The Barefoot Stiff: a Maggie Sullivan short story (Maggie Sullivan Mysteries)

Depression-era private investigator Maggie Sullivan knows how to be tough when she needs to and polish her nails when she doesn€t. She€s drawn into a stranger€s murder in this SHORT STORY featuring characters from the Maggie Sullivan mystery novels.

A job offer from a blonde at a dime store lunch counter lures the detective to a still-warm corpse in an alley. His gold watch and cufflinks are still on him, but not his shoes and socks.

A night of grilling by homicide cops does nothing to improve Maggie€s mood, which deteriorates further when they laugh off a lead she gives them and imply she solves cases by batting her eyes instead of using her brains.

Aided by a ragtag newsboy, Maggie baits a trap for the killer. He shows up with a knife. But Maggie wields a .38 as expertly as she does an emery board €" and she doesn€t back down for thugs or authorities when she€s after answers.

A woman sleuth like none you€ve met and historical atmosphere meet in the streets of a small Ohio city, capturing a 20th century America before cell phones or carry-out coffee cups in this short story reminiscent of the golden age of private eyes.