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Cole Sage
Series · 10 books · 2013-2020

Books in series

Diamonds and Cole book cover
#1

Diamonds and Cole

2013

How Far Would You Go For The One That Got Away? Cole Sage was once a great investigative reporter who has since hit rock bottom. But when a note with one simple word, Ellie, arrives for him, he knows he simply can’t ignore this cry for help. Ellie, a romantic blast from the past, has been abandoned in a third rate nursing home by her husband, a dangerous man heavily involved in crime, bribery and shady diamond deals. Ellie begs Cole to find and protect her daughter before her husband does. But, the husband is not Cole’s only problem. Entering the dangerous underworld can have detrimental effects on your health, and the clock is ticking. Cole does not intend to break his promise to Ellie and must find all the strength he has if he wants to succeed. If you like LEE CHILD, DAVID BALDACCI, and JOHN SANDFORD, Micheal Maxwell could be your next favorite author. The Cole Sage series departs from the usual, heavily sexual, profanity-laced norm and gives readers character-driven stories, with twists, turns, page-turning plot lines, and a lot of heart. The series has captured the imagination of readers worldwide.
Cellar Full of Cole book cover
#2

Cellar Full of Cole

2013

How Far Would You Go To Save a Child? Read the heart pounding sequel to the International Best Seller Diamonds and Cole. Cole’s got a new job but fails to show up. Will a series of child murders in San Francisco, and a pedophile Chicago lead to Cole’s disappearance? A new job in a new city doesn’t do you much good if you’re dead. Follow Cole to the City by the Bay find out just how far he will go to save a child.
A Cult of Cole book cover
#3

A Cult of Cole

2013

A writer hopes their words will live forever but Cole Sage never dreamed a twenty-year-old article, on the radical leaders of the ant-war movement of the sixties, would ignite a string of terrorist bombings that threaten to destroy San Francisco. Born of the anti-establishment cult commune of Mel Lyman, Jason Reed has trained dozens of terror groups foreign and domestic and is now on a peyote fueled mission to show Cole Sage the sixties aren’t over. In a last revolutionary offensive Reed hopes to unite the world’s radicals to save Mother Earth. From Wrigley Field to Golden Gate Park, Reed lays waste to young and old in a series of devastating bombings. The search for Jason Reed takes Cole from Washington DC to San Quentin as he meets the President of the United States and gets a surprise phone call from Charles Manson. Cole finds what he thinks is a new chance at love when he’s thrown together with a beautiful Jewish FBI agent, Sarah Spiegelman. But can their love survive the threat of a dirty bomb and the manifesto of a madman? Jason Reed’s open challenge to Cole Sage brings the journalist and terrorist face to face in what could be the last interview for both.
Cole Dust book cover
#4

Cole Dust

2013

Every family has its secrets... In Cole Dust, Cole Sage inherits a house and small farm in Oklahoma. A dusty old trunk opens up the world of the grandfather Cole never knew. From pre-World War I America to the late fifties, Cole learns of a man tormented by alcohol, racism, the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression and an addiction to gambling. As he rebuilds the old farm, Cole reads of forty years of triumphs and disgrace and a family history he’s never known. Along the way, he discovers a love and pride in the man his parents tried to erase. The last volume of the George Sage’s journals unlocks a secret hidden away for fifty years that will change Cole Sage forever. Interview with the Author Q - So, tell us about Cole Sage. How did his story become a series? What makes it special? A – You know, when I wrote Diamonds and Cole I never dreamed it would still be going five books later. Part of the motivation to write more books was the response to Cole. He's guy with a lot of heart. Men and women both really respond to this guy. He's suffered loss and heartache and comeback stronger and wiser. In a lot of private detective novels, the character isn’t somebody you’d want to have over for dinner, at least not more than once. Because Cole is a newspaper man and journalist, he's an everyman. Not a typical hardboiled detective. In life there is crime and punishment and that's what motivates Cole to do what he does. He has a pretty strong moral compass. That’s not to say he won’t make a pretzel or two out of the rules though. The Cole Sage books draw from a lot of genres. At their heart is the mystery and thriller - private detective genre. But the stories could have been torn right off the front page of the paper. The political thriller aspect is true crime that happens every day, and the serial killers Cole deals with seem to have real faces. I want people to have a great read, with some unexpected twists and turns, and in the end become fans of a unique and exciting new kind of mystery book character. Q – Do our readers have to read the Cole Sage Series in order? A - I’ve written the series so you can read the books in any order. There is a back story that weaves through the books, but each book can and does stand alone. But this is probably the best order… - Diamonds and Cole - Cellar of Cole - Helix of Cole - Cole Dust - Cole Shoot (coming soon) Q - Why should our readers read The Cole Sage Series? A – I think mystery books for Kindle give people the freedom to try new authors like me. I believe the Cole Sage Series can hang right in there with the best of them. Being the new guy on the block I have to deliver the goods and The Cole Sage Series does just that. Diamonds and Cole got all the way to #2 on the Mystery > Private Investigators Amazon Rankings, that says a lot right there! I think once readers meet Cole Sage they'll keep coming back for more. Q – What is your favorite kind of Book? Would Cole Sage fit on the list? A – He sure does. I’m a sucker for mystery books in general, but a good crime of the heart always gets me flipping pages. I love political thrillers, good old fashioned hard-boiled detectives have always been my kind of guys. So when Cole gets involved with a missing daughter, domestic terrorists, con men, childmurders, street gangs, and true crime situations he pretty much ticks all of my reading boxes. So I guess a part of what I love I have put into the series.
Cole Shoot book cover
#5

