The Detective & the Pipe Girl: A Novel

Finalist for the 2015 Shamus Award

With a style as distinct as crime masters such as Elmore Leonard, Carl Hiassen, and Harlan Coben, Michael Craven delivers a richly atmospheric, humorous, fast-paced mystery that introduces unforgettable private eye John Darvelle and brilliantly captures the seductive mood and magnetism of Los Angeles.

Private Detective John Darvelle is a man of specific tastes—simple design, smart women, cheap American beer. He’s a man of specific opinions—drive a car nobody can remember, avoid brunch at all costs, and don’t live in Brentwood. And he adheres to his own professional code—an indelible blend of commitment, loyalty, and experience. He also plays a lot of ping-pong.

Arthur Vonz is one of Tinseltown’s most powerful men, a filmmaker among the ranks of Spielberg, Coppola, and Kubrick. He hires Darvelle to find a young woman named Suzanne Neal, an incandescent beauty who just might be hiding something.

What starts as an easy assignment soon has Darvelle plunging deep into the seductive and hidden world of Hollywood’s elite. A twisting, turning journey that puts him face-to-face with the LAPD, a ruthless underground crime operation, and a cold-blooded killer.

It’s the case of a lifetime that could end his life.