The Blue Door
Welterweight boxer Eddie Cero is out of the ring with an injury, but he’s ready for another fight.
It’s 1962, and one night, he wanders into a Philadelphia alley to find two punks beating up an older man. In the aftermath, the victim, a private detective named Sal Giambroni, buys him a round and offers him a part-time gig. Eddie, out of the fight game for the moment, agrees.
After only a short time on the job, he stumbles onto a cold case: the disappearance of the star lead singer of The Excels, once Philadelphia’s best soul act. Curious, he talks Sal into letting him dabble in an investigation. The missing singer’s beautiful sister first tries to throw him off the trail, and then draws him into a violent, twisted story of betrayal and intrigue, power and passion, all set to the beat of Philadelphia soul.
Awards and Praise
- Nominee - Shamus Award for Best Novel
“It is Fulmer’s achievement, in each of his novels, to have nailed both the city and the music.”
—The Washington Post
“Mood is all here, and Fulmer nails it, the soul sounds providing the backbeat to a straight-ahead mystery involving back room double-dealing in the record business.”
—BookList
“Characters and background make this one a winner.”
—Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
“A fine mystery indeed, set in Philadelphia in the early 60’s, where a down-and-out prizefighter is drawn into the disappearance of a young soul singer. It’s damn good.”
—The Atlanta Journal & Constitution
“Shamus-winner Fulmer delivers another compelling tale of music and murder. Fulmer excels at capturing the feel and textures of earlier decades, even as he moves forward in time with each novel.”
—Publishers Weekly
“If you’re looking to get lost in a mystery, look no further. To me, the real mystery is why David Fulmer isn't as rich and famous as that other guy.”
—Nick Tosches