The Early Bird

Bellevue is a typical Southern city where no one ever makes a fuss. So when an elderly book collector apparently commits suicide, no one much fusses, despite disquieting details that crop up. Except for James Clinger, a bookshop owner who remembers Dr. Simon as a thoughtful customer who never asked for a discount. But as strange clues mount, James finds himself subtly encouraged to look into the matter more closely. Could the owner of the...
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Bellevue is a typical Southern city where no one ever makes a fuss.

So when an elderly book collector apparently commits suicide, no one much fusses, despite disquieting details that crop up.

Except for James Clinger, a bookshop owner who remembers Dr. Simon as a thoughtful customer who never asked for a discount.

But as strange clues mount, James finds himself subtly encouraged to look into the matter more closely. Could the owner of the bookstore just across the street---James's despised competitor---somehow be involved in Dr. Simon's peculiar demise?
Set in the waning years of the twentieth century, with public libraries beginning to promote themselves as purveyors of free computer access rather than of books, The Early Bird offers a slice-of-life mystery from the world of estate sales, downbeat book dealers, and a library seemingly willing to sacrifice rare volumes in order to acquire its holy grail: more technology.