It's every cop's worst nightmare: a violent felon he put behind bars paroles out and comes after him and his family. Five years ago, homicide sergeant Ismail O'Dwyer arrested Boyo Slade after a bar brawl left a man slashed in Old Yvor City, a fictitious suburb of Washington, D. C. Found guilty at trial in large part due to Ismail's testimony, Boyo has been stoking a grudge before his release from prison. When Ismail returns home at the end of a grueling shift, he finds the threatening note Boyo has left. It's payback time, and Ismail is on his guard. Cops Like Us is a gritty, intricate, and character-driven cop novel appealing to the readers of police procedurals and hardboiled crime novels.

Cops Like Us

Deadlines is a nightmarish excursion into fear featuring stories from 20 up-and-coming authors of horror and dark fiction. From serial killers to zombies, from sinister dolls to malicious cats, this collection is a veritable a-z of evil and a deadly trip down the darkside of human nature. Sonar4 Publications Review:Deadlines has some of the scariest stories wrapped together in one convenient package. Stories that grab a hold of your breath refusing to give it back until you turn the next page. Authors such as Michael A. Kechula, Shaun Ryan are just two of the twenty that appear with their gruesome, thrilling and amazing stories in this Anthology. Contents:BRUTAL ASSAULT by Garry BushellTHE COWBIRDS NEST by Clinton A. HarrisMADONNA OF THE BLACK MOUNTAIN by Tessa JohnstoneSTRIPTEASE ON MOUNT RUSHMORE by Ed LynskeyMYSTERIO AND GALATEA by Michael A. KechulaHARRY by Doug MuranoIN YOUR WARM AND DARKENED GRAVE by Frank ZafiroGIRL IN THE TUB by Cameron L. MitchellFRAZZLED by J. R. THE GIFT OF THE BONEFLOWER by D. Alexander WardAS CLOSE AS IT GETS by Karina Berg JohanssonGOOD BOYS by Shaun RyanSILENCE by Christopher Allan DeathVISITING HOUR by Michael PelcTHE DEATH OF LESTER WILLIAMS by Ty JohnstonLA NUIT DU LA CHAT NOIR by Nora B. PeevyWHITE by David RichardsSTREET WALKING by Jason JefferyWILL'S LITTLE BLACK FLOWER by Brent MeskeMALRATS by Walter Payne

Deadlines: An Anthology of Horror and Dark Fiction

For his next hardboiled outing, P. I. Frank Johnson accepts an infidelity case where Webb Lohr believes his wife Danica is having an affair. Then Webb is found murdered in his car at a desolate crossroads. As Frank delves into the twisty investigation, more questions arise. All the while, he also deals with personal problems and handles his other cases. He depends on his long-time business partner Gerald Peyton, his medical examiner wife Dreema, and his brilliant but outspoken attorney Robert Gatlin. Critically acclaimed crime novelist James Crumley wrote of the P. I. Frank Johnson Mystery Series, "With a plot as complex as your grandmother's crocheted doilies, Mr. Lynskey creates a portrait of the rural hill country that rings as true as the clank of a Copenhagen can on a PBR can, as does his handle on guns, love, and betrayal. This novel is well worth the read and makes me want more."

Death Car - P.I. Frank Johnson Mystery Series, #7

For his next hardboiled outing, P. I. Frank Johnson takes up investigating the violent death of Lark Turnbull. A local prostitute, she has drowned in her motel room bathtub while inebriated. Her twin sister, Nola, has other ideas and suspects foul play is involved. She hires Frank to look into the matter and understand what actually happened to Lark. During August's hot and dry weather, Frank's investigation leads him to confront the seedy underbelly of his native small town of Pelham, Virginia.    As Frank probes deeper into Lark Turnbull's death, he leans on his long-time friend and business partner, Gerald Peyton; his medical examiner wife, Dreema; and his brilliant but outspoken attorney, Robert Gatlin. Frank and Gerald soon battle the evil forces holed up inside of a dilapidated and remote farmhouse. Outnumbered and outgunned, they depend on their quick thinking, resourceful imagination, and steely nerves to even up the odds stacked against them.            Critically acclaimed crime novelist James Crumley endorsed the P. I. Frank Johnson Mystery Series. "With a plot as complex as your grandmother's crocheted doilies, Mr. Lynskey creates a portrait of the rural hill country that rings as true as the clank of a Copenhagen can on a PBR can, as does his handle on guns, love, and betrayal. This novel is well worth the read and makes me want more."#1 New York Times bestselling author James Rollins states, "Ed Lynskey's P. I. Frank Johnson's books are as hard-bitten and hard-boiled as they come. The dialogue crackles with such sharpness that you'd swear sparks were jumping off the pages. And P. I. Frank Johnson is a character cut from the Tarantino mold: tough, wounded, conflicted, and badass."New York Times bestselling author and Edgar Award-winning author Megan Abbott writes the P. I. Frank Johnson mystery series, which "bears the richest nicotine and bourbon stains of the hardboiled genre, yet also bristles with vitality. The plot sings, the characters are twisty and textured, and the violence is brutal but inevitable. These elements would be more than enough, yet Ed Lynskey offers so much more in the form of a perfectly pitched prose style that swings effortlessly from back-country grit to Appalachian poetry and back again."

