―Mystery Scene Magazine
"This is Heffernan's second novel about the 'Dead Detective,'
Harry Doyle, a Pinellas County homicide detective, who in this
book investigates a series of murders that lead back to the
intensely secretive Church of Scientology."
―Tampa Bay Times
"The Dead Detective pursues miscreants attached to the Church
of Scientology from their Florida headquarters to the Yukon
State. . .Highly entertaining."
―Kirkus Reviews
"Action moves from Florida's Gulf Coast to the wilds of Alaska,
where a most satisfying conclusion takes place. Heffernan pulls
no punches in taking on Scientology (and, briefly, Tom Cruise)
in this long-awaited return of Harry Doyle. Hard-boiled action
with a layer of controversy."
―Booklist
"The good guys―Doyle; his detective partner, Vicky Stanopolis;
and Clearwater police sergeant Max Abrams--remain entertaining
and appealing throughout."
―Publishers Weekly
"While investigating a murder that has also left his much-loved
adoptive father seriously wounded, Harry Doyle (aka the Dead
Detective) finds himself contending with executives from the
Church of Scientology."
―Publishers Weekly, Spring 2017 announcements,
Mysteries & Thrillers
"The Dead Detective is Heffernan's first novel in seven
years, and wherever he's been, he hasn't forgotten how to write
a good, gritty police procedural. . .This edgy police drama
succeeds in capturing the hysteria that grips Tampa residents
when a celebrity criminal is found dead in a cypress
swamp."
―New York Times Book Review on The Dead
Detective
A series of murders in Florida have left the police force baffled and Detective Harry Doyle's much-loved adoptive father seriously wounded. As his investigation becomes personal, Doyle―known to his peers as the Dead Detective―finds he must penetrate one of the most private institutions in the country in order to track down those responsible.
Clearwater, Florida, is the spiritual center of Scientology, a religion that encourages its members to remain pure and true to their beliefs. One senior leader has a misguided young man in his employ, a twisted soul who will stop at nothing to make sure the rules are followed―even if it means shaming the very virtues espoused by the church.
With veils of secrecy surrounding the church's inner sanctums, the detectives are stonewalled at every turn. Eventually, however, the investigation leads Doyle, his partner Vicky Stanopolis, and Clearwater Sergeant Max Abrams to the far reaches of Alaska, where they come face-to-face with death in a form they never expected.
