Blog Archives
Unanswered Questions
CONVOLUTED: The 1972 Durham Family Triple Homicide takes readers through the fifty-year-long investigation of the murders of Bryce, Virginia, and Bobby, exploring the multiple leads, theories, motives, and suspects that have been put forth in the case. What inspired you to write this book and tell their story?
These murders took place in my hometown when I was not quite seven years old and only two miles from my family’s home, so I grew up with knowledge about the case. It held my attention throughout the decades because of how heinous it was and because it continued to be unsolved. I had periodically considered writing about the case, and I ultimately decided to do so when, fifty years after the murders, authorities announced that the killers had been identified. This surprising development and the questions it generated were the catalysts for me finally deciding to move ahead with a book about the murders.
One thing that stands out in your book is the depth of your research. What was the process like to collect all of this information, and how long did it take to put it together?
I worked on the book for a solid two years. Initally, I was not convinced I had enough material to warrant a book, but after I delved into a plethora of news articles, ordered court documents, gained access to investigative files and audio recordings, and conducted my own interviews, I ended up with more than enough. In fact, it was so much material that I had to decide what to leave out without compromising the story as well as take the remainder and figure out how to present it in such a way that would both engage and make sense to the reader. Some of the materials – particularly the taped interviews with one of the alleged perpetrators and the son of another – were especially difficult to acquire, and it took many months of begging for them before I was ultimately granted access.
Did you find anything in your research of this book that surprised you?
Throughout the history of this case, most people have agreed in their suspicion of the son-in-law’s involvement, but there was never enough concrete evidence to link him to the murders. When it was announced that four members of Georgia’s Dixie Mafia had killed the Durhams, the remaining and unanswered questions were who instigated the murders, and if these four Georgia men really were the killers, who arranged to bring them to North Carolina? With suspicion of the son-in-law in mind, I hoped to find links between him and the Dixie Mafia. I did find it curious that he eventually moved to Georgia and became an attorney, establishing his law practice only about thirty minutes from the alleged killers’ home base. It was also very odd that his second wife was the step-daughter of an attorney, who not only defended one of the alleged killers in another murder case that would eventually be compared to the Durham case but also married into a family that this same alleged killer’s wife was also connected to. While these things may have been purely coincidental, I find them odd and was quite surprised by them.
What is the next book that you are writing, and when will it be published?
Prior to this book, I was already working on another book detailing the history of crime in my home county in North Carolina, in which the Durham case was going to be discussed among many others. When the 2022 developments occurred in the Durham Case, I decided to put that book on hold and write a stand alone book on this case. Although I am not sure when it will be ready for publication, my plan is to return to working on the original book as well as write some short stories or something along the line of blog posts on my author’s website. I also have other book ideas in mind, mostly dealing with local history and family stories, and hopefully those will be realized in the years ahead.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
CONVOLUTED: The 1972 Durham Family Triple Homicide
Terry L. Harmon’s Convoluted takes a deep dive into one of North Carolina’s most baffling cold cases the 1972 triple homicide of Bryce, Virginia, and Bobby Durham in Boone, NC. The book is as much an investigative journey as it is a historical recounting, spanning fifty years of theories, suspects, and tangled clues. It follows the twists and turns of the case, the relentless pursuit of justice, and the frustrating dead ends that kept this brutal crime unsolved for decades. Harmon’s meticulous research shines through, presenting a labyrinth of evidence, speculation, and personal stories, all leading to the ultimate closure of the case in 2022.
Harmon’s writing is incredibly detailed, bringing the case to life with a level of depth that true crime enthusiasts will appreciate. His thorough research ensures that no stone is left unturned, immersing the reader in the investigation’s many layers. While the book covers an extensive historical backdrop and a wide cast of characters, each element adds richness to the story, making it a truly comprehensive account. The opening chapters are particularly gripping, vividly setting the scene of the crime without resorting to sensationalism. The image of the Durham family in their final moments is haunting yet powerfully written, immediately drawing the reader into the gravity of the case. Harmon’s ability to balance stark reality with respectful storytelling is one of the book’s greatest strengths.
One of the book’s strongest elements is its exploration of the investigation itself the sheer frustration of law enforcement, the wild theories (some credible, some downright absurd), and the eerie involvement of psychics, informants, and supposed hitmen. Chapter 9, Every Theory Known to Mankind, is particularly fascinating. It lays out the many possible explanations, from organized crime connections to local disputes that have gone terribly wrong. Harmon doesn’t just present these theories; he dismantles them piece by piece, showing which hold weight and which are nothing more than desperate grasps at the truth.
