The plain-looking, unpretentious Shawn Haslett would seem to be the last person consulted by anyone about anything. Yet his skills of observation and deduction, combined with an American country boy's extensive knowledge, allow him to shed light upon a series of local crime mysteries. Readers who enjoy the timeless works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will delight in these six stories. Despite the considerable changes in characters and settings, they honor the spirit of the early Sherlock Holmes works and pay homage to the qualities which made them immensely popular.