The Rainy City

The Rainy City is the first in the renowned Thomas Black private eye series. It was nominated for a Shamus but was beat out by Poverty Bay, also by Emerson. This series is much beloved in the Northwest, as much by women as by men. There is a lot of humor, off-beat characters and fine writing. As a thirty-two-year veteran of the Seattle Fire Department, few people know Seattle and its environs as thoroughly as Emerson. Robert Crais says, "Emerson writes with the richness and grace of a poet." The series went on to garner an Edgar nomination as well as five more Shamus nominations.