Cole Shoot

2014

Where Does Justice End And Vengeance Begin? Cole and his girlfriend Kelly Mitchell go to the Chinese New Year’s Parade in San Francisco and find themselves in the middle of a shootout between two rival gangs. The violence hits close to home for Cole, as his friend Chris Ramos is killed in the gunfire. Cole sets upon the task of investigating the shootings for his newspaper, The Chronicle. ˃˃˃ The Stakes Go Way Up Cole is aided by Anthony Perez, a young man he saved from a Southern California gang life. Cole sends Anthony into Chinatown to gather background information for the article. While asking questions, Anthony is taken prisoner by one of the gangs, The Fire Cracker Boyz. ˃˃˃ A Moral Dilemma How far over the line is Cole willing to go to save his friend? Will he find that he has gone too far in trying to help? Once Cole opens a Pandora’s Box of violence, will he have a hard time living with the results? ˃˃˃ Cole Shoot Is A Stand Alone Novel - You Will Love The Other Books In This Series, But It Is Not Required To Read Them First To Enjoy Cole Shoot. Scroll up and grab a copy today.
Cole Fire book cover
#6

Cole Fire

2015

What Burns Hotter, Love or Hate? Jesse Monday, a New Age Messiah, is gunned down on the streets of San Francisco, but when Cole Sage is asked to write the obituary it becomes apparent something is horribly wrong… the body has disappeared. The faithful believe he will resurrect. Cynics think it’s a hoax. Can Cole get to The Truth? A series of arsonist attacks on Asian businesses sends Cole to the gates of a fiery hell as he falls prey to a troubled Vietnam Vet who can’t put the horrors of war to rest. Some people hold on to a rage that seethes just below the surface, others let their light shine. In the end which will burn hotter - love or hate? If you like LEE CHILD, DAVID BALDACCI, or JOHN SANDFORD, you’re going to love Micheal Maxwell. The Cole Sage series departs from the usual, heavily sexual, profanity-laced norm and gives readers character-driven stories, with twists, turns, page-turning plot lines, and a lot of heart. The series has captured the imagination of readers worldwide.
Heart of Cole book cover
#7

Heart of Cole

2016

> A murderer is loose on the streets of San Francisco. They’re leaving no trace, no clues, no DNA. Just a fatal puncture wound. The police are baffled. But Cole Sage has other things on his mind. There is a new Editor at the paper. He is arrogant, rude, and knows nothing about newspapers. He is a hatchet man sent from corporate to cut costs and staff. From the start he and Cole are like flint and steel. Who will blink first? When a teenage girl appears at the paper claiming to be Cole’s niece, his life and that of his sidekick and assistant, Hannah Day, are turned upside down. To make matters worse his daughter, Erin, receives shocking news! The times they are a changin’ and Cole Sage is caught in the middle. When the ice pick murders hit close to home, he has no choice but to get involved. But at what cost? This time it’s in the heart.
Cole Mine - The Return to Orvin book cover
#8

Cole Mine - The Return to Orvin

2018

If you dig too deep, you might find skeletons! Just when he thought life was going good, Cole’s world is turned upside down when his career as a newspaper man comes to an abrupt end. Unsure what to do, Cole temporarily takes on an academic role, but soon realizes it’s run by the same narrow-minded people as the newspaper industry? Once again Cole is called upon to stand on his principals and defend the rights of those being bullied. Retreating to Orvin, Oklahoma, he decides to write a novel about his grandfather’s life, but unearths more than he expected. Can DNA lie? New discoveries and a new limb on the family tree hold a very real and unpleasant threat. Join Cole Sage as he gets caught up in events that nearly swallow him, and results in the decision of a lifetime. The Cole Sage series departs from the usual heavily sexual, profanity-laced norm and gives readers character-driven stories, with twists, turns, page-turning plot lines, and a lot of heart. “The best thing about this book was beginning it, and the worst thing was reading the last page!” – KD “Micheal Maxwell hits a homerun again. When you start this book, be prepared to return home to visit with family. It is a great feeling, a great read. Micheal has become my favorite author, and he is a great guy as well. Buy it, read it, you will love it, I guarantee it” - Buddy Williams “Micheal Maxwell has done it again! He has taken his main character, Cole Sage, to a new level—now married; now challenging himself to fulfill his long-held desire to write a book; now accepting failure and moving on; again shining a light on t he social crisis, this time drug addiction; reconnecting with the past; looking forward to the future and so much more” - Pat Safreno “Each Cole Sage novel is a unique and profound look into the human heart. Each story builds a wider view of life challenges faced by the various characters leaving the reader with a deeper understanding of human nature” - Carol
The Soul of Cole book cover
#9

