been triggered by his experiences in Japan (Okinawa planted “its own battle flag of hurt and pain deep in my soul”). If the premise and dialogue of the primary mystery appear torn from an old Humphrey Bogart script, this secondary plotline involving Cole’s PTSD adds a modern twist to the 1950s-style detective story—and it keeps things intriguing, even during the sections in which the action slows down. Bernstein effectively floods the narrative with atmospherics evocative of LA in the ’50s, from Cole’s favorite eatery (Pink’s for chili dogs) and his local beer of choice (Eastside) to the period’s pop music and Hollywood icons. And Cole’s quotations from early-20th-century novelist/screenwriter John Fante peppered throughout the tale lay a soulful foundation for his character’s development. Cole is a promising series lead—if his breakfasts of Eastside six packs with Camel cigarette chasers and all those chili dogs don’t get him first.

An entertaining mix of gumshoe grind, wise-cracking dialogue, and high action.