Harmon personalizes the victims, especially Bobby Durham. The book’s preface describes how Harmon, after looking at post-mortem photos of Bobby, felt a deep connection to the young man who seemed to have been caught in a nightmare he never saw coming. This personal touch makes the book more than just a recounting of a crime, it becomes a plea for justice, a tribute to lives lost, and a reflection on the chilling reality that some crimes take lifetimes to solve.
Convoluted is the perfect read for true crime lovers who appreciate meticulous research and aren’t afraid to get deep into the weeds of an investigation. It’s a rich and immersive read, filled with valuable information that brings the case to life. For those who enjoy diving deep into the details, it offers a fascinating and rewarding exploration of a crime that profoundly impacted a community. If you enjoy books that challenge you to think critically, question every lead, and wrestle with the frustration of an unsolved mystery, this one’s for you.
Pages: 1007 | ASIN : B0DLLK9RQY
Twists and Turns
A Change in Destiny: Dark Suspicions follows an FBI investigator who loses his prime suspect and a key witness, causing him to turn his attention to the suspect’s wife, only she has an identical twin sister complicating matters. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration for this setup on Book II is questions have been left unanswered from Book I.
What character did you enjoy writing for? Was there one that was more challenging to write for?
I loved writing the Boots brother characters. They are complicated as you discover at the end of the book. If any were more difficult it was Brian. His story became more involved as the story progressed.
I felt that there were a lot of great twists and turns throughout the novel. Did you plan this before writing the novel, or did the twists develop organically writing?
The twists and turns…some were planned others developed. As an author, you may be heading down one road with your thoughts and plans, and then a left turn comes up fast and takes you in another direction.
What will the next book in that series be about, and when will it be published?
I do not plan to write another book for this series, however; I did leave it open to a possible one. I will need to sleep on it.
I am working on a book of short stories, and a new paranormal comedy/cozy mystery series, and have plans for a thriller/horror novella.
There will be two audiobooks released sometime this year, Dark Suspicions and my novella It’s for the Best.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Instagram | Website | Amazon
Charlie is not alone in the spotlight—her mirror-image twin, Dani, adds complexity to the case as a potential accomplice. Brian suspects the twins are concealing crucial evidence. However, their formidable legal defense team hinders any progress. Brian is forced to conceive a risky strategy to uncover a more profound layer of criminal activity. He will deceive those closest to him to discover the truth.
Meanwhile, Charlie and Dani plan to protect their secrets, forging ahead despite Brian’s probing. His relentless pursuit of justice teeters on the brink of an all-consuming obsession. Will his dark suspicions lead to dark consequences?
Trauma Shapes Us
TYE follows two brothers who were failed by a system meant to protect them from abuse and neglect and turn to a life of crime and working for a mafia family. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
TYE is a prequel to Clifford’s War: The Bluegrass Battleground. After I wrote that book, I was focused on a sequel but felt like I left a lot of unanswered questions about the TYE brothers and how they became who they were. There was so much more story left untold.
I needed to go back and tell their story so that the fans of the first book could better understand the brothers and their story.
-JDR
The first book in the series, Clifford’s War: The Bluegrass Battleground, started with the main character, Clifford Dee, in the middle of a situation that changes the trajectory of his life. The Tye Brothers were pivotal but treated as throw-away characters, initially. J. Denison Reed started to wonder out loud what made these men who they were? Why were brothers committing these atrocities? The conversation got our imagination going and we knew it had to be childhood trauma.
-EJE
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
I believe everything that happens to you, shapes you. Good or bad. We are faced with decisions every day, and there were options for the Tye brothers. This story is about compounding events, mistakes, and bad decisions that let the Tye brothers down their destructive path. It could happen to anyone if they let it. We are all impressionable based on our experiences and how we process them. That’s what makes it so tragic.
-JDR
I find that sometimes, it doesn’t matter if someone has a good heart, is intelligent, and/or simply knows right from wrong. If they aren’t loved or have a solid support system, they will do what they have to do to survive. Survival mode looks different for everyone.
-EJE
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
We needed to show how destructive the Tye brothers were, and could be. We also wanted to show that they were human, they could love, they could care, but also, they could hate and destroy without one. This is why their brotherly relationship was important. It’s all they had that was solid. Everything else around them crumbled.
-JDR
Trauma shapes us and when it happens in childhood without a healthy resolution, bad things happen and it will have a domino effect.
-EJE
What is the next book that you are working on and when can your fans expect it to be out?
I am working on the Third Sequel of Clifford’s War. If you are familiar with the last book, the protagonist, Clifford Dee, heads out of state on a solo mission. This one will be a doozy! I also have other stories outside the Clifford’s War universe planned, but for a later date. EJ is working on some side stories that are still inside the universe but will be their own stand-alone books.
