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Sins of the Fathers
A Charlie & Simm Mystery
Charlene Butler, a.k.a. Charlie, is beautiful, independent, and a successful pub owner in downtown Montreal, but prefers not to discuss her past, or the main reason for her success. When she anonymously receives strange letters and the police don’t show an interest in the case, she is convinced by Frank, her best friend, to hire a private investigator to help her solve the mystery. However, PI Simm seems to have a few secrets of his own.
Charlie and Simm join forces when the harassment escalates from letters to explicit threats. Their investigation leads them from the safety of her home, through Montreal’s underworld, to organized crime in Dublin, Ireland. What they discover contradicts Charlie’s most fundamental beliefs in herself and ultimately makes her doubt her own character.
Charlene Butler, a.k.a. Charlie, is beautiful, independent, and a successful pub owner in downtown Montreal, but prefers not to discuss her past, or the main reason for her success. When she anonymously receives strange letters and the police don’t show an interest in the case, she is convinced by Frank, her best friend, to hire a private investigator to help her solve the mystery. However, PI Simm seems to have a few secrets of his own.
Charlie and Simm join forces when the harassment escalates from letters to explicit threats. Their investigation leads them from the safety of her home, through Montreal’s underworld, to organized crime in Dublin, Ireland. What they discover contradicts Charlie’s most fundamental beliefs in herself and ultimately makes her doubt her own character.
The mass-market paperback rights for Sins of the Fathers have been acquired by Harlequin Worldwide Library
Cold Betrayal
Trapped in a wintry setting and followed by two men determined to kill her, Victoria Anderson searches for someone who doesn’t want to be found. She drove the length of the east coast in a quest to find Danny Wilcox, intending to convince him to return to Florida with her. The drug lord, the most wanted criminal in the Province of Quebec, has other plans.
Tori is nothing if not loyal. She unflaggingly defends Danny and refuses to believe he’d harm her, despite several attempts on her life. Others befriend her, even as they covertly advance their own agendas. Tori’s devotion is tested at every turn, not knowing who she can trust, or the consequences of her ultimate decision.
Trapped in a wintry setting and followed by two men determined to kill her, Victoria Anderson searches for someone who doesn’t want to be found. She drove the length of the east coast in a quest to find Danny Wilcox, intending to convince him to return to Florida with her. The drug lord, the most wanted criminal in the Province of Quebec, has other plans.
Tori is nothing if not loyal. She unflaggingly defends Danny and refuses to believe he’d harm her, despite several attempts on her life. Others befriend her, even as they covertly advance their own agendas. Tori’s devotion is tested at every turn, not knowing who she can trust, or the consequences of her ultimate decision.
2019 American Fiction Award Winner – Best Mystery/Suspense, Hard-Boiled/Crime
2019 Maxy Awards “Runner-Up Thriller”
2019 Readers’ Favorite Bronze Medal Award, Suspense
Legacy of Fear
What dark secret is hidden in her past? What evil has been handed down through the generations?
Emily Burton found happiness in a small, picturesque town on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Her sense of peace and security is shattered when she’s brutally attacked, and an innocent person is murdered. The authorities believe the incident is random, until Emily becomes the target of further violence and threats.
With the help of her enigmatic neighbor, she uncovers an eerily similar crime that dates back sixty years. Could there be a connection between the two attacks? Did malevolence stretch its deadly arm across generations?
Emily is convinced there’s a link, but she needs to find it before it finds her.
What dark secret is hidden in her past? What evil has been handed down through the generations?
Emily Burton found happiness in a small, picturesque town on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Her sense of peace and security is shattered when she’s brutally attacked, and an innocent person is murdered. The authorities believe the incident is random, until Emily becomes the target of further violence and threats.
With the help of her enigmatic neighbor, she uncovers an eerily similar crime that dates back sixty years. Could there be a connection between the two attacks? Did malevolence stretch its deadly arm across generations?
Emily is convinced there’s a link, but she needs to find it before it finds her.
