Wicked Break: A Noah Braddock Mystery    by Jeff Shelby Order:  USA  Can Dutton, 2006 (2006) Hardcover     Reviewed by Tim Davis When a student at San Diego State University disappears, his older brother Peter Pluto needs to hire someone to find him. So, based on a recommendation by the Pluto family's attorney, Mike Berkley, Peter turns to the one person in San Diego who is probably best suited by experience and temperament for this kind of missing person case: Noah Braddock. An irregularly employed full-time private investigator and a thoroughly dedicated part-time surfer, Braddock has a reputation for being physically intense and preternaturally resourceful. 'A heck of a detective whose surfer appearance belies a thoughtful, tough, hardworking guy who knows his way around an investigation,' Braddock reluctantly agrees to help Peter Pluto find the missing Linc Pluto. Soon, however, Braddock - very capably assisted by his best friend, the dynamic and unreserved Carter Hamm - finds himself involved in a surprisingly difficult and dangerous case: First, one of Linc's neighbors, after being questioned by Braddock, becomes the victim in an apparent drive-by shooting; second, Braddock uncovers what seems to be a disturbing connection between Linc and some of San Diego's most dangerous urban gangs; third, Braddock winds up on the nearly fatal receiving end of an attack by brutal white supremacist skinheads; and fourth, some people who were close to Linc are suddenly winding up in the San Diego County morgue. Full of colorful characters and exciting escapades, Jeff Shelby's Wicked Break follows in the wake of his critically and commercially successful debut, Killer Swell. Surfer P.I. Noah Braddock, one of contemporary crime fiction's more flamboyant and resilient protagonists, is often bruised and battered but remains unbeatable in this fast-paced adventure. With plenty of action, great settings (in an otherwise idyllic San Diego), and more than a few surprises, Wicked Break is a suitable addition to any mystery reader's summer reading schedule. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews