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Faking It with the Detective by Rose Bak

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Faking It with the Detective by Rose Bak

She’s always wanted an adventure, and she’s going to get it, even if she has to pretend to be someone else!

All her life, Michelle has longed for the kind of adventures that she reads about in books. Instead, the forty-year-old cashier has a boring life, a boring job, a boring apartment, and a cat who hates her. Nothing exciting ever happens to her. Until she meets Derrick…

The handsome detective thinks that she’s his FBI contact. When he crashes into the café where she works, demanding that she go with him to find their target, she figures she might as well go for it. Sure, she doesn’t know how to investigate a case. She’s never handled a gun or thrown a punch. And the only time she runs is, well, never. But she was in drama club in high school, so surely she can fake it?

There’s something strange about Michelle. Derrick can’t put his finger on it, but she’s not like any cop he’s ever worked with. She’s sassy and sweet and she flinches every time she sees his gun. But there’s something about her that makes him dream about finally settling down. If they can just figure out where this mob boss is hiding…

She was assigned to help him, but Michelle is the distraction he doesn’t need. If they manage to get out of this alive, he just might need to hold her close — forever.

Sometimes a girl has just gotta fake it. You know what I mean!

[Read more…] about Faking It with the Detective by Rose Bak

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Sultan Road by David Celley

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The mangled body of a young woman was discovered in some bushes near an office building in Southwest Los Angeles. LAPD Detective Sergeant Carlos Aguilar was sent to investigate. The victim turned out to be the accountant at a nearby housing complex that was the sole remaining structure in an area that once contained a neighborhood. Witnesses described two men who carried the victim away from a nearby nightclub parking lot after a barroom fight, but there was no forensic evidence and very few clues for Aguilar to proceed with. Looking at the broader picture, he ruled out gangs, robbers, rapists, and most other common street criminals, as the crime appeared to be a professional hit. A gang contact that he used as a tipster told him that a very evil person, referred to as “El Puma”, from deep in Mexico was in the area terrorizing his and other gangs. Aguilar met the victim’s next of kin at the morgue, where he also met a young reporter from the L.A. Daily Journal, a daily newspaper, who was working his first crime story. Aguilar’s partner didn’t take Jay, the young reporter, seriously; but Aguilar thought that since this case had overtones of a cover up, Jay might actually be of use for them.

Jay discovered that the housing complex where the victim worked was primarily Section Eight and supported by the Federal Government. The assistant manager there explained that some rent money went missing and the government came in to audit. The audit did not determine what happened with the missing money, but it did point to managerial problems leading to the ouster of the owner as manager and the hiring of a consultant to straighten things out. The owner complained to the HUD loan manager that she was being framed for actions taken by others outside her control. She requested to send in her own auditor which the loan manager reluctantly agreed to. The second audit also did not find out about the money, but it did report on a number of financial irregularities, particularly pointing to a certain vendor, the South Bay Neighborhood Association. This discovery gave Aguilar what he needed to pursue officers and managers of the South Bay Neighborhood Association in what he believed was a cover up that the victim knew something about. Then a resident of the complex, a retired gentleman who was helping the owner manage the business, was suddenly murdered in what appeared to be a carjacking gone bad. Witnesses identified the killers as very similar to the ones tacitly involved in the first victim’s murder. This meant to Aguilar that the crimes had to be the work of a serial killer who had some connection to the housing complex.

