David J. Walker: Mystery Author

"Chicago" is said to mean "wild onion" in a Native American language, and "Wild Onion, Ltd." is the name of the private detective agency owned and operated in Chicago by a woman named Kirsten. (By the way, that's a wild onion plant up in the corner beside my name. They look a lot prettier than they smell!) Kirsten's husband, Dugan, is a lawyer who finds himself drawn into her cases. Though he feigns reluctance, Dugan is actually far more intrigued with Kirsten's work than with his own.
St. Martin's, 2005	In All the Dead Fathers, a self-appointed executioner sets out to cleanse the world of priests accused of sexual misconduct, and for personal reasons Kirsten finds she can’t let that go on. "[R]iveting fourth mystery... the fast-paced, well-rendered cast, and solid Midwest flavor make this a potential crowd-pleaser." —Publishers Weekly "A chilling backstory makes Wild Onion's fourth a complex and creepy puzzler." —Kirkus Reviews "A timely mystery with a plot focused on controversial contemporary events... Walker writes with a sure hand and a fine eye for character and plot. His story is both thought-provoking and entertaining." —Chicago Sun-Times Buy the book:

St. Martin's, 2000	"Edgar nominee Walker is up to his usual good-humored form in his third Wild Onion mystery. John Michael Hurley, an unscrupulous commercial real estate developer, wants to turn pristine Emerald Woods... south of Chicago, into a megamall. Eudora Ragsdale, a former public housing resident in Chicago, joins with others in Miracle City to form CREW (Committee to Rescue Emerald Woods). As CREW's treasurer, Eudora finds herself in big trouble when someone steals cash raised to benefit CREW from her home. Alerted to the theft, husband-and-wife team Dugan and Kirsten of the Wild Onion private investigative firm head for Miracle City... Throw in the humorous banter between Kirsten and Dugan, and you have a wonderful mix of fun, local Midwest charm and a compelling plot." —Publishers Weekly "There have been numerous attempts to create modern versions of Nick and Nora Charles, but [Walker's] Kirsten and Dugan are the most fun." —Booklist Buy the book:

St. Martin's, 2000	Chicago bishop Peter Keegan is everything a man of the cloth should be. But when a blackmailer threatens to reveal a dark secret, he turns for help to Wild Onion, Ltd. "The Edgar-nominated author has created a second compelling and enjoyable series... with well-drawn characters, serpentine plots and atmospheric setting." —Publishers Weekly "Walker leads us through a complicated and eventful plot, full baffling incidents and behavior—baffling until the end when all the pieces fall into place neatly. This is an accomplished, well-crafted private eye novel..." —The Drood Review "The reader believes he/she knows what is going on, and why, but Walker's too clever to reveal eveything, and I admit to being fooled." —Mystery News Buy the book:

St. Martin's, 1998	Kirsten, a former cop, is a private investigator with her own agency in Chicago. In fact, she met her husband, Dugan, at the police academy, but he dropped out and ended up in law school. But Kirsten's latest case seems simple: A lawyer has hired her to find a witness. Kirsten asks Dugan to accompany her to the witness' workplace, an adult bookstore. But when they arrive at Cousin Freddy's Adult Books, they find the cashier—the witness—dead in her chair, her neck broken. And suddenly their case is a whole lot more complicated and dangerous than they imagined. "[David J. Walker] brings his crisp dialogue, a fine comic edge, and a cast of sharply drawn supporting characters to a new series... The spotlight, however, belongs to the leads, whose interplay is not cutesy, and will have readers looking forward to the next in the series." —Publisher's Weekly "A slick read that pushes forward with wonderful speed. Kirsten's mix of sass and charm and Dugan's blend of suspicion and caution make for some high-stepping dialogue... [T]he intensity of the scenes holds you inside the story all the way to the end." —Washington Post "As richly plotted as Mal Foley's... cases, but good for a lot more laughs—and a perfect introduction to the talented author." —Kirkus Reviews "An eye-popping plot, wacky characters, oddball humor, and, best of all, the delightful [Kirsten and Dugan] in a story that's fresh, funny, and thoroughly entertaining." —Booklist Buy the book:
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