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Truth is Stranger Than Fiction
The Last Inning follows two private investigators looking into the cold case of two young women who went missing a year ago when they encountered an old adversary. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My inspiration for the premise came from watching several detective shows on television concerning cold cases. I have an investigative mind that is intrigued by true stories and how detectives solve the cases. They say that truth is stranger than fiction. I find that to be true many times. I wanted to write a new series to go along with my Mike Parsons Series. This story with characters Jack Hayes and Felicia Braxton made for a perfect second series for me. Coming from two different backgrounds and situations, they are working together as partners, attempting to solve the case and its specific mysteries, as well as the mysteries of their own private lives. In many ways Jack and Felicia are so different, yet the same. It makes them both very believable and relatable.
What was your favorite character to write for and why? Was there a scene you felt captured the character’s essence?
I would say Felicia Braxton. I wanted her to be vulnerable and challenged by her own emotions, yet become stronger as the book went on. I feel that women are undervalued, even in the 21st century. I felt she needed to shine in this book and become valued by Jack Hayes, her partner. I wanted the reader to root for her to wipe out some of her past and use it for her own motivation. I felt the scene of Jack’s assault when they were partners on the force drove her to always have his back in the future was significant. She blamed herself and needed to overcome that. She also feels an attraction for Jack, and the scene in the hotel where she goes to Jack’s room tells so much about her. She wants what she wants, but she has the character to realize that quashing her own needs at times was the best thing for the both of them. She has good, solid character.
Where do you see your characters of Jack and Felicia after the book ends?
I see them both as having gone through some rough times in the book, and they have gotten to a point of understanding what justice is for the work they do. The book reveals how it plays out for them as individuals, too. It is not an easy road for either character in the book. There is plenty of tragedy for each of them to overcome not only in this book, but in the next. They are actually made for each other and have strong feelings for one another. But being partners in the detective agency they started as partners, makes it difficult for them to have the relationship they both may want and quite possibly what the reader wants. We will see where that goes in the future of this series!
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
The next book is already out on Amazon. It is titled The Dark Journal. It is book 2 of the Hayes and Braxton Detective Series. I am very fond of the The Dark Journal, as it takes Jack and Felicia on another crazy ride. It was one of my favorites to write. Readers can find that book here. I am currently working on the fifth Mike Parsons novel. I have a temporary title but not sure yet that I will use it. I am hoping to have that one out by next fall.
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Their investigation of the missing girls thrusts them by chance into the seedy underbelly of professional baseball, drug dealing, and murder, as suspects include a young rookie star player and a devious veteran trying to keep the rookie from taking his job.
Time is running out for the detectives as unknown forces, including an old adversary, are at work to keep them from knowing the truth. Can they solve this case and bring home the missing girls?
Two troublesome missing women, a sleepwalking rookie baseball player, a devious veteran ballplayer, a drug cartel, and two flawed detectives all cross paths in thrilling fashion as the story twists and turns its way to the final conflict.
The Last Inning
In The Last Inning, private investigators Jack Hayes and Felicia Braxton find themselves enmeshed in peril as they delve into a chilling cold case involving two women who vanished from a nightclub. Their probe pits them against a formidable adversary, Marcus Tate, a man with a past marred by violence and crime, including a previous assault on Jack.
The plot thickens as Hayes and Braxton uncover a sinister nexus between the glamorous facade of professional baseball and the shadowy realms of drug trafficking and homicide. Their list of suspects spans from an up-and-coming baseball prodigy to a scheming game veteran whose corrupt practices and manipulative ways render him a substantial threat.
The Last Inning captivates with its relentless pace, delivering suspenseful narrative twists that keep the reader riveted. Each revelation is skillfully woven into the fabric of the story, culminating in a climax that’s as unexpected as it is satisfying.
The novel shines a spotlight on the intricacies of its characters, particularly through the resilient Felicia, whose complex background and unyielding spirit resonate deeply. Her character stands as a beacon of perseverance, adding a rich layer of human struggle to the narrative.
With its compelling blend of intrigue and character-driven storytelling, The Last Inning is an engrossing read that commands the reader’s attention from start to finish. It’s a compelling selection for fans of suspense and mystery who relish a narrative that’s as thrilling as it is emotionally engaging.
Pages: 269 | ASIN : B0CJT5JX24
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