The Gray Drake

Murder on the Au Sable

Quinn Shepherd drowned on the Au Sable River. Was it an accident? Or Murder?

Quinn Shepherd was the best guide on the legendary Au Sable River, until he's found at the bottom of the river with the anchor chain of his boat wrapped around his ankle. Lizzie, his wife, is devastated and left alone to raise their six-year-old son. His drowning was ruled accidental, but a year later new evidence is found, and Lizzie is arrested for murder.

Burr Lafayette, recently divorced and the deposed head of a major Detroit law firm, is recruited to defend Lizzie. A man at loose ends, he's a brilliant litigator but prefers sailboats and dogs over courtrooms and clients.

The Gray Drake, the storied lodge where Quinn guided, is full of secrets, and the fabled Au Sable River won't give up the truth. All the evidence points to Lizzie, but Burr doesn't believe she killed her husband.

• • •
Critics call Cutter’s books, “pure Michigan".

"This story has it all. Michigan's most famous river and its most famous fishing lodge combine with a beautiful suspect, a rumpled, nearly broke lawyer, and unbridled greed to keep you guessing until the end."
—Bob Linsenman, author of Water Songs.

If you like Stuart Woods and Michael Connelly, you’ll love The Gray Drake. The Gray Drake is the second book in the award-winning Burr Lafayette mystery series.

narration ruins the story

Virtual voice narration diminishes the quality of the story. There is no characterization, emotion, drama or humor. Mispronunciations are distracting: polish instead of Polish, son in law for 'son-in-law' and exPARty multiple times even while explaining the proper pronunciation of ex parte, among others. This was not a good introduction to this author for me.