Dear readers,
Today blog Wonderworld is most privileged to present you a very special spotlight about the bestselling action packed, thriller-crime novel titled DEAD MAN'S HAND by bestselling author Luke Murphy.
The fast paced "whodunit" novel Dead Man’s Hand with 112 reviews at the Amazon stores has tension and excitement as a result of the action taking place in a single week.
A great offer from the author!!
Let's know more about Dead Man's Hand and author Luke Murphy in today's special edition.
Murphy`s debut novel, Dead Man`s Hand, was released by Imajin Books on October 20, 2012.
For more information on Luke and his books, visit: www.authorlukemurphy.com, ‘like’ his Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Luke-Murphy/268343729930467 and follow him on Twitter www.twitter.com/#!/AuthorLMurphy
From NFL rising-star prospect to wanted fugitive, Calvin Watters is a sadistic African-American Las Vegas debt-collector framed by a murderer who, like the Vegas Police, finds him to be the perfect fall-guy.
…and the cards don't fall your way?
When the brutal slaying of a prominent casino owner is followed by the murder of a well-known bookie, Detective Dale Dayton is thrown into the middle of a highly political case and leads the largest homicide investigation in Vegas in the last twelve years.
What if you're dealt a Dead Man's Hand?
Against his superiors and better judgment, Dayton is willing to give Calvin one last chance. To redeem himself, Calvin must prove his innocence by finding the real killer, while avoiding the LVMPD, as well as protect the woman he loves from a professional assassin hired to silence them.
- The “find out who framed you to save yourself” plot has a twist in that Watters researches the crime online, primarily using analysis of character rather than physical evidence.
- Point of view is easy to follow but engagingly complex, with scenes from the perspectives of Watters, the detective, the cheating wife, and a hired assassin.
Today blog Wonderworld is most privileged to present you a very special spotlight about the bestselling action packed, thriller-crime novel titled DEAD MAN'S HAND by bestselling author Luke Murphy.
The fast paced "whodunit" novel Dead Man’s Hand with 112 reviews at the Amazon stores has tension and excitement as a result of the action taking place in a single week.
A great offer from the author!!
For the entire month of November 2013, the kindle version of this novel DEAD MAN'S HAND will be available to all the readers at Amazon for only $0.99. That's an awesome offer! Grab the book if you can!
Let's know more about Dead Man's Hand and author Luke Murphy in today's special edition.
Connect with Author Luke Murphy
Author Website : www.authorlukemurphy.com
Amazon Author Page : http://www.amazon.com/Luke-Murphy/e/B009PDYA3G/
Facebook Author Page : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Luke-Murphy/268343729930467
Author Blog : www.authorlukemuprhy.com/blog
Author Bio : Luke Murphy lives in Shawville, Quebec with his wife, two daughters and
pug. He
played six years of professional hockey before retiring in 2006. Since then, he’s
held a number of jobs, from sports columnist to radio journalist, before
earning his Bachelor of Education degree (Magna Cum Laude).
Murphy`s debut novel, Dead Man`s Hand, was released by Imajin Books on October 20, 2012.
For more information on Luke and his books, visit: www.authorlukemurphy.com, ‘like’ his Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Luke-Murphy/268343729930467 and follow him on Twitter www.twitter.com/#!/AuthorLMurphy
Book Spotlight
Ebook : DEAD MAN'S HAND
Author : Luke Murphy
Genre : Thriller , Crime, Action, Mystery
Reviews : 53 reviews with multiple 5stars and 4stars
US Amazon Kindle : http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Mans-Hand-ebook/dp/B009OUT2ME
US Amazon Paperback : http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Mans-Hand-Luke-Murphy/dp/1926997948/
UK Amazon Kindle : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Mans-Hand-ebook/dp/B009OUT2ME
Synopsis : What happens when the deck is stacked against you…
From NFL rising-star prospect to wanted fugitive, Calvin Watters is a sadistic African-American Las Vegas debt-collector framed by a murderer who, like the Vegas Police, finds him to be the perfect fall-guy.
…and the cards don't fall your way?
When the brutal slaying of a prominent casino owner is followed by the murder of a well-known bookie, Detective Dale Dayton is thrown into the middle of a highly political case and leads the largest homicide investigation in Vegas in the last twelve years.
What if you're dealt a Dead Man's Hand?
Against his superiors and better judgment, Dayton is willing to give Calvin one last chance. To redeem himself, Calvin must prove his innocence by finding the real killer, while avoiding the LVMPD, as well as protect the woman he loves from a professional assassin hired to silence them.
Book Trivia : The African-American protagonist is not stereotypical. While his race
is significant, he does not moralize about the issue or his situation.
- The “find out who framed you to save yourself” plot has a twist in that Watters researches the crime online, primarily using analysis of character rather than physical evidence.
- Point of view is easy to follow but engagingly complex, with scenes from the perspectives of Watters, the detective, the cheating wife, and a hired assassin.
