Another solid effort from Marcia Muller. This one revolves around flying and aviation and Hy is present for a lot of the action. Maybe McCone is finally learning that she can't do it all on her own. ( )

I can't imagine how it happened but I totally had forgotten about Sharon McCone. Muller's long running series (I think, actually, she started the whole female private eye craze) has long featured Sharon McCone - a totally likable private detective. I read all of the early ones (there are about 18) but somehow fell off the wagon about 4 books ago. So, even though, I'm sadly lacking in background details, I found Both Ends of the Night an excellent story. Sharon is asked by her flight instructor to find her missing boyfriend. How do you find someone who not only is hiding but has no past? But he does have a small son whom he left behind. Muller passes up many many cheap shots and plot ploys and I really appreciate that. Can't wait to read the 3 I missed! ( )

Sharon McCone and her lover track down killer of a acrobatic pilot who had been their friend.

The extraordinarily popular Sharon McCone, the female private eye who showed Sara Paretsky, Sue Grafton, and company how it's done, takes on a deadly missing persons case.

Sharon McCone's flight instructor Matty confides that her boyfriend, John Seabrook, is missing and asks Sharon to find him. Shortly afterwards, Matty is killed in an "accidental" plane crash. More determined than ever, Sharon discovers that, a decade ago, Seabrook was placed in the Federal Witness Protection Program after testifying against a man who has been missing for the last 10 years. Following sinister leads, Sharon travels to a frozen wilderness -- and comes face-to-face with Matty's killer.