A KILLING HEAT IN HOUSTON It is just what graduate student (and part-time chef) Neil Marshall doesn't need: to witness the near-fatal shooting of legendary Houston P.I. C. J. McDaniels. Especially since the gunmen think Neil can identify them. Before long, Neil's quiet academic life is irreparably shattered as he's sucked into a tornado of violence that cuts across Houston *from a mansion in River Oaks to an all-too-silent suburban home, from a secret hospital room to the bed of a fascinating woman. In Houston's sultry summer heat a deep-rooted hatred is maturing, and a whisper of rage is building to a roar. . . . "A WELCOME NEW VOICE IN THE MYSTERY FIELD." *Earl Emerson