THE TRUMAN SMITH PRIVATE EYE SERIES: Truman Smith operates on Galveston Island, not far from Houston. The first book in the series, Dead on the Island, was nominated for a Shamus Award by the Private-Eye Writers of America.||||In Murder Takes a Break, Galveston, Texas principal investigator Truman Smith loathes missing person cases because they either end up badly for his clients, or the person does not want to be found. So only as a personal favor to his friend Dino would Tru accept the case of missing college student, Randall Kirbo, who disappeared in the area while on Spring break nine months ago.||||After sifting the facts from the very minimal police investigation on the case, Tru tracks Randall to a house owend by a local vice queen, Big Al. Another kid who attended the same party was later found dead on the beach As the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that this is anything but a typical missing person's case, and the party - and it's attendants - hold the clues to a killer, and his case.