Aguilar got a break in the case when one of the perpetrators of the barroom fight was arrested for shoplifting. The nightclub’s security videos had this person directly engaged with the first victim in a brawl, but they did not show what transpired in the parking lot where the victim was “rescued” and carried away. The perpetrator was in an auto accident recently and needed roughly $5,000 to get her car fixed. More interrogation got her to give up who it was that gave her the money, and that she was paid to start the fight with the victim. This information lead to the arrest of a key player, the money man, at the South Bay Neighborhood Association, who subsequently made bail and was himself nearly killed as he fled the country. But the killer and his handler were not finished. The tipster inside the complex, the consultant manager of the complex, and one of the partners of South Bay Neighborhood Association were all killed in what appeared to be a desperate attempt to cover up the reason behind all the criminal activity and protect someone at the top. Aguilar knew that to unravel a cover up he must begin on the outside and work his way in with each suspect pointing to the next one. The case drew the attention of the FBI and the California Attorney General, as the money man was wanted for other crimes of fraud. Aguilar knew that he was not the boss at the top of the heap, however. The trail finally led Aguilar to the killer’s handler, who reluctantly tells him where he can find “El Puma”. The money man was tricked into leaving his Bahamian safe house, was apprehended in Mexico, and returned to Los Angeles. He became state’s evidence and explained who it was behind it all. For their efforts, Aguilar was promoted to Lieutenant, and Jay published a book detailing the entire saga.

Targeted Age Group:: Adult

What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
It’s drawn from images and experiences I achieved when I first moved to Los Angeles. In addition to my career, I helped out a friend who had some problems with his Section Eight Housing complex.

[Read more…] about Sultan Road by David Celley

© 2023 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of our posts include Amazon Affiliate links but not all of our posts do.

BURNING MATCHES by PAUL FITZSIMONS

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Detective Kieran Temple is woken by a 4am phone call. Not unusual, except that this call is from his ex-partner, Mia Burrows. And she’s just killed her boyfriend.
As Temple is compelled to investigate the death, he must do so behind the backs of his superiors and his wife. All evidence supports Mia’s claims, that she was defending herself against a maniac. But as he delves deeper, Temple learns of a complex and dysfunctional relationship, one that’s been manipulated from the start.
While carrying out this unsanctioned and disturbing investigation, Temple’s renewed contact with Mia also forces old feelings to resurface, feelings that once nearly cost him his marriage and his career. And with his gut telling him that Mia’s boyfriend was not the brute he’s being made out to be, Temple is determined to get answers while everyone – including Mia herself – just want it left alone.

Targeted Age Group:: 30-65

What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
Matchmaking is where a well-wishing person introducing two friends, hoping that the result will be a happy relationship.
The idea of BURNING MATCHING came about with the question – 'What if a person introduces two friends, hoping that the result will be a miserable and destructive relationship?'


[Read more…] about BURNING MATCHES by PAUL FITZSIMONS

© 2023 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of our posts include Amazon Affiliate links but not all of our posts do.

White Death by George A Bernstein

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White Death by George A Bernstein

Detective Al Warner is back at work, recovered from his deadly final encounter that ended the hunt for The Prom Dress Killer.
Meanwhile, Ashton Kerry is furious his in-laws, who both died in a flaming boating accident, left him nothing in their will—but his wife’s massive trust fund provides all he can spend. Determined to have his own stash so he can ditch his family and be with his mistress, he enlists the Cuban mafia to ship cocaine via his company, packaged as brochures. Kerry is paid a nice percentage of their value. But in setting this up, the Cubans murder five of his employees, drowning them in a fake auto accident. Then Kerry’s ties to the Cubans become more complicated–and dangerous–than he ever expected.
Warner’s gut tells him the accidental drowning of five factory workers is highly suspicious, and his “gut” is seldom wrong. It’s one of two cases the “Hero of Miami” is zeroing in on. The other puzzler is the exploding rash of deadly ODs from fentanyl-laced heroin—White Death. The drug is so lethal, Warner suspects the fatalities may be intentional. Soon everything erupts into a series of stunning revelations and deadly confrontations, with Warner once again thrust into mortal danger.

[Read more…] about White Death by George A Bernstein

© 2023 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of our posts include Amazon Affiliate links but not all of our posts do.

Featured Book: Shameful Justice by M A Comley

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Greed is a powerful motive…

With the ultimate goal to achieve something that others have.

This case is close to home… with one of her work colleagues desperate for help.

Lorne’s team are up against the odds… And somebody is restricting Lorne’s usual method of solving a case.

Tick tock… with only 24 hours to raise a vast sum of money to satisfy a kidnapper’s needs, Lorne is forced to seek the assistance of her husband — a former MI6 agent — and a close friend she has turned to before.