Book Excellence Award Finalist for Best Thriller
By The Book
A clue is left at a murder scene: a page from a paperback novel. The title of the book is Murder by the Dozen, and local author, T.L. McGinnis, cannot provide any leads. Detectives Josh Riddell and Clint Weller of the Ottawa Police Service are worried about what lies ahead. It soon becomes evident their worst fears have been realized, and a serial killer is using the novel as a guide. It’s impossible to foresee and safeguard all the potential victims, and time is running out. But who is the killer’s real target?
A clue is left at a murder scene: a page from a paperback novel. The title of the book is Murder by the Dozen, and local author, T.L. McGinnis, cannot provide any leads. Detectives Josh Riddell and Clint Weller of the Ottawa Police Service are worried about what lies ahead. It soon becomes evident their worst fears have been realized, and a serial killer is using the novel as a guide. It’s impossible to foresee and safeguard all the potential victims, and time is running out. But who is the killer’s real target?
Faux Friends
Chantal Pouliot, of the Quebec police force, is relegated to mind-numbing desk duty because of a case that went wrong six months earlier. A break comes her way in the form of a white-collar cyber-crime case, something she hopes will help restore her status as an undercover detective. The downside is having to collaborate with an RCMP team that will join her in Quebec City.
When the safe, tedious job she envisaged turns to murder with a potential link to organized crime, Chantal is thrown back into the life she wanted, with Jeff Lafond by her side once again. But somebody is playing games with them, and that person is aware of her past. Is someone close to the investigation involved? What is the purpose of the game and how many people will the murderer sacrifice in the race to win it?
Chantal Pouliot, of the Quebec police force, is relegated to mind-numbing desk duty because of a case that went wrong six months earlier. A break comes her way in the form of a white-collar cyber-crime case, something she hopes will help restore her status as an undercover detective. The downside is having to collaborate with an RCMP team that will join her in Quebec City.
When the safe, tedious job she envisaged turns to murder with a potential link to organized crime, Chantal is thrown back into the life she wanted, with Jeff Lafond by her side once again. But somebody is playing games with them, and that person is aware of her past. Is someone close to the investigation involved? What is the purpose of the game and how many people will the murderer sacrifice in the race to win it?
2021 Maxy Award Finalist – Mystery/Suspense
The Other Side
A Charlie & Simm Mystery 2
Murders or a series of coincidences?
Charlie is worried her ex-PI husband, Simm, is bored with his new role as her partner in managing their pubs in downtown Montreal. Given the chance to help a friend by investigating the disappearance of a man the previous year, Charlie convinces Simm to take the case. Besides a few days in the Gatineau region of Quebec might be the best thing for them and their relationship.
Charlie and Simm soon discover the case may involve a series of questionable vanishings that were written off as presumed drownings. They’re drawn into a tangle of small-town relationships between long-time locals, wealthy summer residents, and a hermit with his own secrets. Unfortunately, someone doesn’t appreciate their efforts to meddle in the past. Is a serial killer at work? Was a fatal car accident somehow tied to the disappearances? Does Simm’s family have a connection to the tragedies in the small town of Wakefield? Charlie and Simm need to tie the loose ends together before they join the growing list of victims.
Murders or a series of coincidences?
Charlie is worried her ex-PI husband, Simm, is bored with his new role as her partner in managing their pubs in downtown Montreal. Given the chance to help a friend by investigating the disappearance of a man the previous year, Charlie convinces Simm to take the case. Besides a few days in the Gatineau region of Quebec might be the best thing for them and their relationship.
Charlie and Simm soon discover the case may involve a series of questionable vanishings that were written off as presumed drownings. They’re drawn into a tangle of small-town relationships between long-time locals, wealthy summer residents, and a hermit with his own secrets. Unfortunately, someone doesn’t appreciate their efforts to meddle in the past. Is a serial killer at work? Was a fatal car accident somehow tied to the disappearances? Does Simm’s family have a connection to the tragedies in the small town of Wakefield? Charlie and Simm need to tie the loose ends together before they join the growing list of victims.
