What am I up to now??

I'm writing a British detective mystery series.

Here's the prologue.

RAW AND UNEDITED. 

SOFTLY, HE DIES.

PROLOGUE

Dicky Braithwaite jacked up his Buick and fetched the bowl to catch the old engine oil. He pushed with his legs, the creeper bed and slid under the motor. He started to undo the bolt to drain the oil when he heard a noise. He looked over to the side door, his line of sight hampered by the classic MG with running boards beside him, and found the door still closed. "Who's there?"

            It was probably the wind. He got out from under and started the motor so the oil could drip out quickly, wiped off his hands on a rag. Went over to the far end of the eight car garage and opened the side door so he didn't die of the exhaust fumes. The wind drove the fine rain just inside. A bit of water didn't matter on the concrete floor. He swept the floor often and he even Hoovered it sometimes too. Some of his Vintage Automobile Club friends confessed they did this as well.

            He stood at the work bench and smiled as he stared all the tools he neatly had hung up on the wall. He remembered where and when he'd bought or been given each one.  

            After washing his hands in the little basin set at the end of the bench, he ate his breakfast bacon butty he'd prepared earlier and washed it all down with a cup of lukewarm tea.

            He'd turn off the engine in a minute but first he'd check to see if the oil had entirely drained out. He lay on a creeper bed and slid under the motor.    

            The side door slammed shut.

            "What the blazes? Is someone there?" He looked over to the door.           

            A scraping sound this time.  Rats?

            Shit, they were probably making nests in the walls. He'd told the gardener to set more traps.

            But, a gust of wind or something made him glance at the door again. It was now ajar. "Is someone there?"

            No answer.

            Just maybe, the door blew open. But, no, he heard, no he sensed someone was in the garage with him. "Stop playing games. Is that you, Smelly?"

            Smelly was supposed to visit later that day not this morning. "Come on, Smelly. I know it's you. Stop it."

            He lifted his head from under to see who it was, when the vehicle hoist crashed down.

            He was pinned by eight hundred pounds of engine and in pain. He screamed. "Help me!"

            Struggling was no use. It only amplified the pain in his chest. Some of his ribs must be broken and he was struggling to breath. "What have you done? Help!"

            As the door opened wider, he saw the back of a person wearing a mackintosh, wet with rain, exit. "Help me!"

            The door slammed and the running motor filled the silence.          

            "You…." Each gasp for air sent knives into his chest. "Fucken… bastard!" May God forgive you.

New detective mystery -

 Hi 

I'm busy writing a new nine book detective series. It's set in the UK. Let me introduce Kat Snowden to you. She's feisty and hard working. She loves a challenge, is divorced and has a teenage daughter. She's not much of a cook and finds it hard to throw things away. She moves to Casterton-on-Sea after a losing her partner in a terrible fire while on the job. 

Kat Snowden, the woman who refuses to back down. She'll do anything to find the killer even if it puts her life in danger. 

HIDDEN

Hi

I haven't posted for some time. I've been busy writing and editing my latest thriller HIDDEN.

I had hoped to finish it months ago but COVID 19 came along and everything rapidly changed. We are all dealing with unexpected events, and writers are no different. I sit at my laptop writing or thinking about my latest scene but when these world wide events happen it's harder to focus. 

HIDDEN is an Amanda Blake thriller and the third book in the series.

Amanda has grown and become stronger with each book in the series. She will never forget Scott but she knows she has to move on, though it's hard. Will Nat. help her forget her past love? You will need to read the book to find out.

Will Amanda survive these latest challenges? She's been through a lot and I get upset when she is involved in some dangerous situations. But Amanda dictates what she wants to do and I can only tell her story. 
Sometimes, Amanda thinks she will never be whole again after being a victim at the hands of a predator who had her naked and lying tied up on a table. Will she get her hands on the video from this event and destroy it?

What's Hidden about? 

Amanda’s uncle believes the voice of God speaks through him. 

He is one of the Chosen as are his devotees who live on a compound in the wilds of Montana.

