Blood Tracks [Paperback]

Karen Rose Cercone (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1998

In 1905 Pittsburgh, Detective Milo Kachigan is trapped in the mire of corruption -- forced to collect protection money from bars and brothels while yearning to do honest police work.

The chance comes when he hears of a murder case in which the victim was an engineer for the Westinghouse company. Then he learns that his friend, social worker Helen Sorby, may be involved. In an atmosphere of mistrust and unrest, the quest for justice may be explosive...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As L.A. Graf, Cercone (with co-author Julia Ecklar) was best known for her Star Trek novels and other sci-fi. That is until Steel Ashes, her first mystery. There Cercone introduced Armenian homicide detective, Milo Kachigan; investigative reporter and socialist reformer, Helen Sorby; and the dangerous environment of turn of the century Pittsburgh. All three are back again when Pittsburgh's emerging electrical industry becomes the backdrop for corrupt cops, spying industrial bombings and murder. Milo, who's been forced to gather payoffs from brothels and gambling halls, gets a chance to investigate a real homicide when the mutilated body of an engineer working for enlightened capitalist George Westinghouse shows up in Helen's backyard. Cercone fills her book with real events and people (anarchist legend Emma Goldman even makes an appearance) set against a convincingly dark and complex background. If the mystery itself occasionally seems contrived, the riveting details more than compensate.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 242 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (March 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425162419
• ISBN-13: 978-0425162415
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,052,219 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as Good as First - But Still Good, May 16, 2001

By 

P. Bigelow (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blood Tracks (Paperback)

This is the second in Cercone's series featuring Detective Milo Kachigan, settlement house director Helen Sorby, and 1905 Pittsburgh. In this outing, an aging anarchist tests out one of his bombs in the settlement house's back yard. What appears when the smoke settles is a dead body. However, it is clear to Helen that the man was not killed in the bomb blast. She also knows that the police will take the easiest way out and arrest her anarchist-boarder for the death. To ensure that the murder is investigated by the only honest policeman she knows, she gets herself arrested as well. True to form, Milo gets himself assigned to the case and bails Helen out, but leaves the anarchist in jail. He makes Helen promise not to interfere with his investigation and she, surprisingly, agrees as long as he promises not to interfere with hers. They go their separate ways, each turning up important pieces of the puzzle.

In this outing, Helen and Milo seem more antagonistic than in the first. Helen has become, in many ways, shrewish. It is a disappointment because the first book showed much promise of a series with a strong woman and a strong man operating on as equal terms as the times allowed. The writing remains strong with Cercone using Pittsburgh to provide us a history of the times. She does not let her history overwhelm the story or the characters, and uses real people, like George Westinghouse, in a believable way.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Recommended, May 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Blood Tracks (Paperback)

Although it was wonderful visiting with Helen and Milo again this book was more difficult to follow than the first, Steel Ashes. The plot is more convoluted and the tone is much darker.

I would still recommend it for those who read the first book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended, January 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Blood Tracks (Paperback)

The second in the series of Pittsburgh at the turn of the century, this one keeps up the pace of its first book. Though Helen is much angrier in this book than in the first, it's not too distracting. All the other fine qualites, the mood and historical detail and romantic touch continues here nicely. An interesting book to read.