-JDR
There are two books in the works, currently. One follows Sara and a case she encounters while visiting family and friends in Kentucky.
The other book has Clifford Dee leaving his team behind to help an old acquaintance in Colorado. They happen simultaneously and one feeds into the other.
-EJE
Author Links: GoodReads | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | Website | Waxpool Publishing House | Amazon
Darius and Marcus Tye, traumatized by their father, found it difficult to cope with the tragic loss of their mother at his hands Despite efforts to find solace in group homes and foster care, the brothers could not escape the shadows of their troubled past, which led them to a life of crime, employment from a sinister mafia family, and hunted by the authorities for the nefarious bloodshed they left in their wake.
** Advisory: Contains scenes of domestic violence, sexual assault, and extreme violence. **
A Global Problem Ignored
Love in the Shadows follows a woman determined to escape the cycle of abuse who sets out to exact justice on the men who perpetrate it. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
During research for my Emmy-winning CBS documentary, The Abused Woman, it became apparent that marital, physical, verbal and psychological abuse had no class, race, religion or age boundaries. The powerful have preyed on the weak and helpless throughout history. This global problem was either ignored or dismissed just so long as you’re not among those being brutalized. My research for the documentary revealed a world of hidden habitats in which mostly unpaid volunteer women and men provided safe havens for victims on the run from their abusers.
It seemed like you took your time in building the characters and the story to great emotional effect. How did you manage the pacing of the story while keeping readers engaged?
The pacing was provided by the characters, all of whom were fictional representations of those I had interviewed for my book, “The Battered Rich,” published by Ashley Books and unfortunately out of print. If I couldn’t hold the interest of my readers by telling the victims’ stories truthfully along with the incisive comments from psychiatrists, therapists and police, I was the wrong author for this book.
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
I learned there was a cottage industry of cosmetologists who padded their income by teaching rich abused women how to disguise their bruises from friends and the public. A bigger surprise was to hear for the first time from a psychiatrist the term, “messiah complex,” which applied to surgeons who were non-verbal, god-like figures in the operating room but couldn’t handle highly educated wives who were socially and verbally their superiors. Physical violence often became their only recourse.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
It is another noir, historically based crime thriller. Although Newark remains the launching pad for the novel, I am creating a fictional city in the upper Midwest that like Newark, profited greatly during WW2 but in the late-1940s was socially and economically adrift with the closure of the massive war-time industries, and as a result became easy prey for the mob-controlled labor unions whose original instructions were provided by the legendary Jimmy Hoffa. With any luck and remaining in good health, I hope to have the final completed in 2026.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website 1 | Website 2
One woman used her fists to fight back, driving her abusive husband from their home. Four physically abused women enlist a mafia gangster in a crazy scheme to payback powerful men who escaped punishment despite years of brutal behavior. Newark’s Police Homicide Chief is astonished to discover there is no difference in the battery and mayhem affecting the rich and poor.
A rich and beautiful woman, physically and mentally abused, goes on a three-continent search after her wealthy German aristocrat husband fatally beat a household member she had loved since childhood. Also tracking the husband are two anonymous international killers hired by the mafia because for years he had been embezzling millions of gangster money earned by investing in Nazi companies. Throughout the book it becomes obvious that evil works in the shadows.
The Real King of Miami
Eric Sande’s The Real King of Miami offers a gripping dive into the world of crime through the eyes of Ray “Li’l Ray” Thompson, who recounts his story from Death Row at Zephyrhills Correctional Institution in Pasco County, Florida. This true crime novel stands out for its unique perspective, as it is largely based on interviews between the author and Thompson. Instead of an analytical recounting of facts, Sande delivers a narrative that reads like an intense thriller akin to Scarface or Narcos.
The prologue hooks readers immediately with the climactic murder of Jimmy Savoy, one of Ray’s employees who had betrayed him by stealing a substantial amount of money. From there, the narrative rewinds to delve into the author’s fascination with Li’l Ray, setting the stage for an in-depth exploration of Ray’s operations in the marijuana smuggling world. The story, though dense with characters, ultimately centers on the critical event aboard the boat where Jimmy was killed. This book is not for the faint of heart. Its pages are laden with expletives, adding a raw and authentic feel to the storytelling. For readers who can overlook the language, these elements contribute significantly to the book’s realism and immersive quality. The narrative is so compelling that many readers might find themselves finishing the book in one sitting.
The Real King of Miami is a must-read for true crime enthusiasts looking to break away from dry, report-like accounts. Sande’s book offers a shorter yet equally hard-hitting experience, making it a standout addition to any true crime fan’s reading list.