A Stranger in the Family
A Charlie & Simm Mystery 3
From International Bestselling author, A.J. McCarthy, comes a new Charlie & Simm Mystery.
Shanna McGuire is convinced a strange man is following her. When he approaches her on the street, he shocks her with a story that makes her question her family history. She asks Simm to investigate the man’s claim. A simple case of genealogy and the search for a possible treasure are perfect for Simm, a former private investigator, and his wife Charlie, both pub owners in Downtown Montreal.
Simm’s research uncovers a dark period in Quebec’s past when unwanted babies were left in orphanages to suffer years of abuse and deprivation. Decades later, the corruption of the era is revived as the straightforward case takes a dangerous turn with threats, violence, and homicide.
Charlie and Simm question the wisdom of carrying on when their lives and the lives of those around them are threatened. Determined to see it through, the couple fights to sever the web of lies and betrayal to discover the link between seemingly-interconnected crimes while racing against the clock to avert another murder.
A Stranger in the Family reunites readers with the popular husband-and-wife team of Charlie & Simm, created by A.J. McCarthy, the award-winning author of Sins of the Father and The Other Side.
From International Bestselling author, A.J. McCarthy, comes a new Charlie & Simm Mystery.
Shanna McGuire is convinced a strange man is following her. When he approaches her on the street, he shocks her with a story that makes her question her family history. She asks Simm to investigate the man’s claim. A simple case of genealogy and the search for a possible treasure are perfect for Simm, a former private investigator, and his wife Charlie, both pub owners in Downtown Montreal.
Simm’s research uncovers a dark period in Quebec’s past when unwanted babies were left in orphanages to suffer years of abuse and deprivation. Decades later, the corruption of the era is revived as the straightforward case takes a dangerous turn with threats, violence, and homicide.
Charlie and Simm question the wisdom of carrying on when their lives and the lives of those around them are threatened. Determined to see it through, the couple fights to sever the web of lies and betrayal to discover the link between seemingly-interconnected crimes while racing against the clock to avert another murder.
A Stranger in the Family reunites readers with the popular husband-and-wife team of Charlie & Simm, created by A.J. McCarthy, the award-winning author of Sins of the Father and The Other Side.
A Rock
A Charlie & Simm Mystery Prequel Novella
Simm has always spent his summers on his grandparents’ farm in the small Quebec town of Magog. Now, as a young university student, he experiences the tragedy of a young life taken too soon when his best friend’s girlfriend Cheryl is murdered. Trying to comfort Dominic and protect him from the mercenary impulses of his wealthy family, Simm is blindsided when the police turn their attention his way.
Someone is trying to set him up for the murder, and Simm has no choice but to set aside his disdain for his father and accept his help. Valuable lessons about friendship, love, family, and wealth unfold, but will Simm discover the real killer, or will he face a life in prison?
This novella is a prequel to the Charlie & Simm Mystery Series, giving the reader insight into Simm’s earlier life. It includes a sneak peek at the novel Sins of the Fathers.
Simm has always spent his summers on his grandparents’ farm in the small Quebec town of Magog. Now, as a young university student, he experiences the tragedy of a young life taken too soon when his best friend’s girlfriend Cheryl is murdered. Trying to comfort Dominic and protect him from the mercenary impulses of his wealthy family, Simm is blindsided when the police turn their attention his way.
Someone is trying to set him up for the murder, and Simm has no choice but to set aside his disdain for his father and accept his help. Valuable lessons about friendship, love, family, and wealth unfold, but will Simm discover the real killer, or will he face a life in prison?
This novella is a prequel to the Charlie & Simm Mystery Series, giving the reader insight into Simm’s earlier life. It includes a sneak peek at the novel Sins of the Fathers.
