There were more legal-types than literary types at Tacoma’s downtown Public Library Thursday evening when Mark Lindquist read from, and signed, his latest novel, “The King of Methlehem.”
One prominent figure in the book, Judge Sorenson, who was also a recurring character in Lindquist’s book “Nevermind Nirvana,” himself showed up, in the bereted, sunglasses-wearing, bongo-drumming flesh.

This gentleman was actually deputy prosecuting attorney Phillip Sorenson, and did a fine job of impromptu beatnik-ing as Lindquist read from three chapters in his book.

The novel delves entertainingly into Lindqust’s world of legal expertise from the standpoint of the detective protagonist and his “quarry,” a meth cook who dubs himself “The King of Methlehem,” as well as the aliases Howard Schultz, Lars Ulrich, and Ted Nugent.

Lindquist comes by the subject matter of the book honestly: in his “day job” Lindquist is the trial team chief of the drug unit for the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney.

“I don’t watch TV, and I don’t sleep â€" that’s how I get both things done,” Lindquist quipped.

In "The King of Methlehem," issues particular to Pierce County figure prominently like the “Crime Warp” phenomenon dubbed by prosecutor Gerry Horne (where criminals set up home base in Tacoma after their sentences, when halfway houses lead them here), and the moment in time where Tacoma sits as the next gritty metropolis after Nirvana and Grunge faded awayâ€"while a literary theme is established early on â€" Moby Dick has a special place carved out for the protagonist’s own hash-stash, even while he, like Ahab, seeks out his own great white whale, Howard Schultz.

Thing is, as you read the novel, you don’t think about high-falutin’ legal thoughts, or grandiose literary concepts. If you’re like me, you just turn the pages, one after another, sucking in the setting, the action, and the personalities as they develop, foregoing sleep as you do so.

And want more.

Remind you of anything?

Lindquist will read and discuss "The King of Methlehem" in Tacoma June 14 at King's Books. â€" Jessica Corey-Butler