Eine Kleine Murder (28 page)

About Barking Rain Press

Did you know that six media conglomerates publish eighty percent of the books in the United States? As the publishing industry continues to contract, opportunities for emerging and mid-career authors are drying up. Who will write the literature of the twenty-first century if just a handful of profit-focused corporations are left to decide who—and what—is worthy of publication?

Barking Rain Press is dedicated to the creation and promotion of thoughtful and imaginative contemporary literature, which we believe is essential to a vital and diverse culture. As a nonprofit organization, Barking Rain Press is an independent publisher that seeks to cultivate relationships with new and mid-career writers over time, to be thorough in the editorial process, and to make the publishing process an experience that will add to an author's development—and ultimately enhance our literary heritage.

In selecting new titles for publication, Barking Rain Press considers authors at all points in their careers. Our goal is to support the development of emerging and mid-career authors—not just single books—as we know from experience that a writer's audience is cultivated over the course of several books.

Support for these efforts comes primarily from the sale of our publications; we also hope to attract grant funding and private donations. Whether you are a reader or a writer, we invite you to take a stand for independent publishing and become more involved with Barking Rain Press. With your support, we can make sure that talented writers thrive, and that their books reach the hands of spirited, curious readers. Find out more at our website.

www.barkingrainpress.org

Bad Policy

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

Preview the first four chapters for free at

www.barkingrainpress.org

The Devil's Blues

by Ricky Bush

Print ISBN: 978-1-935460-22-0

eBook ISBN: 978-1-935460-23-7

When the best blues harp customizer in Texas rushes up the steps of the First Christian Church, he finds the doors have been chained shut. A massive explosion sends him to a Houston hospital where he is charged with the murder of the entire congregation—including his wife and daughter.

Enter Mitty Andersen, ex-investigative reporter turned blues musician, who was talking to him about a new harmonica order just before the church blew up. Sensing that an innocent man is being railroaded by an overzealous lawman, Mitty once again teams up with his “partner in chime,” Pete Bolden, to find out who's really behind a string of church bombings.

In their quest for justice, the duo form an uneasy alliance with two ATF agents and soon find themselves in the crosshairs of a secret anti-Christian paramilitary organization known as S.O.S.: the Soldiers of Satan. Can Mitty and Pete dodge the wrath—and bullets—of the S.O.S. operatives long enough to stop the next bombing?

This thrilling sequel to
River Bottom Blues
lives up to the first book and leaves you hoping for another one!

“An old-fashioned romp through the Texas countryside pitting good against evil. Evil masquerades in black & white, but good is found in bluesmen Mitty Andersen and Pete Bolden—for whom friendship is golden. If you're a blues fan, you'll love how the musical references are interwoven in the story. If you're not, you'll get enough blues in your blood by osmosis to change your mind.”
— James M. Jackson, author,
Bad Policy

“Blues and crime make pitch-perfect partners once again thanks to the talented pen of Ricky Bush. Turn the lights down low, put on some blues even lower, and lose yourself in The Devil's Blues.”
—P.S. Gifford, author,
Curiously Twisted Tales

Preview the first four chapters for free at

www.barkingrainpress.org

The Diamond Seekers

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