Detective Murry thinks he's seen it all, until he investigates the murder of a judge's wife, her headless corpse dragging him into the murky world of a secret voodoo society where potions, powders and black magic make him question his own sanity.

"...You won't be able to stop until you finish... In fact, I had to cheat about 2/3 of the way thru and read the last two pages to see if the good guy lived! ...get this book. You'll love it!" Linda anderson, DorothyL


Order this suspense novel at: www.hardshell.com


"Highly entertaining. The characters are real people, with real emotions and real problems. The bad guy is wickedly scary, his method of dispatch wickedly gruesome. A nerve-jangling thrill ride down to the very last scene." Jay MacLarty, author of Bagman


Excerpt from book:

"He felt a moment of panic, then smiled to himself. He knew exactly where she'd go. Then he saw that one of his picks was missing. Naughty girl. He drew his stun gun and turned the power up a notch, then inched toward her bedroom.

Nine-millimeter in hand, she turned on him and after only the briefest hesitation, pulled the trigger.

Click. Click. Click. Sheer terror showed in her eyes.

"It's empty," he said. "I've taken care of everything just for you. Just for our time together. Relax. I'll set you free." He liked the way she measured the distance to the hall. She'd run, but she wouldn't make it.

She hurled the gun at him. He ducked. She had nearly made it to the doorway when he caught her. She jabbed the back of his hand with the pick and he jumped back. She stabbed at him again, missed, and he zapped her.

She crumpled to the floor.

Blood dripped between his fingers as his hand began to throb. "Bitch." This time he dragged her into position less gently. No more delays.

Once he had the hammer, picks, and brush back in order, he slapped the duct tape over her mouth, then rolled the black stocking over her face. Ready bitch?"

Review by Harriet Klausner, The Readers Guild, rated 10/10

Fortune Cookie Karma-L.F. Crawford (July 19, 2005, 09:17:03 PM)
Fortune Cookie Karma
L.F. Crawford
Five Star, Sep 2005, $25.95, 260 pp.
ISBN: 1594143110

Beverly Hills detectives forty-two years old Art Murry and twenty-three years old Billy Kidman are working the crime scene of the fifth murder by the Ice Pick killer when they learn they have been added to the regional task force to apprehend this serial killer. The victim is a college professor of parapsychology who called the police to offer her help on the case and seemed to know she was in danger.

Meanwhile Conrad the Ice Pick Killer is stunned that the King of Thieves broke into his home and stole his ice picks. He expects to hear from the thief who he plans to kill when the extortion attempt occurs. He is also making plans for his next victim, medical examiner Mary Eclair, Art's girlfriend. As Art works the clues and trains a somewhat frustrated Billy, the brass with media and elected officials pushes for quick solutions not necessarily correct ones.

This is one of the best police procedurals of the mid point of the year in spite of the over-used serial killer angle. Art is terrific as he provides on the job training to his junior partner and to readers. Fans of solid investigative tales that also showcases the thoughts of the killer in a Hitchcock manner will want to read FORTUNE COOKIE KARMA and want more works starring these two fine detectives from award winning L.F. Crawford; she is an author worth searching for her backlist.

Order this book at: www.amazon.com from 5 Star Mysteries.

FORTUNE COOKIE KARMA will soon be in paperback from www.hardshell.com. To pre-order, please check the hardshell website and use "contact us."

Don't miss BAD MOON RISING, coming in Feb. 2010 from Five Star Mysteries.
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