Literary Las Vegas

After a high roller is found dead in a Las Vegas hotel suite and an autopsy ruled it was from natural causes, an investigation takes wild turns in G. William Parker's new novel, "The Fifth Woman," the first installment of his planned trilogy.

Parker draws from personal experience in the insurance and funeral industries to channel the main character, Rick Morgan, a chief audit executive with an insurance company. Morgan teams with a former homicide detective to probe the death of the victim, who was insured for $20 million.

EXCERPT FROM 'THE FIFTH WOMAN'

What did Jack, missing files, a dead investigator, a twenty million dollar claim and maybe Caroline have in common?

I was reluctant to suspect Caroline because of my personal feelings for her, but I had to keep her in the dark about what I was doing. So I decided it was time for some off-the-record digging. I picked up my phone and asked Emily to come into my office. As she walked through the door, I asked her to close it and directed her to sit.

I began, "Emily, your dad's a cop, isn't he?"

With a look of surprise to such a strange question, she answered, "Well, yes, Rick, he is. Why?"

"I need an investigator, someone not connected with the company. I want someone, maybe a retired detective, to do some work for me. Someone very street-smart and knows his way around, someone local."