Book Description
An eyewitness to a murder calls the Pittsburgh police from one of the city’s 446 bridges, then disappears. To solve the case, the police must find the bridge. But where to start? Detective Branko Radic and Officer Kathleen Mulroy seek help from a nun, a professor, a mechanic, and a tattoo artist. They learn of a family feud, a business in trouble, some sketchy Harry Potter merchandise, and a missing young woman. If only they can find the right bridge, they might be able to put it all together.
But sometimes, a case is like a funhouse mirror at an amusement park. You have to adjust to the distortions in order to perceive the truth.
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My Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
TOO MANY BRIDGES (A Radic & Mulroy Mystery Book #1) by Bill Gormley is an intriguing murder mystery/police procedural with an intricate plot full of twists and misdirection while also introducing the reader to a cast of new characters and Pittsburgh, PA. This is the first book in this series.
The Pittsburgh Homicide Department receives an anonymous call from an eyewitness who claims to have witnessed a murder and will only give their location as under one of Pittsburgh’s 446 bridges. With no other information, or even a body, Homicide Detective Branko Radic is given a short timeline to investigate if this is valid information. He is given the assistance of Officer Kathleen Mulroy, who is relatively new to the force and has a social services background and is familiar with the city’s homeless population.
The initial investigation goes nowhere until a body is discovered. When the victim is identified, Radic and Mulroy suddenly have multiple persons of interest and lines of inquiry, but they cannot locate two of their major suspects. A cat and mouse game ensues over the greater Pittsburgh area with everyone seeming to be two steps behind until each discovered bit of evidence adds up to the killer and his motives.
This is an engaging and intricately plotted first book in the Radic & Mulroy mystery series. The author seamlessly pulled me into the investigation with realistic characters and dialogue that develop fully as the story progresses. These are characters that left me wanting to follow them into future books. The crime mystery plot is a strong step-by-step police procedural with dead ends and discoveries that are not always straight forward. The pacing is balanced and leads to many twists and an interesting conclusion. The city of Pittsburgh, the surrounding area, and the many bridges throughout adds authenticity and atmosphere to the story.
I highly recommend this first crime mystery/police procedural in the Radic & Mulroy series and am looking forward to reading many more in this series.
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About the Author
Bill Gormley is a mystery writer, amateur jazz pianist, and retired educator. For 33 years, he was a Professor of Public Policy and Government at Georgetown University, where he wrote and taught about public policy, federalism, bureaucratic politics, and early childhood education. He also helped to found the university’s day care center, Hoya Kids.
Gormley’s non-fiction articles have appeared in the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, the Public Administration Review, the American Journal of Political Science, Developmental Psychology, Science magazine, and elsewhere. His non-fiction books have been published by the Brookings Institution Press, the Princeton University Press, the Harvard University Press, and others.
Since retiring from Georgetown, Gormley has written two murder mysteries, both published by Level Best Books: Too Many Bridges (2024) and The Silent Trumpet (2025). His murder mysteries are police procedurals set in Pittsburgh, PA. A third mystery, Too Many Steps, will be published in 2026. Books may be ordered from the usual vendors.
In addition to his writing, Gormley produces a podcast, Profs on Cops, which is available through Spotify and Apple.
Social Media Links
Website: https://billgormley.com/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/too-many-bridges-a-radic-mulroy-mystery-by-bill-gormley
