Saturday, 5 July 2025

Murder, Death, Kill* (Or what happened earlier.)

Happy to see that my dear friend and colleague Alison E. Bruce has a new book out! Many readers have been waiting for this continuation of the Carmedy and Garrett series. Alison writes PI thrillers, and believe me, this one will stay with you long after you finish it.

Alison gives us the backstory today. Read on!

Murder, Death, Kill*
(Or what happened earlier.)

By Alison Bruce

A crime novel doesn’t always need a murder. Death isn’t always a crime. And kill is often an empty threat.

The Carmedy and Garrett series started with the death of Joe Garrett, retired police detective, and senior partner in the detective agency, Garrett Investigations. Even though his death wasn’t a crime, it influenced the investigations of two other murders, and not just because his business partner, Jake Carmedy, and his daughter Detective Garrett were involved. (Deadly Legacy)

Kate inherited half her father’s detective agency which she decided to rename Carmedy and Garrett Investigations, as a gesture of goodwill to her new partner. She was given an extended leave of absence from the City Police so she could decide whether to be a police detective or a private investigator, and to wrap up her father’s estate. Her boss, who also happened to be her father best friend and her godfather, facilitated her leave and referred a client to her in the next Carmedy and Garrett mystery.

Someone was killing cats with a poison dart gun. The Neighbourhood Watch wanted help finding the feline assassin. Killing cats is also not murder, though a few of the cat owners might have been driven to murder if they found the culprit on their own. However, looking at her father’s old case notes, Kate found a connection between her current case and a domestic violence case that ended the career of one of her father’s rookies.

Was Kate looking for connections because she missed her father? (Deadly Season)

In Deadly Art, Kate will be dealing with one of the hardest parts of the death of a loved one, the part where life goes on. And, because this is mystery is a MDK, life ends too.

*MDK, Murder Death Kill, is my most indelible take-aways from the movie Demolition Man, even more than the shells and Taco Bell becoming a fine dining establishment.