Private investigator Rick Cahill has been running from his past and chasing the truth his whole life. But his past is relentless—and so is his CTE, a disease caused by repeated head traumas that has attacked his body and his mind. As his CTE progresses, he realizes that the disease not only threatens his life but also endangers his family’s wellbeing.

As Rick struggles to keep his family together, he does a favor for Sara Bhandari, a business contact. Then, Sara is murdered, and the police believe her to be yet another victim of a serial rapist who has been terrorizing greater San Diego. But Rick has reason to question their theory. Determined to find the truth at any cost, and against his wife’s warnings, he investigates on his own.

Along the way, he bumps up against a sinister private investigative agency and a shady shell corporation that may be hiding more than company secrets. As Rick digs for the truth about Sara’s death, he risks his own life and the lives of countless innocents caught in his relentless crusade. Ultimately, Rick must decide if his quest is worth the risk of losing his family forever.

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Rick is a private investigator whose life seems to be falling apart. He has CTE which is getting worse, and it’s affecting his relationship with his wife, Leah, especially since he hasn’t told her how bad it’s gotten. She’s also angry at him because after playing it safe for a couple of years by not taking cases “out in the field,” he feels he has to investigate the murder of a client. It scares her because she doesn’t want him (or her and their child) to be put in danger.

Although Rick has plenty of problems, deep down he’s a good guy. He takes responsibility for things even when he doesn’t have to. His character is well-developed, and I felt so sad for him.

The conversations in Doomed Legacy need to be formatted better. It was difficult to follow them sometimes, especially when a new paragraph wasn’t started for a new speaker.

I enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down at times. The ending was particularly exciting! I look forward to reading more by Matt Coyle.

About the Author

Matt Coyle is the best-selling author of the Rick Cahill PI Crime Series. He was named the 2021 San Diego Writer’s Festival Mystery Writer of the Year, and his novels have won the Anthony Award, the Shamus Award, the Lefty Award, the San Diego Book Award, among others. He has also received nominations for numerous Anthony, Macavity, Shamus, and Lefty Awards. Doomed Legacy is the ninth in this award-winning series. Learn more at MattCoyleBooks.com