Mystery/Suspense/Thriller Series

Stealer of Horses by Vickie Britton and Loretta Jackson @vickiebrit

The famous Carlo painting Stealer of Horses sells for cash in a small Wyoming town and gallery owner Sheldon Spence gives the $200,000 to his wife, who walks over to the bank to make the deposit…and never returns.

A witness claims to have seen a frightened-looking Susan Spence in a battered old Chevy, speeding out of town. And each succeeding clue reveals a different angle on her disappearance. Sheriff Jeff McQuede begins to wonder if this is more than a simple case of kidnapping and robbery. Was Sheldon involved in Susan’s disappearance? Or did Susan and a lover fake the scheme, planning to run off with the money they stole from Sheldon? The identity of a victim found shot behind the wheel of the Chevy holds the key to one ominous question: Is Susan Spence a kidnap victim—or is she part of some sinister ploy?

Targeted Age Group:: General Readership

What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
We actually heard a similar story about a woman who went to make a large bank deposit and didn’t return for a long period of time. There were concerns at the time that she might have been kidnapped and abducted. While there was a logical reason for her temporary disappearance, this event inspired our story.

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Whispers of the Stones by Vickie Britton and Loretta Jackson @vickiebrit

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Sheriff Jeff McQuede finds ‘Bartering Bill’ Garr murdered at his rural antique store. Only one item is missing — a rare artifact believed to be the Pedro Mummy. First discovered in a cave in Wyoming, the Pedro Mummy was reported missing in the 1950s. Dr. Seth Talbot, newly arrived in town, has put out a fifteen-thousand-dollar reward for any information on the mummy, hoping that modern technology will prove his theory that a tiny race of people actually existed: one the Shoshones call the Nimerigar, or Little People.
McQuede is astounded to find the mummy in the trunk of Seth Talbot’s car. Talbot swears he;s being set up by rival co-workers — Dr. Arden Reed, in particular — who plans to benefit from his research.

McQuede suspects the theft of the mummy is a red herring used to cover up the true motive for the crime. The closer he comes to the truth, the deeper McQuede is drawn into an elaborate hoax that threatens his career and places him in grave danger.

Targeted Age Group:: General Readership

What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
When I was living in Laramie, Wyoming, I heard tales of the Pedro Mummy which caught my interest. In the 1930s a tiny mummy was discovered by miners in the Pedro Mountains The mummified remains of a tiny man only 14 inches tall was found sitting cross-legged on a stone ledge in a cave. At the time of the mummy’s discovery, it was thought to be the remains of a tiny, ancient little man in his late sixties. Many people believed that the tiny mummy might be proof that the “Little People” of Native American legends actually existed.
This curious artifact passed from hand to hand until it finally disappeared from history without anyone really knowing who he was or how he got there.

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The Curse of Senmut by Vickie Britton and Loretta Jackson @vickiebrit

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Outside a small village near the Valley of the Kings, archaeologist Ardis Cole arrives in Egypt to help excavate a tomb recently discovered by her mentor, Jane Darvin. When Jane is murdered, Ardis must assume responsibility for the project.
With the help of mysterious Blake Lydon, she must unravel the tomb’s mystery—an ancient secret concerning two miniature obelisks of gold hidden by Queen Hatshepsut’s love, Senmut, over 2000 years ago.
As Ardis uncovers the ancient mystery, she finds herself drawn into a modern action tale of hatred, murder, and revenge.

Targeted Age Group:: General Readership

What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
Our book was inspired by a fabulous trip to Egypt. We were fortunate to have seen the pyramids and the highlight of our trip was a look at the golden mask of King Tutankhamen. While there, we learned about Queen Hatshepsut, the only woman pharaoh to rule Egypt. Her architect and lover Senmut had sworn to guild two stone obelisks with sold gold in her honor. However, before he could carry out his plans, they were attacked by Tutmose 111. What happened to the gold became the inspiration for our fictional tale.

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Renatus 2 by John Saunders @JohnSaunders68

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The story continues two years after Eddie and Helen’s wedding. One of the prime suspects in the death of his first wife, Melanie, is brutally killed at his own garage. Shortly after, an attempt is made on the life of a former associate of the victim. Eddie faces up to the reality that Melanie could now be seeking a savage revenge for her death. A confrontation whilst driving home one evening makes Eddie a prime suspect in a murder investigation. He and Sean are reunited in a search for the truth, unaware that a tragic event from both their pasts threatens to tear apart the very fabric of their own existence. Is Melanie out for revenge? Is Eddie capable of murder? Can Sean and Eddie find the answers and prevent their own worlds from collapsing.

Targeted Age Group:: 16+

What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
I had completed my first book called Renatus and had left it on a bit of an open ending. This gave me the idea for a second in the series, and a year later it was done.

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Murder in Black and White by Loretta Jackson and Vickie Britton @vickiebrit

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Sheriff Jeff McQuede becomes suspicious when a robber breaks into the Coal County Museum and steals only one item – a black-and-white class photograph. Under the name Jerome Slade the photographer had printed two ominous words: never graduated.
When a body is unearthed beneath the newly demolished school, McQuede realizes Slade had not left Black Mountain the night of the spring dance. McQuede soon uncovers hidden rivalries between Slade and his classmates. When he discovers that Heather Kenwell and the woman of his dreams, Loris Conner, were rivals for Slade’s affection, McQuede fears finding out the truth.
Theft, blackmail, and another brutal killing lead back to photographs taken by Black Mountain’s eccentric photographer, Bruce Fenton. While others see an innocent collection, McQuede sees murder in black and white.

Targeted Age Group:: General Readership

What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
Murder in Black and White is the first book in our High Country Mystery series. Our inspiration for this series sprang directly from setting. I (Vickie) lived for many years in Laramie, Wyoming, and at that time Loretta was teaching at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. In the summers we would travel in depth around Wyoming—savoring the Old West legends, the beautiful, rugged mountains, the petroglyphs and many Indian influences. We made up a fictional town, but what we saw, heard, and experienced is very much present in our novels.

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MIAMI D.O.A. by Zane Owen Yates

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Aussie tough detective Roy Findley, is back in the second instalment of the Roy Findley Miami Detective Series. When a gang enforcer is pronounced D.O.A. after a suspicious motorcycle crash in the mountains, his death stinks of murder. Once again, Australia’s beautiful Gold Coast is the back drop for this fast paced, action packed roller-coaster ride.

Targeted Age Group:: 15+

What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
This is the second in my Roy Findley MIAMI Detective Series. My main character Roy is growing with each book and I personally love the guy, he still has many adventures to share.

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