Near the end of World War II, Hook Runyon is a railroad bull -- called a yard dog -- stationed in rural Oklahoma close to a prison camp for German POWs captured in Europe. He's nicknamed Hook, since he wears a prosthesis after having lost his arm in an accident. As the yard dog, he polices the area for hobos riding the rails or thieves accosting travelers.

When a local coal-picker Hook has befriended is found dead under a train car, Hook is not convinced it was an accident. He thinks the man may have already been dead before the train ran over him. Hook's further convinced when he checks out the man's shanty, finds what could be incriminating evidence and is then attacked by two men. Just what did the work detail from the POW camp see that night?

Enlisting the help of a friend who works in the POW camp kitchen, as well as an attractive professor newly arrived to re-educate the prisoners, Hook's investigation exposes more and is more far-reaching than he could ever have imagined.

When I first started reading this novel, I wasn't sure what to expect since the World War II setting was an unfamiliar one for me. But I am a big fan of mysteries, and this one came well-recommended. It didn't take me long to become "hooked" on Hook and his daring exploits. The plot is brilliant and riveting; the characterization is rich and vivid; the setting is distinctive and intriguing. I'm hoping this is the first in a long line of Hook Runyon mysteries.