More pressure than usual for Lorne to contend with to get the case solved!

Time is of the essence when there is a life at stake…

Buy Shameful Justice Here

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© 2023 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of our posts include Amazon Affiliate links but not all of our posts do.

Featured Book: The Prom Dress Killer by George A Bernstein

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A psychopathic killer lurks in Miami’s shadows, snatching and murdering young auburn-haired women. Strangely, they are killed without trauma and left clad in frilly prom-style dresses.
Miami’s crack homicide detective, Al Warner, is on the case, but the killer has left few clues. Why were these girls taken and then executed? Was he intent on killing redheads, or was there some other connection? And why were their bodies so carefully arranged in peaceful repose, wearing prom dresses?
Warner’s hunt for this clever psycho is stymied by a lack of evidence as he desperately searches for the latest victim. The suspense ramps up when the murderer finally makes one tiny error.
As Warner and the FBI doggedly zero in on their fleeing prey and his newest captive, the action escalates. Unlikely players are drawn into a tense, deadly game. As the stunning climax plays out, Warner is trapped in a classic Catch-22. In order to snare this lethal psycho, he must make a decision that may haunt him forever.

Buy The Prom Dress Killer Here

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© 2023 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of our posts include Amazon Affiliate links but not all of our posts do.

Featured Book: Doubletake by Maryann Miller & Margaret Sutton

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Death sneaks into the peaceful town of Twin Lakes, Texas and nothing is ever the same again. A woman is murdered. A young girl is murdered. And everyone is afraid.

Homicide detective, Barbara Hobkins, is thrust headlong into the investigation. A product of the “new direction” in law enforcement, her strength comes from a degree in psychology and an intuition that has served her well. But will that be enough when up against a sadistic killer, or will she become a victim of “Doubletake?”

New from Maryann Miller, the author of the critically acclaimed Seasons Mystery Series.

**** Chosen as the Best Mystery for 2015 by the Texas Association of Authors. ****

Buy Doubletake Here

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© 2023 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of our posts include Amazon Affiliate links but not all of our posts do.

Born To Die by George A Bernstein

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Born_to_Die_front-coverBorn To Die by George A Bernstein

Too many infant boys of Palm Beach gentry are dying of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Only obstetrics nurse, Casey Jansson, is suspicious.
Al Warner, crack Miami Homicide detective, is inactive, languishing on medical leave after a deadly shootout with a serial killer, “The Angel of Death.”
Warner meets Casey at a local pub. Learning of the SIDS deaths from her, Warner concedes it sounds more than coincidental, but can find no obvious Motive or Opportunity. However, he agrees to help investigate, hoping romance develops later.
Casey’s obsession eventually tangles her in mortal danger. Only Warner can save her, if he can figure out where she went, and get there in time.

[Read more…] about Born To Die by George A Bernstein

© 2023 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of our posts include Amazon Affiliate links but not all of our posts do.

Poetic Justice by Lori James

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PJ_1600x2400Poetic Justice is a murder mystery with a romantic twist. It’s set on a backdrop of characters ranging from a single mom, to high powered attorneys who are sure to draw you into their lives.

When Homicide Detective Mark Stevens receives a phone call to report to a bloody crime scene, he has no idea how his life is about to change. He faces the normal challenges of solving a murder. He also faces the challenge of confronting his past. Mark’s past has closed his heart. He chooses to be alone. When his heart is opened, by an unlikely visitor, he finds himself having feelings for the murder victim’s sister. However, he’s determined to remain professional. Now that he’s found his heart; can love be far behind?

The new, ambitious prosecuting attorney John Martin can’t wait to sink his teeth into his first murder trial. Seemingly lucky for him, a murder victim’s body is found his first day on the job. Not so luckily for him, there’s a tough judge and feisty defense attorney in his future.

Targeted Age Group:: 17+

What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
I’ve always had an interest in true crime and trial watching. When I decided to write a book, I knew it would be a murder mystery.

[Read more…] about Poetic Justice by Lori James

© 2023 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of our posts include Amazon Affiliate links but not all of our posts do.

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