Showing results by author "Colin Conway" in All Categories

A man in hiding. A gang of outlaws searching for retribution. This is no time for cupcakes. Today is Brody Steele’s first day as the new owner of The Red Herring, Pleasant Valley, Maine’s only mystery bookstore. The cute shop has a loyal customer base as well as an ornery cat. Unfortunately, Brody doesn’t know the first thing about running a legitimate business, he doesn’t want to be in the small town, and he hates cats. On top of all that, he hasn’t read a book since high school. When a cute woman walks into the store, he thinks his bad luck is about to change.

For a guy that lives his life by a set of written rules, former deputy Sam Strait has made a habit of casually violating one of them. He’s violated it to find the killer of a stranger. He’s broken it to solve a friend’s murder. He’s constantly disregarding it for beautiful women. But whatever the cause, Sam is determined to adhere to all the rules this summer. So, when an attractive woman shows up claiming she killed her friend, Sam is hesitant to get involved. The woman doesn’t remember how it happened, but the crime scene is littered with evidence proving her guilt.

Ed Belmont works in a struggling Midwest mall. It isn’t the ideal place for a job, but he’s doing the best he can. Every day is an uphill battle since Ed dislikes children, holiday decorations, and Christmas music. But what’s a guy to do when he’s Santa Claus? There’s a criminal lurking around town, and he’s dressed as jolly old Saint Nick.

Years ago, a series of sparkly vampire movies were made on this north Oregon island. Every autumn, a festival is held to celebrate the films and let fans reenact their favorite scenes. Murray Lee has no interest in bloodsuckers, though. For the past several days, an outlaw motorcycle gang seeking revenge has pursued him. He’s tired, alone, and cranky. Amid a torrential downpour, Murray barely crossed the lone working bridge to Belfry before it washed out. Now, he’s stranded on the island as his enemy musters its forces and plans an attack.

What would you do for a murdered friend? John Cutler is about to find out. When a friend is murdered, John Cutler is determined to find those responsible. This means running afoul of the local police department, a drug-running crew, and a wanted man who’s eluded capture for more than a decade. Now, danger lurks around every corner and in the shadows, but Cutler isn’t easily intimidated. Instead, he’s the type who will doggedly pursue justice at risk to his own life.

Should a wicked man get the same justice as the righteous? When a violent pimp is murdered, Major Crimes Detective Dallas Nash is assigned the case. With no witnesses and weak evidence, he must make a choice—vigorously investigate the killing or go through the motions before casually sweeping it into an unsolved file. Plenty of people want Nash to stop—the prostitutes abused by the deceased, a do-gooder with a shadowy past, and a cop with his thumb on the scales of equity. Yet no one is pushing for him to continue the investigation.

Sam Strait didn’t want to leave home early for the snowbird season, but the rules he lived his life by demanded it. When a relationship turned sour, the rules dictated he pack his bags and get out of town. He could have gone anywhere in the world, but Sam picked Phoenix, Arizona. With its beautiful women, fall baseball league, and warm winters, what more could a single guy ask for? When the death of a new friend brings violent strangers into his life, Sam is forced to make a choice—run out of town or find a killer.

The Value in Our Lies is the fifth book in the 509 Crime Stories, a series of novels set in Eastern Washington with revolving lead characters. If you like hard-hitting police procedurals with compelling personalities, download this book today.

A crew looking for some kicks is about to collide with a hero hiding from his past. The knockout game is a violent one-punch assault on random strangers. Years ago, it faded like a bad memory, but now it’s back with a vengeance. This time the contest is twisted into an act of retaliation. Its target? The image of the elite—men in suits and ties. No man is safe walking through downtown.

The last two years have been tumultuous ones for the Spokane Police Department. On the surface, the agency has suffered from scandal and police officer deaths. Underneath, a secret and deadly game of cat and mouse has played out. Now the Department of Justice has sent investigators to determine if federal intervention is needed. Their presence disrupts everyone’s agenda and threatens to expose dark secrets. Goals shift from winning situations to simply surviving. Not everyone will.

In this third installment of the Officer Tyler Garrett saga, the stakes have risen even higher. Garrett seeks to solidify his position. Officer Gary Stone undergoes a surprising metamorphosis. Captain Farrell tries to bring the situation to a head. Rookie Jun Yang struggles to find her place, while Officer Ray Zielinski must repay a debt that threatens to land him in greater danger. Meanwhile, Detective Wardell Clint continues to gnaw at the bone of the case that has consumed him for almost two years. Something has got to give.

A man in a new city. A murderer on the loose. This is no time for embroidery. Skeeter Dursky is the latest hire at the Lake Michigan Tower - a 17-story retirement community. It’s only his third day, and he’s determined to make a good impression. Unfortunately, his supervisor doesn’t believe he’s skilled enough to handle the simplest tasks. When a figure from Skeeter’s past arrives, his world turns upside down.

Spokane Police Officer Tyler Garrett is a man of many different images. To the public, he is a once-maligned and now redeemed cop, the victim of public prejudice and city politics. To the Chief of Police and the Mayor, he is a good cop, falsely accused and thankfully back to work. To his wife, a man she no longer knows. And to those who know his secret, he is the most terrible thing any police officer can be — a traitor to his badge.

Tyler Garrett is a model SWAT officer whose good looks, education, and familial status add to that image. The fact that he is a Black man in the predominately white Spokane Police Department only adds to the city administration's pride in one of their own. One summer evening, Garrett stops a reckless driver. As Garrett dives for cover, the driver turns and begins shooting as well. Garrett survives the ambush by killing the driver and chasing off the additional shooter. The legend of Tyler Garrett grows. Until the initial investigation.

He’s the new owner of Rockafellers, a vintage record store struggling to find customers. Much of that is due to Headbangers, a competitor with a better product mix and an aggressive owner. There is also a local do-gooder group who wants Owen to fall in line with their vision for a kinder, gentler Costa Buena. None of that worries Owen, though, because he is determined to be the number one used-music store on the boardwalk - even if that means stepping on a few toes. But when a murder occurs shortly after his arrival, he’s identified as prime suspect number one.

When Sam returns home for the summer, he discovers a stranger dead in his boat. With cops and reporters crawling over his property, gone are the usual plans of soaking up the sun and whiling away the days in the arms of a beautiful woman. Instead, Sam embarks on journey to solve the mysterious death.

Sheriff Tom Jessup works to keep his county nice and safe. Unfortunately, things aren’t staying that way. A questionable death in Whitman County takes Jessup out of jurisdiction to Spokane, Washington. He’s following family blood, and it’s led him to a double murder. The Spokane Police Department has their best team on the case, but they’ve just hit a roadblock. This leads them to a man neither trust. He’s a questionably motivated officer who answers only to himself. Meanwhile, Jessup struggles to connect additional cases across county lines.

When a past love calls for help, John Cutler returns to Seattle. He didn’t want to go, but she offered the one thing he needed more than distance from her—money.

Ned Delahanty works at a rundown Wyoming convenience store. Nothing much happens there, just the way he likes it. Most customers pump their gas and drive off without ever stepping inside. When a massive blizzard blows across the plains, that all changes. Several groups of customers seek shelter at Ned’s store. Among those searching for safety are a band of crooks with the cops hot on their trail. Ned soon finds himself locked in a cunning battle of wits with his dangerous guests.

A young woman has been murdered in River City. Police Detective John Tower is assigned to the case, but there are few clues to go on. As he digs into the case, he's soon picking up hints that this murder may not be the killer's first...or his last.