Fanning himself with his straw Stetson Panama, he looked down at the body in the shallow flood ravine. The summer monsoons were late or it would have been in Lake Mead by now. At least this time it wasn’t a woman.
I just transferred the first “reader’s draft” of LANDMARK KILL to my wife’s Kindle. She’s an avid reader of all genres and probably the best editor imaginable for a first draft. Her contributions to JOEY’S PLACE are incalculable. If any of it works for her then I know I have something good started. After several months working on the story, letting it go is a bit unsettling. Still, every chick must leave the nest…
I had a terrific time on July 2 discussing “Joey’s Place” and a Las Vegas that no longer exists with a local book club. One highlight was an amazing casino chip and matchbook collection brought to the meeting by one attendee.
“… Joey’s Place reads like a labor of love – Vegas style – with the weight of the world spinning round and round on a roulette wheel stacked with bullets. I couldn’t put it down.” – Robert Ellis, L.A. Times best-selling author of City of Fire, The Lost Witness, The Dead Room, Murder Season, and Access to Power. [Don’t miss Robert’s upcoming novel, City of Echoes, available for pre-orders now.]
From its reviews: “Nelson has created a tightly documented yarn which, through the eyes of a broke down cop, wends the reader through a melancholy, dark noir atmosphere depicting crime, corruption and the unexpected at every turn.” … “Having lived in Las Vegas during the 70s, the author took me right back there by painting a picture with words. I felt like I was witness to the corrupt cops and crooked casino bosses.” … “Thoroughly researched, tautly constructed and well plotted.”
Marja McGraw is a respected mystery writer, blogger, and reviewer who I contacted several months ago about reading and commenting on JOEY’S PLACE. Her charming website‘s front page says, “A little humor, a little romance, A Little Murder,” so our styles and subject matter are quite dissimilar. I enjoyed our exchange of brief emails, but I didn’t expect to hear back from her. Then Marja unexpectedly contacted me last week to say that she’d read JOEY’S PLACE and…
“While this isn’t the type of book I’d normally choose (I enjoy lighter stories), it was very well-written and kept me reading. Great job, and I hope it does well! I can picture this on a movie screen.”
She was even kind enough to post a glowing review on Amazon. Thank you, Marja!