Nymph - P.I. Frank Johnson Mystery Series, #19

For his next hardboiled outing, P. I. Frank Johnson accepts a missing person case when Cain Milsap seeks out Frank's assistance to find Milsap's 28-year-old daughter, Brett. Of course, nothing is simple as it seems on the surface in Frank's world. As he delves deeper into the twisty investigation, the more questions arise. All the while, he also deals with his personal problems and handles his other PI cases. He depends on his long-time business partner Gerald Peyton, his medical examiner wife Dreema, and his brilliant but outspoken attorney Robert Gatlin. Critically acclaimed crime novelist James Crumley wrote of the P. I. Frank Johnson Mystery Series: "With a plot as complex as your grandmother's crocheted doilies, Mr. Lynskey creates a portrait of the rural hill country that rings as true as the clank of a Copenhagen can on a PBR can, as does his handle on guns, love, and betrayal. This novel is well worth the read and makes me want more."

Lure - P.I. Frank Johnson Mystery Series, #13

Quiet Anchorage, Virginia, is like any other sleepy small town until Jake Robbins is murdered, and his fiancée Megan Connors is arrested for it. The laidback, good ole boy Sheriff Roscoe Fox feels smugly confident he's got the right culprit, Megan Connors, locked up in his jail. It's a feather in his cap to help give his re-election campaign for town sheriff a boost. However, not all the townies believe Sheriff Fox has so niftily solved Jake's murder. Megan's feisty septuagenarian aunts, Isabel and Alma Trumbo, are angry with Sheriff Fox. They decide they better set aside their hobby of playing Scrabble and get busy as amateur sleuths. They are avid mystery fans with their large home library filled with every whodunit they've read, so they know the tricks of their craft. They befriend the twentysomething Sammi Jo Garner who takes no guff off anybody and becomes the sisters' assistant as they snoop away and unravel Jake's murder mystery. The debut series novel from Ed Lynskey, QUIET ANCHORAGE is a fun addition to the cozy mystery genre in the tradition of Agatha Christie, Jessica Fletcher, and Anne George.

Quiet Anchorage - Isabel & Alma Trumbo Cozy Mystery Series, #1

For their eleventh mystery, Isabel and Alma Trumbo, the retired sister sleuths living in Quiet Anchorage, Virginia, undertake to solve yet another murder mystery. Their hairstylist Laura Isherwood is found murdered in the beauty shop on Main Street. Isabel and Alma put on their detective hats, sharpen their wits, and commence their snooping. Of course, Sammi Jo Garner, their gritty sidekick, and Petey Samson, their irrepressible beagle, help to develop the leads, identify the suspects, and unmask Laura's killer. The trio of old codgers affectionately known as the Three Musketeers also makes their contributions. The bumbling Sheriff Fox does his best to keep up with them. Told with lots of good humor and funny situations, To Dye For is a clean read and traditional whodunit set in a charming Southern small town. Join Isabel and Alma when they set off on solving their latest mystery that is as fun and challenging for them as it is for the reader.

To Dye For - Isabel & Alma Trumbo Cozy Mystery Series, #11

For his next hardboiled outing, P. I. Frank Johnson accepts a seemingly bizarre case from Jules Sturgeon who has experienced disturbing dreams about her murder. The next morning Frank finds his new client has been killed in her SUV behind a strip mall. He quickly identifies three murder suspects while he forms a theory the Russian mob is also involved. The events careen along until he clashes with his enemies at an old radio studio on a wind-swept knoll. He depends on his long-time business partner Gerald Peyton, his medical examiner wife Dreema, and his brilliant but outspoken attorney Robert Gatlin. Critically acclaimed crime novelist James Crumley wrote of the P. I. Frank Johnson Mystery Series, "With a plot as complex as your grandmother's crocheted doilies, Mr. Lynskey creates a portrait of the rural hill country that rings as true as the clank of a Copenhagen can on a PBR can, as does his handle on guns, love, and betrayal. This novel is well worth the read and makes me want more."