Pages: 164 | ASIN : B0BMPDC4DH
Ambitions, Emotions, and Flaws
Survive the Day follows a top-secret FBI task force who are on the trail of an international criminal organization that they suspect is dealing in human trafficking. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
As I began my first “Crime Thriller,” The Other Side of Good, a friend suggested I read the book Filthy Rich, co-written by James Patterson. This non-fictional novel about the American pedophile and sex trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein opened my eyes to the existence of human trafficking in our country and provided me the lowest of all levels for vile criminals. Research indicated traffickers targeted asylum-seeking immigrants at the United States’ southern border, making the first chapters of Survive the Day credible.
I felt that the action scenes were expertly crafted. I find that this is an area that can be overdone in novels. How did you approach this subject to make sure it flowed evenly?
Lots of research. My action-oriented experience in life comes from the military, not enforcement, so I have to source the expertise of friends with police backgrounds for the crime thriller novels I write. Too often contemporary literature and popular movies present enforcement officials who combat crime as comic-book-style “action heroes” who possess superhuman capabilities. I prefer to create more realistic characters with whom normal people can relate. Our heroes in life might be equipped with specialized training to perform unique skills, but they usually share the same ambitions, emotions, and flaws as the rest of us.
What experience in your life has had the biggest impact on your writing?
Quite honestly, retirement from full-time employment. While I’ve enjoyed writing since the fifth grade, the relentless demands of family and career consumed most of my available time before retirement. Anybody can put words on paper, but to write well takes time and effort.
What do you have in store for Special Agents Butnari and Hill in the future?
The two agents make good partners, and their next unusual assignment takes them to the Bahamas to assist a mysterious undercover enforcement resource in a case involving high-level corporate espionage. Readers of past E. A. Coe novels will enjoy the return of one of the most popular characters from The Other Side of Good, and Pastor Tom Burns makes a cameo appearance to continue his streak as the only common character in all six of my novels.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Amazon
WINNER: Firebird Book Awards – 1st Place (x2) – Crime Fiction + Thriller
WINNER: Literary Titan Book Awards – Gold Medal
FBI Special Agents Butnari and Hill join a task force charged with stemming human trafficking. They engage in a desperate battle with the criminals dominating the illegal trade, stalled by deceptions created by the mysterious genius who directs the well-organized syndicate, and hampered by compartmentalized intelligence within their enforcement group.
Not all is as it seems—on their side of the law… or the other. Random events and unrelated clues connect, leading to an inevitable showdown.
EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTS a crime fiction adventure that features characters introduced in the multiple award-winning “Pedaling West” by E. A. Coe.
A Lost Love Story
The Fires of Rubicon follows a Police Lieutenant and his team who take on a complex case involving the disappearance of an employee at the Rubicon Steel Corporation. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Interestingly, I imagined this as a love story, or more aptly, a lost love story. I saw Anton, the missing worker, as the central figure. But during the first few days of writing, I realized that Seazy, Anton’s friend, was far more interesting because he, too, had lost the woman he desired and he had far more issues in his life than any other character I could have imagined. Then, although perhaps I’m the only one who sees the connection, Lt. Wesner, the police investigator, is almost an older image of Seazy with many of the same issues — lost family when young, lost love, sensitive soul. Since I spent a few summers during college working in the steel mills of Cleveland, the setting was a foregone conclusion.
What were some of the emotional and moral guidelines you followed when developing your characters?
Each of the characters has significant personality flaws. All of the major characters have lost the love of their life or their family, or they soon will. Each struggles with how to resolve their conflicted feelings. Rowden lashes out murderously. Benny tries to ensure his wife’s love with expensive gifts. Lt. Wesner hides his pain deep inside, masquerading as a church pastor, until it is revealed he is weighed down with a dark aura. Georgie wears a mask which she momentarily drops for Wesner causing her to flee what might come next.
How do you balance story development with shocking plot twists? Or can they be the same thing?
This story is broken down into a day-by-day view of the investigation and the antagonist’s reactions, almost like reading a diary. As such, we should expect a new revelation each day, and therefore an accompanying plot twist.
Do you have more mysteries planned for Police Lieutenant Alex Wesner, if so when can your fans expect the next story?
Originally, I saw this as a stand-alone story, with characters who lived only during the telling of the story. But there have been questions from readers which may require a response. Will Wesner and Georgie ever meet again? Can she help him in future Private Eye cases? Did Seazy really end his life? Did Anton and Jessica ever patch things up? Perhaps a few of those questions should be explored further.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Keep your eyes wide open as you take a frightful ride through the polluted river valley created by Rubicon Steel and other rusting and rotting industries, the belly of an old rust-belt city. The corrosive atmosphere spawns many shady, treacherous characters. Can Lieutenant Wesner cleanse his own soul and save himself from the fires that threaten to consume those around him.
LITERARY TITAN 