Breaking Up Is Hard to Do — Edward Gorman / Ed Gorman

The Cuban Missile Crisis has America living in fear, but life must go on for the citizens of Black River Falls, Iowa -- except, sadly, for beautiful Karen Hastings, found strangled in the bomb shelter of gubernatorial candidate Ross Murdoch.

Murdoch hires investigator-attorney Sam McCain to clear his name. However, that may prove impossible, even if he is innocent of the crime. The dead woman not only knew McCain's powerful new client quite intimately, but also knew three other pillars of the community who shared the victim's services as mistress. And she was blackmailing all four men.

Four motives and suspects give Sam an edge to a tawdry case that gets dirtier with each new secret that comes to light, especially when the killer strikes again. Were those guilty of sin and seduction also driven to kill? Or does the truth lie somewhere deeper in the dark corners of the human heart?