Learning Curve (22 page)

by James M. Jackson

Print ISBN: 978-1-935460-60-2

eBook ISBN: 978-1-935460-61-7

When private financial investigator Seamus McCree returns to Cincinnati after a routine business trip, he discovers that his home has become a crime scene for a brutal murder. The victim in his basement is an acquaintance from a previous corporate investigation—and endured bullets to both of his ankles, knees and elbows before the final shot to his forehead put him out of his misery.

No one has seen an “IRA six pack” victim since The Troubles in Northern Ireland in the 1970s.

Now the primary “person of interest” in the murder, Seamus must use his talent for logic and hard work to prove his innocence. Soon he uncovers a trail that leads back to his Boston roots—and a poisonous family feud dating from the divorce of Boston's Irish mafia and the Provisional IRA in the 1970s.

Driven by the chilling realization that there was more behind the death of his policeman father than he ever knew, Seamus ignores warnings from the police, friends, and enemies as he continues to dig for the truth.

As the body count climbs, all trails seem to lead back to him, and Seamus is forced to go underground to find out who is framing him—and why—before he becomes the next victim.

“A mix of big money, wayward passions, Irish politics, family secrets and enough odd characters to stage a sideshow, Bad Policy is a wild romp that kept me guessing and turning pages well into several nights. Tremendous fun!”
— Jack Kerley, internationally acclaimed author,
Carson Ryder
series

“What a great story! Wry, witty and completely appealing—as if Robert B. Parker's Spenser moved to Ohio. I love Seamus McCree—a savvy PI who tackles the mysteries of life with heart and brains and humor.”
—Hank Phillippi Ryan, Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity winning author,
The Other Woman

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by Kaye George

Print ISBN: 978-1-935460-64-0

eBook ISBN: 978-1-935460-65-7

Aspiring conductor Cressa Carraway arrives at her grandmother's cabin at a rural Illinois lake resort, hoping to find some peace and quiet so she can finish composing the symphony she needs to earn her master's degree in composition. Instead, she finds her grandmother's corpse in the lake.

The authorities dismiss the death as an accidental drowning, but when Gram's best friend drowns in the exact same spot, Cressa just knows something is off-key in this idyllic setting. Convinced that her grandmother's death was anything but an accident, she fights her instinct to flee and starts looking into things herself.

There are lots of people and facts to consider, from the self-important property manager and his brow-beaten wife, to their salacious son, to the elderly widow who may be lacing her home-baked cookies with a dash of poison. As the body count rises, Cressa doesn't know which will be finished first—her symphony or her life.

“Five stars out of five! I strongly recommend putting this book on your summer reading list. It is the perfect book to read while sitting by the water.”
—Lynn Farris, Examiner.com

“Suspenseful and full of surprises! Agatha-nominated writer Kaye George seamlessly combines an engaging heroine, an unusual setting, and a suspicious set of characters to create a truly satisfying read.”
—Judy Dailey, author,
Animal, Vegetable, Murder

“Great characters. A genuine page turner.”
—Marilyn Levinson, author,
Twin Lakes Mystery
series

“
Eine Kleine Murder
immediately draws you in. Once you start reading, you'll ignore calls, texts and possibly your family until you reach the last page. The good news is that it's well worth it!”
— Laura Oles, Photo industry journalist & author

“Kaye George marries music and mystery in Eine Kleine Murder to produce an exciting, satisfying read. Brava, Ms. George!”
— Kathy Waller, Austin mystery writer

“Kaye George delivers again! Cressa Caraway, classical composer, is up to her eyeballs in music, murder, and mayhem in George's new mystery series. A rousing read.”
—Gale Albright, Austin mystery writer

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by David Coles & Jack Everett

Print ISBN: 978-1-935460-44-2

eBook ISBN: 978-1-935460-45-9

“He who seeks to deceive will always find someone who will allow himself to be deceived.” — Nicolò Machiavelli

When a courier for the powerful crime family descended from Niccolò Machiavelli realizes he's being followed by a rival family assassin, he takes a detour through the English countryside to shake his pursuer. He manages to hide his precious cargo—a fortune in blood diamonds from Sierra Leone—before his pursuer collides with an English family on a holiday drive.

The courier drowns in a swollen river; the mother and son die in the crash. The father is emotionally devastated, and retires in despair from his MI5 cipher career.

Five years later, the head of the Machiavelli crime family is still in pursuit of his missing diamonds and is ready to launch an ambitious scheme to recover them. What follows is a twisted trail of murder, kidnapping and layers upon layers of subterfuge.

The British Security Services are seriously compromised, but no one knows how or by whom. And suddenly, our former MI5 cipher expert is on everyone's shopping list.

“The mystery of who REALLY are the movers and shakers at work behind the scenes only comes together in the final pages. The author's subtle—but riveting—approach to international crime fiction vs. the usual adrenaline-fueled race of the thriller genre makes this impossible to put down.”
— Adele Abbot, author,
Of Machines & Magics

“If you enjoy mystery and a clever story told through well-crafted dialog played out by a memorable cast of characters, you'll enjoy
The Diamond Seekers
. There is room for more and I hope Coles and Everett hook us into a sequel that picks up where The Diamond Seekers left off.”
— Greg Lamb, Author,
The People In Between: A Cyprus Odyssey

Preview the first four chapters for free at

www.barkingrainpress.org