Taken from the shelves of co-grandma Mimi, who now only reads on her e-reader.

I'm as much a fan of flawed characters as the next guy - maybe more - but this one rubbed me the wrong way.

Mario Balzic, police chief, has a host of issues. He leaves the police station to hide out for a day. He gets drunk and goes crazy. He reacts to comments by yelling and making threats.

Later, he sees the error of his ways and tries to correct the damage he has done. But isn't that what we see with alcoholics every day? But wait - the story.

A man goes missing. Balzic learns that the man was last seen by a bartender who bought a bunch of tomatoes from him. The man, Jimmy Romanelli, is not known for gardening, and he brags that he has produced these beauties earlier than anyone else.

While ignoring everyone and everything else around him, Balzic nevertheless is intrigued by the case and interviews the wife. From her he learns of the bad relationship between her husband and her father. And he interviews her father. Many times, hearing of little but tomatoes in the bargain. The competition between them to grow tomatoes faster - although the father does not admit to any competition.

Ultimately Balzic finds the solution and repents of his behavior. The repentance didn't buy him a place in my "readable" list. In a way, it may be a tribute to Constantine that he portrayed this alcoholic in a way that I recognized. On the other hand, I didn't really buy his introspective behavior. It didn't read true to me.

It's a fast read so it won't use much of your time.

On a table outside.