Australia

A Train To Nowhere by Jerold Last

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In a fast-paced story of spies and murder, private detective Roger Bowman investigates the violent death of a Paraguayan agent in Cheltenham, England. The victim was stabbed while sitting in an empty railroad car on a siding in the local railroad station. Roger’s investigation initially takes him to Australia and Malaysia, but it soon becomes apparent that the answers he is seeking will be found back in Great Britain. Following the trail of clues, he meets an attractive agent with an agenda, as well as several additional spies of various nationalities with their own agendas. From a recent review on Amazon Kindle: “an intriguing mystery novel with a true international flavor” and “a fun afternoon read that feels like an exotic vacation enjoyed from the comfort of your favorite recliner”. Available in e-book and paperback formats and free from Kindle Unlimited.

Targeted Age Group:: Adult, YA

What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
The Roger and Suzanne series introduces readers to interesting places the author has visited or lived in. I spent a couple of weeks visiting Cheltenham in 2020 and thought then of what a good location it would be for a mystery novel. So the locale was part of the inspiration. I've visited Sydney, Australia, as well as Kuala Lampur and Penang, Malaysia, as a tourist and for business, so those locales fit nicely into the story as it evolved.

Featured Book: Bushranger Gold by David Cairns of Finavon

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In 1853, Australia was rocked by the robbery of £6,000 of gold from an escorted shipment on a country road heading from the McIvor gold fields to Melbourne, Within days, 400 men were searching the bush for the audacious bushrangers who numbered between 6 and 15 depending on who was telling the story. Despite aboriginal trackers and extensive searches, they could not be found. The full weight of the constabulary was thrown behind the case and a round up of possible suspects began. The leader was a man by the name of Joe Grey. He disappeared and was never heard of again. Or was he? The ship that some of the bushrangers intended to use to escape to London left Melbourne and was never seen again. Mystery upon mystery. And then there is the involvement of one of Australia’s most famous bushrangers, Frank Gardiner.
This is a fast-paced story of a daring robbery in the rumbustious times of the Victorian gold rush and what happened next.

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Perverse Consequences by Robert Blain

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Australian private investigator Andrew Schlakier is hired by a mysterious government agency that wants a conviction on a ten-year-old murder case – and is willing to pay handsomely if he delivers. Broke, burnt out and binge drinking since splitting with his girlfriend, Schlakier takes on the cold case against his better judgement. He begins tracking the whereabouts of Christopher Hohl – the eldest son of one of Australia’s richest families. Questions hang over him concerning the disappearance of his wife a decade earlier, for which he is widely believed to be responsible. But far from unearthing a man of murderous intent, Hohl’s back story reveals a family tragedy in which he was an innocent victim. Is Hohl the cold-blooded predator the media paints him as or just fodder for a vociferous press baying for blood? Schlakier seems to be the only person who believes his target is not guilty, even while evidence to the contrary continues to mount. But as Schlakier traverses the streets of Melbourne, the state and the entire continent in search of clues, each lead propels him further into jeopardy – and a step closer to the man who could put his very own life in peril.

Targeted Age Group:: 18-100

What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
This work is inspired by the life of Robert Durst and the documentary, The Jinx, which chronicles it. I just couldn't get the true-life story of Robert Durst out of my head. From the way he saw his mother commit suicide by jumping of the top of his home as a child to the incredible way he confessed to multiple murder at the end of the documentary. I didn't think I'd feel sorry for him but I did. How much did the trauma as a child contribute to his violent tendencies as an adult? I hoped writing this novel would help me understand.

Featured Book: Rippling Red by Brigid George

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New Release! FREE! (August 11 to August 15, 2017)

Behind the friendly laid-back facade of Darwin, Australia’s northern capital, a crocodile roams the waterways in search of revenge and evil ripples in the hearts of humans.

The suicide of Cody Bongiorno is devastating to those left behind. But was this gentle young man manipulated into taking his own life? Is there a link between Cody’s death and the horrific crocodile attack on his comical friend, Jerry Lucas? Following on from her stunning success in solving the murder of a famous Byron Bay resident, amateur sleuth and investigative journalist Dusty Kent is once again determined to bring resolution to the families left behind in the wake of these tragedies.

Rippling Red, the third novel in the Dusty Kent murder mystery series, unfolds against a backdrop of spectacular sunsets as layers are stripped away to reveal twists, surprises, shocking truths and finally, the dark secrets that lie beneath still waters.

Brigid George is the pen name of JB Rowley, author of Amazon #1 best sellers Whisper My Secret and Mother of Ten.

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