Fluke - P.I. Frank Johnson Mystery Series, #10

For his next hardboiled outing, P. I. Frank Johnson takes up the homicide case of Cedric Barker, the bouncer at Aphrodite's Crib, a local strip club. Engaged to the ex-stripper, Blaze O'Dwyer, Barker is found murdered at their outdoor wedding minutes before they exchange their marriage vows. Of course nothing is as it appears on the surface in Frank's murky noirish crime world. Simple things become complicated and messy affairs, where more violence and mayhem come into play. As Frank probes deeper into Barker's murder, he relies on his long-time friend and business partner, Gerald Peyton, his medical examiner wife, Dreema, and his brilliant but outspoken attorney, Robert Gatlin. The harrowing climactic scene unfolds inside a dark and seedy strip club where more lethal violence erupts. Critically acclaimed crime novelist James Crumley endorsed the P. I. Frank Johnson Mystery Series. "With a plot as complex as your grandmother's crocheted doilies, Mr. Lynskey creates a portrait of the rural hill country that rings as true as the clank of a Copenhagen can on a PBR can, as does his handle on guns, love, and betrayal. This novel is well worth the read and makes me want more."#1 New York Times bestselling author James Rollins states, "Ed Lynskey's P. I. Frank Johnson's books are as hard-bitten and hard-boiled as they come. The dialogue crackles with such sharpness that you'd swear sparks were jumping off the pages. And P. I. Frank Johnson is a character cut from the Tarantino mold: tough, wounded, conflicted, and badass."New York Times bestselling author and Edgar-winner Megan Abbott writes the P. I. Frank Johnson mystery series "bears the richest nicotine and bourbon stains of the hardboiled genre, yet also bristles with vitality. The plot sings, the characters are twisty and textured, and the violence is brutal but inevitable. All of these elements would be more than enough, yet Ed Lynskey offers so much more in the form of a perfectly pitched prose style that swings effortlessly from back-country grit to Appalachian poetry and back again."

Blaze - P.I. Frank Johnson Mystery Series, #17

Narrated by Brendan Fishback, an 18-year-old printing plant worker, Lake Charles opens in 1979 with him traveling to the fictional Lake Charles located in East Tennessee. His kid sister Renee and best friend Cobb Kuzawa accompany him. After Renee disappears, the guys decide to spend the night and resume their search in the morning. They find more than they bargained for when they run into violence, murder, and deception. Meantime, Brendan is trying to beat a murder rap for a local rich man's daughter while battling through his pot detoxification, which touches off his bizarre dream sequences. Jerry Kuzawa, a decorated Korean War veteran who lends Brendan a timely hand, spurs the fast-paced action leading to the slam-bang climax. Lake Charles, written in taut and atmospheric prose, explores how the flawed but courageous Brendan finally makes peace with his inner demons while becoming a modern day mountain man.

Lake Charles

For his next hardboiled outing, P. I. Frank Johnson accepts another missing-person case, this time the gorgeous 19-year-old Clover Digges who has vanished from her home in Middleburg, Virginia. He opens his investigation during the early days of the covid-19 virus pandemic and has to deal with its dangers while on he's on the case. Clover's affluent father Webb Digges is Frank's client who becomes less credible as Frank uncovers more unsavory truths about the Digges family. He depends on his long-time business partner Gerald Peyton, his medical examiner wife Dreema, and his brilliant but outspoken attorney Robert Gatlin. Critically acclaimed crime novelist James Crumley wrote of the P. I. Frank Johnson Mystery Series, "With a plot as complex as your grandmother's crocheted doilies, Mr. Lynskey creates a portrait of the rural hill country that rings as true as the clank of a Copenhagen can on a PBR can, as does his handle on guns, love, and betrayal. This novel is well worth the read and makes me want more."

