Monsoon season…

The desert thunderstorms rumbling through Southern Nevada these past few days remind me of the first paragraph in the chapter where we meet Det. Heber Parkins in Joey’s Place…

imageFanning 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. 

“Reader’s draft” of prequel completed…

JFK-motorcade-view-of-Landmark-coverI 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…

Set in September 1963, LANDMARK KILL is as much a thriller as it is a crime story. Like JOEY’S PLACE, it drills deep into the blood and bones of a lost Las Vegas, America’s famously infamous playground, and its ties to national politics. Det. Heber Parkins plays a major role in the story as the rough-edged, rookie partner of “cagey old Dave Fortuna,” but the main character is a jaded young gambler who’s drawn by chance into a many-layered murder mystery that traps him between the law and the Mob.

On the left is the “concept” cover for the book. Check back here or join my mailing list to be the first … (more)

An enjoyable afternoon at a book club…

bookmatesphoto1969-Strip-Frontier-DesertInn-looking-southI 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.

But my biggest thrill was when an elderly man wearing a USAF cap approached me following the event and said that he’d been stationed at Nellis from 1955 to 1959 and my slideshow and remarks brought back many good memories of events and locales that he’d forgotten.

“Joey’s Place” three day sale on Amazon.com, June 4-6…

JOEY'S PLACEDesert Inn 1970_480x289

I am pleased to announce that Joey’s Place can be purchased on Amazon.com for the special ebook price of $1.99 on June 4, 5, and 6. I hope that those of you who read and enjoyed the book will recommend this special offer to your friends. If you have not read it, June 4-6 is your opportunity to buy this crime novel set in old Las Vegas at a discount. You can find it at this link.
I would also like to thank the many readers who have contacted me. I appreciate your kind words.

“… 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 … (more)

A review that surprised me…

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!