Poor ex-cop. P.I. Joe Goodey, is employed by a wealthy businessman to find out who killed his drug addict granddaughter. She was found dead at the base of a cliff at The Institute, a cult living near San Francisco.
A cult of awful people who you would hope were all guilty, still an enjoyable read though. ( )

Sadly, there are only two books in Alverson's noirish Joe Goodey series. The first one was good, but this second one is better. A rich man hires Joe to prove his granddaughter's death at "The Institute" wasn't an accident. The Institute is a well-guarded California compound run by an egotistic but charismatic leader who loves pitting his minions against each other and revels in exposing their flaws in public. Most of the story takes place after Joe arrives at the Institute, with a supposed free hand to continue the investigation after the local police and a high class private detective firm have failed to reach the conclusion the grandfather is looking for. Joe's interaction with the various tenants and inmates of the Institute, their back stories, and the strange goings on are riveting, making up for the book's slow start. The final solution to the mystery is pretty satisfying as well, making the whole ride worthwhile. On a lesser note, both books have a small number of unfortunate racial stereotypes that may not reflect more than just the way the character sees the world. ( )