Bruce Kohler

On Christmas Day, Bruce Kohler wakes up in detox on the Bowery in New York City. He knows it s time to change his life, but how can he stay sober without dying of boredom? When homeless alcoholics start to die unexpectedly, Bruce is surprised to find he cares enough to want to find out why. Most of them had been down and out for many years, but Bruce's friend Guff was different: a cynical aristocrat with a trust fund and some secrets.

Recovering alcoholic Bruce Kohler and his friends, computer genius Jimmy and world-class codependent Barbara, are drawn into a murder investigation when the abusive boyfriend of Barbara's Al-Anon sponsee is found dead in her East Harlem apartment. Bruce has to juggle sleuthing, sobriety, a crush on the bereaved girlfriend, and the lure of his compelling but self-destructive ex-wife.

A carefree summer in Deadhampton turns lethal when the tide washes in the body of Clea, an investigative journalist whose passions included environmental issues and more than her share of boyfriends. The suspects are all in 12-step programs, but somebody's not abstaining from murder. Soon Bruce, Jimmy and Barbara are up to their necks in sleuthing. As the summer heats up, secrets and lies start buzzing around this dream vacation like flies at a beach picnic. Bruce must find answers by Labor Day without getting himself killed.