New Gomorrah

The story in the New Gomorrah is about a Midwestern city so steeped in crime and corruption, that a new minister, Reverend Dr. David Chandler, at a prestigious church on Park Avenue, feels he must do something about it. In a challenging sermon, he compares it to Gomorrah, the ancient city of biblical times destroyed by fire because of its evil ways. His compelling words are heard by Paul Chedder, a cynical, now burned-out, but once highly regarded investigative reporter for The Daily Chronicle, the citys only daily newspaper. Dr. Chandler is popular among the young people in the church, and has learned about the drug trafficking on the local college campus. He is furious to hear about the gambling and prostitution rampant in the city, the running of crap games at the American Legion Hall, and berates local authorities for doing nothing about the bookie operation next to the Civic Center. He decides to bring such matters to the attention of his congregation in his sermon.The city s crime problems expand with the assassination of the drug kingpin, and Pauls ongoing private investigations into a nursing home swindle, the possibility of corruption in City Hall, the death of two young reporters working with him, and his own near death at the hands of the assassin. While Paul is recuperating, the trusted members of the citizens committee decide to share Pauls suspicions of the Mayors involvement with the trusted District Attorney, working together to get crime off of the streets.