The Soul of Cole

2019

Would you kill someone to be with your family? When a local minister and his wife are found dead, it sets in motion a swirling chain of events that pulls Kelly Sage into the center of a family in turmoil, and Cole is left out of the loop. Regulations, prejudice, and apathy have left Native American Veteran, Michael Blackbear, alone and longing for his wife and child in Iraq. A chance meeting with Cole may get him the help he needs to cut through all the red tape and reunite his family. But, desperate people do foolish things and the wheels of bureaucracy turn slowly. A human trafficker has a plan, but at what price? It seems it may be the only option left. Will Blackbear’s desperation send him down a path the warrior is ill-equipped to return from? Murder, robbery, embezzlement, jealousy, resentment, Indian unrest, cast a long shadow over Orvin, Oklahoma, and the thin veneer covering centuries of hate begins to crack. If you like LEE CHILD, DAVID BALDACCI, and JOHN SANDFORD, Micheal Maxwell could be your next favorite author. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Soul of Cole is a murder mystery with more edges than a finely cut diamond .” – Ron Vincent ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I just loved this book, it is my favorite of the series, so far. I did not think I could enjoy Micheal's books any more than I already did and with this edition to the Cole Sage series, I do. Lots of twists and turns and the warm heart of Cole. I could not ask for more” - Ann Marie ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “As always a well written book by a great author . Poor Cole. A new life and a new place, so different from his past. How do you adjust to change? How do you set new goals? Are you sure this is where you belong? You will have to read it to see Cole’s answers. Believe me, you will keep reading and reading and turning pages to find out. I found myself reading ALL night to finish the book” - Donne Long ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Master storyteller Michael Maxwell has woven these scenarios with slow government processes, prejudices, family dynamics, and so much more, into another intriguing Cole Sage mystery!" - Jo Whitehurst
Cole Cuts book cover
#10

Cole Cuts

2020

Five Bodies, Five Suspects, One Chance to get it Right! When a crime torn straight from today’s headlines comes to Orvin, Cole Sage is asked one last time to write the story. As a series of hate crimes rock the small Oklahoma town, who could have imagined so many suspects? When Cole finds himself reunited with his old friend, FBI Agent Carter Washington, action is bound to follow. It’s High Noon for Cole and Washington when the whole town, including the local law enforcement, seems to be lining up against them. Join Cole, Kelly and a cast of friends, old and new, as the Cole Sage Mystery draws to an unforgettable conclusion. This is the one Cole Sage fans will be talking about for years to come! If you like LEE CHILD, DAVID BALDACCI, and JOHN SANDFORD, Micheal Maxwell could be your next favorite author.

Author

Michael Maxwell
Michael Maxwell
Author · 25 books

Micheal Maxwell has traveled the globe on the lookout for strange sights, sounds, and people. His adventures have taken him from the Jungles of Ecuador and the Philippines to the top of the Eiffel Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge, and from the cave dwellings of Native Americans to The Kehlsteinhaus, Hitler’s Eagles Nest! He’s always looking for a story to tell and interesting people to meet. Micheal Maxwell was taught the beauty and majesty of the English language by Bob Dylan, Robertson Davies, Charles Dickens, and Leonard Cohen. Mr. Maxwell has traveled the globe, dined with politicians, rock stars, and beggars. He has rubbed shoulders with priests and murderers, surgeons and drug dealers, each one giving him a part of themselves that will live again in the pages of his books. Micheal Maxwell has found a niche in the mystery, suspense, genre with The Cole Sage Series that gives readers an everyman hero, short on vices, long on compassion, and a sense of fair play, and the willingness to risk everything to right wrongs. The Cole Sage Series departs from the usual, heavily sexual, profanity-laced norm and gives readers character-driven stories, with twists, turns, and page-turning plot lines. Micheal Maxwell writes from a life of love, music, film, and literature. Along with his lovely wife and travel partner, Janet, he lives in a small town in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.

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