Here's a pretty good summer read

My brother is a far more voracious reader than I am, so a good part of my paperback collection consists of titles he's passing along. That's how I came by Sean Doolittle's fourth novel, "The Cleanup." Mike gave it to me months ago, but I only recently got around to reading it.

In terms of plot and and pace, it's a big step up from "Rain Dogs," the other Doolittle title I've read. The story revolves around a somewhat underachieving Omaha patrol cop, who is assigned as a disciplinary measure to guard against robberies at a supermarket. When a girl who works at the market dispatches her abusive boyfriend, he finds himself helping her cover up the homicide. Complications, as they say, ensue.

This is a good, tightly written yarn with a few surprises. If you're looking for something to take to the beach, or to help you get through your next hellish commercial flight, I recommend "The Cleanup."

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