Chapter Excerpt
At exactly 6:15 p.m.
on a Sunday, Calvin Watters parked his rusted Ford Taurus across the street
from a vacant house. Climbing out, he put on a pair of sunglasses and scanned
the neighborhood for any movement or potential hazards.
He moved to the back
of the car and opened the dented trunk. It creaked in the still night as it
slowly swung up. He pulled out a worn black leather case and slid it under his
vest. Then he closed the trunk and headed for the door.
He'd been using the
rundown house in the red-light district of Las Vegas as his workshop for three
years. It suited his purpose. No interruptions, no inquisitive neighbors. Even
the local police avoided the area.
He checked the
perimeter again. At six-five and 220 pounds, with tattooed arms and gold chains
dangling around his thick, muscular neck, a black man like him just didn't go
unnoticed in Las Vegas.
The street was silent
as he approached the house. Weeds sprang from cracks in the sidewalk and
shattered liquor bottles blocked the entrance. The barred windows were broken
and the screen door had been ripped off its hinges. His sense of smell no
longer reacted to the stench of urine and vomit.
Calvin surveyed the
area one last time. Extreme caution was one of the reasons he had succeeded in
the business for so long. His habits had kept him alive. Satisfied no one had
seen him, he trudged his way up the walk.
Even though he was the
best in the business and had once enjoyed the adrenaline rush that came with
the trade, the next part of the job made his skin crawl. His goal was to save
the money he needed to get away, start over, but he didn’t know if he could
last on the job long enough. That uncertainty made his life even harder.
He unlocked the door,
stepped inside and shut it behind him. Heading for the basement, he took a
narrow set of wooden stairs that creaked as he descended into darkness. His
dreadlocks scraped cobwebs along the rough ceiling. He flicked the switch and a
low-watt bulb cast dim light.
The tiny room had
almost no furniture. The bare concrete floor was dirty and stained with dried
blood. In the middle of the room, a lone wooden chair—double nailed to the
floor—was occupied.
"Hello,
James," Calvin said, his face expressionless.
James Pierce stared at
him through bulging, fear-filled eyes.
"Sorry about the
bump on the head, but I couldn't have you conscious when I moved you
here."
When Calvin removed
the case from his vest, he saw Pierce's pant leg moisten.
"I’m sure you’re
wondering why your shoes and socks are off and your pant legs rolled up. We’ll
get to that."
He laid the case on a
small table, strategically placed next to the chair. "There's only one way
out," he said, snapping open the lid. He knew his hostage saw one thing
when he looked at him—professionally trained brutality.
He checked his watch.
Pierce had been there for four hours. The waiting and anticipation alone were
more than most men could handle. They often begged for their lives. It was a
very effective method.
He stared at Pierce
for a long moment and then turned away, his stomach churning.
Get a grip, Calvin!
Hurry up and get it over with before you change your mind.
And lose the
reputation he'd spent three years building.
He ripped the duct
tape from the man's mouth and pulled out the old rag. "Time for me to
collect."
Pierce gasped,
breathing in air greedily. "Please, Calvin. I beg you. Don't do
this."
"You're a
degenerate gambler, James. Your expensive hobby and inability to pay has put
you here. You knew the rules. They were laid out well in advance."
"No! Please…"
Calvin tried to block
out the man's cries. A sudden dizziness overwhelmed him and he grabbed the
chair to steady himself. Finish the job. "You know how this
works." He stared at Pierce.
"I promise I'll
pay. Just give me one more day. Please."
"You knew the
rules. You've already had an extra week, James. You're lucky Mr. Pitt is a
forgiving man, more forgiving than I am. He’s only counting that week as one
day late. But if you aren't in his office tomorrow morning with all the money,
you'll be seeing me again. Every late day will count as two. And I won't be so
nice next time."
"I'll pay."
Pierce sobbed.
Calvin heaved a sigh.
"Relax. It'll all be over soon."
He leaned over the
table. For effect, he took his time as he opened the leather case and removed
the tools of his trade. "One day, one joint."
This was when most of
them broke down all the way. And Pierce didn't disappoint him. A scream boiled
from the man's belly and erupted like a relentless siren.
Calvin ignored Pierce
as best he could. There were 206 bones in the human skeleton. A pro had trained
him to use them all.
"Hammer or pipe
cutter?"
"God, no!"
"Hammer or pipe
cutter?" He threw a punch at Pierce's jaw, sending bloody spit into the
air.
"Hammer!"
Pierce screamed.
"Finger or
toe?"
Pierce squeezed his
eyes shut. "Toe."
Calvin stuffed the
dirty rag back into the man's mouth. He turned and pressed play on the radio
resting on the table, turning the volume up a few notches, careful not to bring
attention to the house. The pounding, vibrating beat from Metallica not only
drowned out his prey's moans of pain, but the sound took him back to his glory
days. He removed a ball-peen hammer from the pouch and moved in on his quarry’s
bare feet.
"Toe it is
then."
He got down on one
knee and lifted the hammer above his head.
