A Secret to Die for — Philip Cox

Los Angeles, late September. The hot Santa Ana winds are blowing, covering the city in a thin layer of dust. That night, there are three mysterious, unexplained deaths. The official view is that they are unconnected: the deceaseds had no connection and were found in different parts of the city. LAPD Detective Sam Leroy, however, doesn't accept the official view, and starts to widen his investigation. But he meets resistance from the most unexpected quarters, and faces a choice: play the game, or do what he knows he must do...