Burdened By Guilt

Detective Mike Anderson is forced to rely on the insight of an English professor, Suzanne Kelly, when notes from classic works of literature are left on the mutilated bodies of three men. But as the investigation goes deeper into the lives of the victims Mike questions her involvement when he realizes her observations are more than academic. Her resemblance to his murdered wife compromises his objectivity as he is pulled deeper into a world of violence, abuse and kidnapping. Unable to forgive himself for not saving his wife he is burdened by the guilt he feels over losing one woman and dogged by an unwillingness to lose another. Can he find absolution by saving a woman who may not need or deserve to be saved or will he forever be Burdened By Guilt?

Detective Mike Anderson must rely on the insights of sexy English Professor Suzanne Kelly to help him solve the mystery when the dismembered body of a murder victim is found with a note from a classic work of literature. Drained of blood and chopped into pieces the note is his only clue. He is desperate for her direction but she keeps him in suspense when she warns this may not be the last. Although impressed with her knowledge, her resemblance to his murdered wife unnerves him and he steels himself against the potential of an inappropriate and untimely romance. Confused by the clue’s relevance he struggles to find the killer while saddled with an overly enthusiastic rookie partner, Kevin McKay. Handpicked by the Lieutenant with whom he shares a mutual hatred, Mike wonders where Kevin’s loyalties lie. Add on an Internal Affairs investigation and he doesn't know who to trust. Compelled to see her again, a second body with a second note gives him the excuse he needs. But after his second visit, someone attacks Suzanne in her office resurrecting the guilt he feels over not saving his wife and the fear he may be responsible for endangering Suzanne. Unable to resist her vulnerabilities he spends a passionate night with her compromising himself and the investigation. Her attack uncovers a violent past and stolen identity linking her to the two murders. When children discover a third body and a witness places a woman fitting Suzanne’s description at the scene, Mike knows he’s been had. There are no coincidences in a murder investigation and his paranoia grows as Kevin was the one who recommended her. This close to finding his killer, I.A. stops Mike dead when the mystery of stolen evidence from his previous cases conveniently matches evidence in his triple homicide making him a suspect in his own investigation. Suspended and without support Mike must clear his name and find the person responsible. But when both Kevin and Suzanne mysteriously turn up missing he fears he may have let the two prime murder suspects go free.

I started writing stories as soon as I could hold a crayon and though I've matured in both style and content (I hope :-) ) I still love the simplicity of a good story. Life is complicated enough and there's nothing better than disappearing into different worlds and different lives and following along through their adventures. Although I studied and appreciate the classics (if you haven't read Jane Eyre or East of Eden you must add them to your reading list!) I'm still a sucker for a great mystery. I grew up reading Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and enjoyed the challenge of putting together clues they laid masterfully on each page in what was usually a futile attempt to identify the killer. They were studies of people and how they interacted with each other and their environment under harsh circumstances. Many failed miserably, as so often happens, while other rose to the occasion surprising everyone including themselves. I also loved historical romances and consumed them like Lay's potato chips. I could never read just one! A few years back I donated over a hundred mass market romance novels I finished, in many instances, in one sitting. What can I say, I'm a woman who loves the idealized story of getting swept off her feet by the strong and handsome man of her dreams who would kill or die just to have her. Real or not what woman doesn't like that?! Each of my books is an homage to character driven mysteries where people are tested through difficult circumstances focused on a single or multiple murders. I love to push the boundaries of friendship and family dynamics by always asking the question: what if? Add on a layer of romance and raunchy, on occasion, sexual encounters and I write what I ultimately want to read. The austerity of the desert landscape in Phoenix, Arizona is the perfect backdrop for each story as it can be as unforgiving and inspiring as the characters in my books. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them!