A Hard Place
A Charlie & Simm Mystery Prequel Novella
In the bustling heart of Montreal, sixteen-year-old Charlie navigates the complexities of her sheltered home life and the vibrant world of O’Reilly’s Irish pub. While her days are filled with school and her part-time job, a growing unease about her coworker, Terry, begins to unravel. As Charlie witnesses suspicious behavior and overhears concerning conversations, she finds herself caught in a dangerous dilemma. Torn between loyalty and the fear of exposing a potential crime, Charlie must decide whether to confront Terry and risk the consequences, or remain silent and watch as the situation escalates. But she’s not the only one being threatened. People she cares about are becoming victims. Someone has a dangerous secret, and Charlie is terrified of the extent they will go to in order to protect it.
In the bustling heart of Montreal, sixteen-year-old Charlie navigates the complexities of her sheltered home life and the vibrant world of O’Reilly’s Irish pub. While her days are filled with school and her part-time job, a growing unease about her coworker, Terry, begins to unravel. As Charlie witnesses suspicious behavior and overhears concerning conversations, she finds herself caught in a dangerous dilemma. Torn between loyalty and the fear of exposing a potential crime, Charlie must decide whether to confront Terry and risk the consequences, or remain silent and watch as the situation escalates. But she’s not the only one being threatened. People she cares about are becoming victims. Someone has a dangerous secret, and Charlie is terrified of the extent they will go to in order to protect it.
Smoke and Secrets
A Charlie & Simm Mystery
“A dilapidated mansion full of secrets, a mysterious murder that hides multi-million dollar fraud; Smoke and Secrets taunts readers to solve the puzzle each step of the way.” –Timothy Gene Sojka, award-winning author of Payback Jack, Politikill, and Claws
Charlie and Simm, Montreal pub owners with a knack for sleuthing, thought they were taking on a straightforward case when Noah Wolfe hired them to find his missing family fortune. Their search leads them to the idyllic town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, where they quickly realize this is no ordinary investigation. Joined by Noah’s sharp-witted sister-in-law, Sarah, they dig into the Wolfe family’s past at a grand estate brimming with secrets.
As tensions rise, Simm’s estranged brother and his wife arrive at the mansion, adding to the already crowded and mistrustful atmosphere. A simple search for lost money turns menacing with suspicious deaths, an attempted murder, and buried mysteries that refuse to stay hidden. The deeper they delve, the more dangerous the case becomes. Charlie and Simm are forced to confront their own fears and face a ruthless killer who will stop at nothing to protect dark secrets, leading to a shocking climax that will change everything.
Award-winning author A.J. McCarthy brings back Charlie and Simm in this latest instalment of her mystery series. Can the much-loved couple outsmart a killer and unlock the puzzles that threaten them?
“A dilapidated mansion full of secrets, a mysterious murder that hides multi-million dollar fraud; Smoke and Secrets taunts readers to solve the puzzle each step of the way.” –Timothy Gene Sojka, award-winning author of Payback Jack, Politikill, and Claws
Charlie and Simm, Montreal pub owners with a knack for sleuthing, thought they were taking on a straightforward case when Noah Wolfe hired them to find his missing family fortune. Their search leads them to the idyllic town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, where they quickly realize this is no ordinary investigation. Joined by Noah’s sharp-witted sister-in-law, Sarah, they dig into the Wolfe family’s past at a grand estate brimming with secrets.
As tensions rise, Simm’s estranged brother and his wife arrive at the mansion, adding to the already crowded and mistrustful atmosphere. A simple search for lost money turns menacing with suspicious deaths, an attempted murder, and buried mysteries that refuse to stay hidden. The deeper they delve, the more dangerous the case becomes. Charlie and Simm are forced to confront their own fears and face a ruthless killer who will stop at nothing to protect dark secrets, leading to a shocking climax that will change everything.
Award-winning author A.J. McCarthy brings back Charlie and Simm in this latest instalment of her mystery series. Can the much-loved couple outsmart a killer and unlock the puzzles that threaten them?