When Anderson West takes on the pro-bono case of Jessica Smith, a twenty-something restaurant hostess being stalked, the last thing he expects is for his investigation to spiral into breaking and entering, assault, and legal threats from the suspects and the victim. But that’s what happens when you run a private investigation firm with your rule-breaking, loose-cannon sister at your side. While Anderson spends his time deducing and interviewing possible suspects, Carrie handles interrogations in her own unique—and personal—fashion. And it seems like everyone is a suspect. There are Jessica’s ex-boyfriend and current boyfriend, her incredibly creepy boss and the suspicious reverend at her church who definitely seems to be hiding something. Or someone. The closer Anderson and Carrie get to an answer, the more danger Jessica finds herself in. Her stalker’s notes become increasingly more threatening, trading the scary phone calls and text messages for terrifying photographs and notes at her gym, work, and home. To make things even more complicated, Jessica’s backstory begins to unravel, and the secrets of her past could potentially solve everything...if only she’d let Anderson and Carrie in. With time ticking down, will the brother-sister investigative team be able to solve Jessica’s case before she tries something foolhardy, like facing up to the tenacious bastard on her own, armed only with a handgun and a prayer?
Author
Before Alan stepped off the corporate merry-go-round, he had an eclectic (some might say disjointed) career. As an engineer, he worked on nuclear submarines, supervised assembly workers in factories, facilitated technology transfer from the Star Wars program, and learned to stack washing machines three high in a warehouse with a forklift. He even started his own recycling and waste reduction newsletter business. Now he writes fiction. His debut mystery, DIAMONDS FOR THE DEAD, was a finalist for the Best First Novel Agatha Award. He writes the Last Laff Mystery Series: KILLER ROUTINE (#1) and DEADLY CAMPAIGN (#2), and has three e-book originals, THE TASTE (horror/thriller), FIRST TIME KILLER (thriller), and RIDE-ALONG (suspense). He wrote the thrillers RUNNING FROM THE PAST and PRAY FOR THE INNOCENT (winner of the ITW Thriller Award for Best E-Book Original). His novel, I KNOW WHERE YOU SLEEP is a Shamus Award finalist for Best First P.I. Novel. His YA thriller, I PLAY ONE ON TV, comes out July 19, 2021 from Down & Out Books. His short fiction has appeared in numerous publications, including JEWISH NOIR, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, CHESAPEAKE CRIMES: STORM WARNING, Mystery Weekly, NOIR AT THE SALAD BAR, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, five consecutive issues of the BEST NEW ENGLAND CRIME STORIES, THE NIGHT OF THE FLOOD, MICKEY FINN, and MYSTERY MOST GEOGRAPHICAL. His story, “Rule Number One” (SNOWBOUND, Level Best Books), was selected for the 2018 edition of THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES anthology, edited by Louise Penny. His story, "Dying in Dokesville," won a Derringer Award, and his story "Rent Due," is an ITW Thriller Award finalist. Alan recently moved to South Florida. He loves cake and arugula, but not together. For more info, please visit his website: www.alanorloff.com Alan is sorry he wrote this bio in the third person.
