Inside Writing Mystery, Noir & Detectives

A DEADLY RECKONING UNFOLDSin book three of Michael Balter's award-winning crime thriller series.Marty Schott and Bo Bishop are trying to extricate themselves from a dangerous business partnership with a Russian oligarch when a midnight phone call shatters their plans. Bo’s brother-in-law has been murdered—and the Portland police detective on the scene recognizes them instantly. He’s questioned them before. He hasn’t forgotten.As Marty and Bo dig for answers, they uncover a hidden wire, criminal activity inside their own company, and a killer who isn’t finished. What begins as a murder investigation quickly spirals into a high-stakes web of cigarette smuggling, counterfeit money, and a covert FBI operation they don’t yet understand. Every lead pulls them deeper into a conspiracy that blurs the line between criminals and law enforcement—and puts their families squarely in the crosshairs.At the same time, the cracks between them begin to widen. Marty is still entangled with Natalya, the alluring power broker linked to the powerful investor they’re trying to escape, and Marty’s inability to cut ties threatens everything. Bo’s loyalty is pushed to the limit as secrets, suspicion, and past betrayals collide. With pressure mounting from every direction, a single misstep pulls Marty into a deadly trap—and forces a choice that could cost him everything.In Dead Exit, danger isn’t over—it’s waiting for one wrong move.

Alfred Prince has created a social media site that is… EveryThing.“I am looking for investors to support a new tech startup that will transform the world.” Prince had apparently moved into business mode. “It is an app called Triangulation, with an avatar named AL, for Artificial Learning, that will gather the data gleaned by EveryThing, Universe, and Totality.”Max Creed is a modern-day Robin Hood, an anti-hero willing to do whatever it takes to enact justice for those who have been wronged by the ultra-wealthy. He and his band of not-so-merry people investigate a billionaire for shoddy safety protocols on EveryThing, but quickly discover that the diabolical plot is much more elaborate than merely warping hearts and minds.Prince plans to sow the seeds of discord, create chaos, burn the establishment down, and emerge as the de facto emperor of the world. Max Creed is tasked with stopping him. What will happen when an unstoppable force collides with an unmovable object? An electrifying thriller that rivets the reader to the page with a breathtaking climax

Nashville PI Jackson Gamble has had all manner of clients and cases during his long career as a private investigator, but never a client like the one involving convicted triple-murderer Harvey Harris. Until recently a death-row inmate, and now dying of untreatable cancer, Harvey wants to see his daughter one more time before his time runs out. The search seems simple enough, but the girl has been missing ten years, and the case quickly goes into the weeds as Gamble’s search takes him on a three-state chase that involves him with a beautiful woman, two murders, and a conclusion that even an experienced PI like Gamble never quite sees coming.

Hardboiled, character-driven, and grounded in real detective work, the Frank Mallory P.I. series blends classic private eye storytelling with high-stakes action. Perfect for fans of Robert B. Parker, Lee Child, Don Winslow, and Vince Flynn.-------------------------------------------------------------------He took the case. Now the case is coming after him.Frank Mallory survived the hit that killed his wife. He left New York, opened a small P.I. office in Buffalo, and built a quieter life. The work is steady. The rules are simple. Keep your head down. Don’t make noise.Then a woman walks into his office.Her brother-in-law disappeared after taking a security job nobody wants to talk about. The police think he ran. His family knows better.Frank starts asking questions anyway.Soon people are following him. Watching his office. Leaning on witnesses. Men with military training and expensive guns who want the whole thing buried.Frank knows how these men operate. He used to be one of them.They think he’ll back off before things turn violent.They don’t know Frank Mallory.

In this thrilling sequel to Hooked, the secret leaders of a deadly cabal prove to be a veritable match for the determined reporter and the insightful surfing detective who double down to expose them.Investigative reporter Katrina Chopin is back home in San Diego on a mission (or two). The first is personal: reheating the cold case of her parents’ murder and investigating her brother’s reported suicide. The second involves a new spate of deaths with alleged causes that just don’t smell right. She and Detective Ken Goode need each other’s help for both. But she has to keep the sexy surfer at arm’s length, because dating him is off limits. For now.Teaming up, they make coordinated progress down each path. Digging deeper into La Jolla’s corrupt network of elites, they uncover a pattern of lies, depravity, and greed. And with every new discovery, Katrina is pulled closer to danger…and to Goode.Sharing sexy phone calls and sunset drinks isn’t exactly following the rules, but fully crossing that line could jeopardize the case. As they start to connect the dots, they realize they must risk everything to bring down the shadowy cabal that kills to keep its secrets.

A psychological thriller inspired by real events revealing the treachery of a ruthless stalker, the alarming failure of the legal system and the unthinkable battle a daughter must face to protect her family.___________________________________________________________________________________________Dawn Smith, a vet tech living in rural South Carolina, catches her boyfriend in a series of lies and abruptly ends the relationship. Rather than accepting the break-up, he begins to stalk and harass her, forcing Dawn to seek a restraining order. Undeterred, he launches a deeply personal attack—suing for guardianship and conservatorship of Dawn’s infirm mother. In court, he manipulates the truth using evidence that he planted while the couple were still dating. And just when Dawn thinks things can’t get any worse, she is faced with an impossible choice: rekindle the relationship or lose her mother forever.Readers also enjoyed Liz's other books with these themes:Free of Malice (self-protection, racial tension)Plea for Justice (self/body-image, literacy)Shades of Silence (grief, sex trafficking)Complimentary excerpts at: www.lizlazarus.com