Clover - P.I. Frank Johnson Mystery Series, #9

Bestselling and award-winning mystery author Ed Lynskey introduces a new cozy mystery series set in the small town of Cat's Paw, Virginia. Plucky and resourceful, Juno Patchen operates her family truck farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains and sells her produce at the weekly Farmers' Market. Her athletic cousin and godmother Fern McPhee and outspoken mother Rhoda McPhee help Juno while her seven-year-old son Chip pitches in whenever he can. The lurid murder of local resident Liz Kershaw throws everybody into a tizzy, none moreso than the befuddled Sheriff Goose Dixon who's also sweet on Juno. He persuades her to lend him a hand with investigating Liz's homicide. Juno's ex Holt Patchen, a struggling country music singer who frequently requests "loans" from her, further complicates her life. Told with verve and humor, BERRIED TRUTH offers readers a picturesque mountain setting, a vibrant cast of characters, and a satisfying whodunit.

Berried Truth - Juno Patchen Cozy Mystery, #1

For his next hardboiled outing, P. I. Frank Johnson takes up the missing-person case of Knox Yowell, a machinist who operates a metal lathe in a job shop. One August morning, Knox leaves for the corner bodega to buy his cigarettes and never returns home. His distraught wife, Madge Yowell, discovers Frank's business card in Knox's nightstand drawer. However, Frank has no memory of having met or spoken to Knox. The Yowells live in Hingham, a blue-collar suburb 12 miles south of Boston, and Frank has never traveled from his small town of Pelham, Virginia, up north to Boston. Of course, nothing is as it appears on the surface in Frank's murky, noirish crime world. As Frank probes deeper into Knox Yowell's disappearance, he leans on his long-time friend and business partner, Gerald Peyton; his medical examiner wife, Dreema; and his brilliant but outspoken attorney, Robert Gatlin. The investigation soon compels Frank to reckon with the tragedy of his boyhood, when his parents died in a car accident caused by a drunken motorist. Violence and mayhem rack Frank as he struggles to set things right.     Critically acclaimed crime novelist James Crumley endorsed the P. I. Frank Johnson Mystery Series. "With a plot as complex as your grandmother's crocheted doilies, Mr. Lynskey creates a portrait of the rural hill country that rings as true as the clank of a Copenhagen can on a PBR can, as does his handle on guns, love, and betrayal. This novel is well worth the read and makes me want more." #1 New York Times bestselling author James Rollins states, "Ed Lynskey's P. I. Frank Johnson's books are as hard-bitten and hard-boiled as they come. The dialogue crackles with such sharpness that you'd swear sparks were jumping off the pages. And P. I. Frank Johnson is a character cut from the Tarantino mold: tough, wounded, conflicted, and badass." New York Times bestselling author and Edgar Award-winning author Megan Abbott writes the P. I. Frank Johnson mystery series, which "bears the richest nicotine and bourbon stains of the hardboiled genre, yet also bristles with vitality. The plot sings, the characters are twisty and textured, and the violence is brutal but inevitable. These elements would be more than enough, yet Ed Lynskey offers so much more in the form of a perfectly pitched prose style that swings effortlessly from back-country grit to Appalachian poetry and back again."

Madge - P.I. Frank Johnson Mystery Series, #18

Down in the sleepy, quaint Virginia small town of Quiet Anchorage, murder is the last thing any person living there would expect to happen on a summer day. Sisters Isabel and Alma Trumbo-both are retired seniors in their seventies although Alma is quick to point out she's the younger sister-look forward to spending their leisurely days playing Scrabble and sipping tall glasses of iced tea. They love nothing better than chatting with the Three Musketeers-Ossie Conger, Blue Trent, and Willie Moccasin-lolling on their wooden bench just outside of Main Street's flower shop. Or relaxing at Eddy's Deli where they munch on his irresistibly delicious bear claws, catch up with his waitress Tabitha, and drink his fresh brewed coffee. When the sisters's young friend Sammi Jo Garner becomes the prime suspect in her father Ray Burl's homicide; however, they shrug off taking it easy and get back to work investigating his murder. Of course, someone driven to bump off Ray Burl isn't likely to be intimidated by a pair of little, old lady sleuths snooping around-until they get too close to revealing who the killer is. The Cashmere Shroud is the second title in the popular, well-received cozy mystery series featuring a memorable cast of funny characters and a charming small town setting. The series titles are clean reads and traditional whodunits. Join Isabel and Alma Trumbo with their beagle Petey Samson when they set off on their latest mystery as amateur sleuths that is as fun and challenging for them as it is for the reader.

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