When a child of the Holy Tribe of God goes missing, Amanda’s desperate to search for the boy, but her uncle isn’t concerned and refuses. Soon the child’s mother goes missing too. Amanda must use all her resources to find and rescue the boy and his mother from sinister forces while putting her own life in mortal danger.

This is just the tip of the iceberg and there is so much more to this story.

Look out for HIDDEN in August at your favorite retailer.

AN AMANDA BLAKE THRILLER BOOK 3

Hidden

An Amanda Blake Thriller 

Book 3

I'm nearing the end of my journey writing this thriller. I had hoped to have it finished by now but I went overseas for 6 weeks to Europe earlier this year, and it took longer than I planned to get back into the story. 

I have a soft spot for Amanda. I've been inside her head for three books now and she's a little impulsive, strong-willed and easily taken in by a kind word as she grew up with parents that were cold and unfeeling.

I read a lot and some of it sticks. I'd been reading an article in a newspaper about a cult and what awful things were done to the members. I've incorporated this in the story.

Hidden is going to launch early next year if all goes to plan.

Deeds of Darkness and other writing

Hi

I've been slack in blogging for a while now.  I'm going to try to correct that. I've also been busy with planning out my next thriller which I hope to release later this year.

Since I last posted, I've published Deeds of Darkness late October 2018.

Here's a chapter from this story.

DEEDS OF DARKNESS

AN AMANDA BLAKE NOVEL

Book 2

O. N. Stefan

© 2018

Published by: Payella Pty. Ltd.

1

Sydney, NSW, Australia 

He liked autumn because if winter was the death of the year, autumn was the dying. Watching the dying was his favorite pastime.

His burner cell phone rang. “What?” He sipped a glass of 1998 Penfolds Grange and enjoyed the Sydney skyline with its confusion of lights and shadows that hid many sins.

“Just the man and the girl?” the male voice said.

“All four must die. Don’t you listen? You stupid or something?

“My fee is double ‘cause I now count four hits not two, and the disrespect. It’s a difficult job.”

He slammed his glass on the coffee table and it shattered, spraying red wine over his chinos. It looked like he’d been stabbed. “What, you now have a maths degree! You knew about that from the start, so don’t give me any shit over charging more.”

“We agreed on my fee for each termination at the start.”

“Okay. You have the photos and the video link to the GPS tracker.” He pulled a shard of glass from his finger and sucked the bloom of blood. “Just make sure they’re not found.”

“Consider it done.”

“I want photos sent to the email address I gave you. Then erase all evidence.” He called off and pulled out the SIM card from the burner phone, crushed the card under his heel, went to the marble tiled bathroom and flushed it down the toilet. It never hurt to be too careful.

He dropped his stained clothes in the laundry basket, slipped on a pair of jeans, picked up his keys, and let himself out. He buzzed the elevator and waited for it to arrive. The adrenaline rush of talking about killing got him in the mood. This was a good night for a special sort of entertainment. He hummed a song that he had long forgotten the words to. A song about death and dying.

He rode the elevator down to the ground floor, left the apartment building and crossed Darlinghurst Road. Walking past the aromas of Chinese, Italian, and French foods, he continued towards a side street where some transvestites plied their trade. He lit a cigarette and ignored their lascivious stares. Two lady boys, more valuable cargo than the trannies guarded by their pimp, leaned against a wall.

A Thai boy stepped towards him. “You want lady?”

“Go fuck yourself, you disgusting piece of arse.”

The boy shrank back.

Then he saw the sort of woman he was looking for. Drugged, alone, with no scum to protect her, she was ideal.

He approached her. “Are you ready for a good time?”

“Sure, Mister. BJ will cost $50 and FL--”

“All night. Name your price.”

The blonde had a false and nervous laugh. “No funny stuff!”

“I just need to talk.”

“I’m serious. No funny stuff. I’m not into S & M.”

“I don’t do naughty. I just want to talk, and some straight sex.” He gave her his best innocent look.

