Speaking of Murder: A Novel by Jonathan Black (apparently no relation to the pseudonymous history writer who has a
Wikipedia entry under that name), is a standalone Chicago-set contemporary murder mystery involving motivational speakers and an ex-reporter amateur sleuth who teaches a writing class, free courtesy of publisher Agate's Digital imprint.
Currently free, probably just until the weekend @
Amazon (not available to Canadians). ETA: now also free directly @
the publisher's webstore (DRM-free PDF available worldwide).
Description
After a divorce and an early retirement from newspaper reporting, Hank Fowler’s life is back on track—he has a girlfriend, steady freelance work, a teaching job—that is, until he gets a call from his old pal Chris Beckwith. Beckwith, his college roommate and a former drug-addict turned motivational speaker, is found dead not too long after. Following up on Chris’s sudden death, Hank begins to unravel a series of gruesome murders, all involving motivational speakers.
Meanwhile, Rachel, newly divorced and trying to write a book, enrolls in Hank’s writing class. With her help, Hank must track down the killer before the killer tracks him. In this suspenseful and tightly woven narrative, Jonathan Black creates a fast-paced murder mystery for the digital age. An homage to Chicago, Speaking of Murder is a noir whodunnit and a gripping read for lovers of the mystery genre.