The One True Crime

Since giving up his private investigator’s license, he’s looking for something meaningful and fulfilling to do. He’s too young and vital to retire, but he’s lost interest in chasing down minor infractions. He and Moses Ginn have settled into a comfortable but somewhat boring lifestyle.

All that is about to change. King’s ex, Jaime, calls with an intriguing proposition. How would he like to work alongside one of his boyhood idols, in a fictionalized film about the Alex Murdaugh murder investigation? The subject matter doesn’t appeal to him, but the chance to hang out with Jeff Morrision, once a star of the highest magnitude, is too sweet to pass up.

King finds that Morrison is a walking contradiction, the opposite of who he has played onscreen. A conspiracy theorist, looking for government plots under every rock, Morrison might be up to no good, using the film project as a cover.

Despite their differences, King likes the faded star and respects his old school attitude. He even agrees with the actor’s exasperation with Hollywood. But he has to put aside his admiration for the man to get to the bottom of what could be a scheme with devastating consequences.

It’s the most intriguing King novel to date, dealing with many contemporary issues. You’ll find yourself nodding in agreement with some of Morrison’s positions, and shaking your head in wonder at others.

King’s mission is to glean the truth from this contradictory figure. Much is at stake if he fails, including a deception that goes all the way to the White House.