Book Feature: Body of the Crime by Jennifer Chase @jchasenovelist

BODY OF THE CRIME by Jennifer Chase, 397 pp., Mystery Suspense, $.99 (Kindle edition)

Title: BODY OF THE CRIME
Author: Jennifer Chase
Publisher: JEC Press
Pages: 397
Genre: Mystery Suspense

Three grisly murders linked to five old cold cases, dubbed the Flower Girl Murders, pushes detectives to their limit to find a clever and extremely brutal serial killer, leaving a California town demanding justice. The District Attorney’s Serial Special Task Force retains the help of the reclusive Dr. Chip Palmer, a forensic expert and criminal profiler, to steer them in the right direction.

Palmer is known for his astute academic interpretations of serial and predatory crimes, along with his unconventional tactics that goes against general police procedures. He is partnered with the tough and beautiful D.A. Inspector Kate Rawlins, a homicide detective transplanted from Phoenix, and the chemistry ignites between the team—turbulent and deadly.

The Flower Girl Murders leaves three homicides, five cold cases, two seasoned detectives, three suspects, and one serial killer calling all the shots. The investigation must rely on one eccentric forensic scientist to unravel the clues to solve the case. But at what cost?

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I HATED THE CURIOUS AND often skeptical looks, which came from the audience in the gallery. I gently eased my body into the chair and faced them directly. It felt more like I was a participating target in a firing squad than a courtroom proceeding.

Shifting from side to side in the cushioned seat, I fidgeted with my tie. It was the only thing I could do under the circumstances.

I waited patiently trying not to nervously tap my fingers.

At least the chair was comfortable as I rested my forearms and hands on the armrest. It was not easy to avoid looking at the two burly sheriff deputy bailiffs stationed at the back corners of the room. They watched everyone with an extreme somber, statue-like presence. I was not even sure if they actually blinked or not. 

All eyes in the courtroom fixated on me.

The room fell into complete silence. The audience readied themselves waiting for the show to begin. At least that was what I had imagined in my own mind. 

I realized when the prosecutor had finally called my name to testify and the bailiff escorted me into the courtroom that I had forgotten to change my shoes. Dirt and mud had affixed deep into the crevices of the heavy-duty rubber soles, which donated little chunks of dried soil as I walked from the back of the courtroom to the witness area. There were little piles of mountain soil left behind with every stride. It looked like I had stolen shoes from a homeless person.

It was only yesterday that I had taken an extra-long walk down a wooded path that was barely passable even for the native wildlife, but I did not let the rugged terrain scare me out of adding another specimen to my collection of California sediment. In the process, my shoes sunk deep into the mud. At one point my foot had slipped from the left shoe and then plunged my sock-clad foot directly into the sticky muck.   

I was all too aware of how disheveled I looked only two months before my fortieth birthday. It was not appealing. My appearance did not give the impression that I was an expert at anything, but somehow I managed to muddle through with an air of authority.

Crime scenes never lied, and it was my job to explain the scientific facts to the non-scientific community; but in the end, it was up to the jury to make the right choice of guilt or innocence. Twelve good people ultimately shouldered the justice burden, and I was just the messenger of facts—good or bad.    

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning crime fiction author and consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent sociopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists.

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Q&A: Mike Martin, Author of A Tangled Web @mike54martin

Mike Martin was born in Newfoundland on the East Coast of Canada and now lives and works in Ottawa, Ontario. He is a longtime freelance writer and his articles and essays have appeared in newspapers, magazines and online across Canada as well as in the United States and New Zealand. He is the author of Change the Things You Can: Dealing with Difficult People and has written a number of short stories that have published in various publications including Canadian Stories and Downhome magazine.

The Walker on the Cape was his first full fiction book and the premiere of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series. Other books in the series include The Body on the T, Beneath the Surface, A Twist of Fortune and A Long Ways from Home.

A Long Ways from Home was shortlisted for the 2017 Bony Blithe Light Mystery Award as the best light mystery of the year. A Tangled Web is the newest book in the series.

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About the Book:

Title: A TANGLED WEB
Author: Mike Martin
Publisher: Booklocker
Pages: 338
Genre: Mystery

BOOK BLURB:

Life is good for Sgt. Wind­flower in Grand Bank, Newfoundland. But something’s missing from the Mountie’s life. Actually, a lot of things go missing, including a little girl and supplies from the new factory. It’s Windflower’s job to unravel the tangled web of murder, deceit and an accidental kidnapping that threatens to engulf this sleepy little town and destroy those closest to him. But there’s always good food, good friends and the love of a great woman to make everything better in the end.

A TANGLED WEB is available at Amazon.

As a book bloggin’ and book luvin’ Princess, I’m always curious to find out how authors got the ideas for their books.  Can you tell us what your book is about?

A Tangled Web is the latest book in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series which is set in Newfoundland, on the easternmost tip of Canada. It is the latest adventure for Sgt. Windflower and while there are crimes and even murders, there is also great friends, food and adventure. The series is short on police procedures and long on finding the joy in everyday life.

Can you tell us a little about the main characters of your book?

Sgt. Winston Windflower is a Cree RCMP officer from a remote community in Alberta who finds himself stationed in a small fishing community far from home and everything he knows. Windflower is kind but strong, and fiercely loyal to his friends and family. He tries to stay connected to his Indigenous spirituality and to be open to new ideas and new people who come into his life.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would that be?

Read more. Write more. Take more chances and put myself out there. It took me a long time to learn that lesson. That to be a better writer you have to be a better reader and to practice, practice, practice your craft.

What would you say is one of your interesting writing quirks?

I write fiction from my heart and non-fiction from my head. The Sgt. Windflower Mystery series started when the main character came out of the fog and began telling me the story. I just wrote it down,

Do you hear from your readers?  What do they say?

Readers are very kind. Fans of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series have taken ownership of the main characters and welcomed them into their lives. In fact, they make the story come alive. Many of them write or comment on Facebook about how much they enjoy the series. One of them just lost her husband and told me that reading A Tangled Web gave her some comfort in very difficult times. That’s why we write these stories.

What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?

I think at the beginning some people were tough on my writing because they felt it could be better. Better written, better edited, better proof read. At the time I felt hurt, but now I know that it helped me become a better writer. And to ensure that my products would be solid and professional in every regard.

What has been your best accomplishment?

I think that writing and publishing a book is a great accomplishment. I am reluctant to say that this is my best accomplishment because my goal is to create a better book every time. I’m not finished writing yet, so my best accomplishment lies ahead.

Do you Google yourself?

Not myself, but my latest book. I want to see if there are any new reviews or comments. I read all reviews and while I like the good ones, I use the others to improve. The only ones I truly ignore are one-star reviews. Those say more about the reviewer than the book.

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

I have a couple kicking around and ideas for another half dozen in outline or summary. There’s never a shortage of ideas. Only a scarcity of time.

Fun question – if you were princess or prince, what’s one thing you would do to make your kingdom a better place?

I would have a day when only the women and girls spoke and on the day after the males would have to tell them one important thing they heard. That might clear up a lot of confusion and open the door to another level of communication.

Do you have anything specific that you would like to say to your readers?

Thank you for being a reader. You make my fictitious world come alive. Without you, I would be yelling down into a canyon. You give my vice and my words echo. You are my partner in creation. Thank you. Without you, Sgt. Windflower would not exist.