“Okay, Mister. Just let me text my friend.”

“Sure. You should keep safe.” He led her to a vehicle he’d parked in a lane a couple of hours ago and opened the door for her.

He slipped inside the cabin and turned to her. “What’s your name?”

Just call me Melanie.” She did up her seat belt. “Where are we going?”

“Not far away.” He pulled away from the curb and the vehicle automatically locked the doors. She wouldn’t be able to escape even if she wanted to.

The devil was smiling on him tonight.

DEEDS OF DARKNESS

Hi

I'm involved with Instafreebie. We're having a giveaway for November. Join in the reading fun and grab yourself some great reads.

Free Thrillers

P.S. I'm finally getting closer to finishing Deeds of Darkness (sequel to The Deadly Caress).

Will Patching Remorseless

Hi

Yes, I'm guilty. I've been reading again. 

Remorseless

Here's my

review:

Warning: A gritty and violent thriller

You dare not read more yet, you can't look away in case you miss something. Forget the washing, cleaning, gardening, gym or work, you'll not be able to put this book down.

Will Patching draws his characters so well, you feel you are inside their heads, privy to all.

This story is plausible with the bad guy Peter Leech killing at will in prison and not getting caught.

When Leech is released because he manages to convince Judge Potter (the current Chairman of the Parole Board) he is rehabilitated, to the dismay of Doc (Doctor Colin Powers). The story races along and the bodies start piling up.

Doc is still grieving over losing a loved one and Judy Finch (who is with the Parole Board), is going through a nasty time with her ex-husband but somehow a romance blossoms under difficult circumstances. The two of them get caught up with trying to second guess what Leech will do next.

This story has plenty of twists and turns to keep you entertained to the very end.

Remorseless

The Girl Before

Hi
I've just finished reading The Girl Before.

It's an engrossing read. Here's my review.

If you had to choose one personal item to take with you and leave the rest behind, what would it be? This is the vein of this physiological thriller.

Jane, to secure One Folgate Street with an unbelievably low rental, has to agree to a long list of rules and complete a long questionnaire, which will be submitted to Edward Monkford for his decision. Then on a regular basis, there are more questions that must be completed before this ultra modern house will allow her to have a hot shower or cook.

A concrete staircase without a handrail is dangerous isn't it... but Monkford insists that a handrail would spoil perfection.

At first, she's happy to leave behind all the extraneous stuff of her life.

Jane does her utmost to keep Edward happy in their developing relationship that from the onset is unusual and controlling.

Who is Edward Monkford? Oh yes, we are told he's an eminent architect and a perfectionist, but what dark secrets does he hide? Does every woman who crosses his path want to bed him? Why did he pick Jane to be the one to move into One Folgate Street, the most austere house she'd ever seen. There's no where to hide clutter and dirty plates. She will have to change her ways.

When she discovers that her features are very similar to Edward's dead wife and his last girlfriend Emma, her curiosity is aroused and she sets out to find out more about Emma, and why his dead wife and son are buried at One Folgate Street. What other secrets does this house keep?

Who is leaving flowers on the front doorstep all the time?

This book echoes Daphne du Maurier's, Rebecca.

At each turn, Jane is confronted with more of Emma's secrets. 

This story is told by an unreliable narrator with an ending that is so unexpected that you'll be thinking about the story for days.

Be warned... graphic sex.

Once I started reading this story, I couldn't stop.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book for an honest review through NetGalley.

Featured Author

Hi

I'm excited. 

I've just been notified that Sleep then my Princess is a featured book on Book Hippo. Thanks Book Hippo for this. It's $0.99 for a short time only.

http://bookhippo.uk/?asin=B016G5T7AG

The Deadly Caress is free this month.

Hi

I've made the Deadly Caress free for this month as a thank you to all of my fans who have purchased Sleep then my Princess or want to have a taste of one of my thrillers before they purchase Sleep then.

Happy reading. Please let me know what you think?

I always take note of my readers comments.

https://www.instafreebie.com/free/SfOdw


O.

😀