The Devil Went Down to Austin by Rick Riordan

All that remains for Tres to do is exonerate his brother, find the real killer (whose clue-laden e-mails alternate with Tres's narrative, delivering Texas-sized creepiness), save the ranch, and with the help of Maia Lee, a beautiful lawyer from his past, untangle a skein of Doebler family murder, misery, and hurt. Witty, sharp as glass, and plotted as well as it's written, The Devil Went Down to Austin paints a high-tech Texas laced with treachery and tequila before a cranked-up Jimmy Buffett backdrop. Expect great things, because Riordan delivers. --Michael Hudson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Book Description
Rick Riordan, triple-crown winner of the Edgar, Anthony, and Shamus Awards, brings his fast-talking, hard-living, Texas-hip P.I. Tres Navarre to the heart of the Lone Star State--Austin--to unravel a case so dark, twisted, and deadly, it can only involve family....

Tres Navarre, the P.I. with a Ph.D. in literature, heads to Austin for a laid-back summer teaching gig. But he’s in store for a whole lot more. His big brother Garrett--computer whiz, Jimmy Buffett fanatic, and all-around eccentric--is hoping to retire a multimillionaire by the fall. He’s bet his career and the Navarre family ranch to do it.

Then Garrett’s oldest friend and business partner is murdered--and Garrett is the only suspect. As Tres delves into Garrett’s bizarre world to find the truth behind the murder, he comes face to face with the damaged relationships, violent lives, and billion-dollar schemes of a high-tech world gone haywire. Connecting them all is beautiful Lake Travis and the shocking secret that lies within its depths. Now, as Tres struggles with his own troubled family past and to clear his brother’s name, he finds himself stalked by a cold-blooded killer--one who could spell the death of both Navarres.

Reader Reviews
A Texas whodunnit, February 25, 2003 Reviewer: Craig Wood from Oakland, CA United States Rick RiordanÔø‡s Ôø‡The Devil Went Down to AustinÔø‡ is a fun little murder mystery, starring PI-cum-lit-prof Tres Nevarre. This isnÔø‡t the most thought-provoking novel that youÔø‡ll read this year. But itÔø‡s a quick and enjoyable whodunnit, with enough plot twists and entertaining characters inside to keep you breezing through the pages. Riordan does a good job of explaining the good guysÔø‡ and the bad guysÔø‡ motives. And youÔø‡ll probably be surprised by the unexpected revelations at the end. Ôø‡The Devil Went Down to AustinÔø‡ is good clean fun. And itÔø‡s a nice little breather if youÔø‡ve just finished reading something a little bit heavy.