Mystery Suspense Author

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Sins of the Fathers

Sins of the Fathers

A Charlie & Simm Mystery

Sins of the Fathers
"...very clever and well-written."

-Readers' Favorite
"McCarthy has certainly established herself as a writing force to be reckoned with."

-Authors Reading
“Kudos to A.J. McCarthy for a well-done thriller that does the genre justice.”

-Steve Taintor, Netgalley reviewer
“A taut novel of suspense, adventure and romance!”

-David Lucero, author of Big Jim
"McCarthy perfectly weaves together suspense, dangers, and an intriguing storyline that will compel readers from start to finish...an enthralling and energetic writing style that is sure to enrapture any reader."

-The Red-Headed Book Lover

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

Cold Betrayal
"...a great crime novel."

-Rosemary's Romance Books (Brisbane)
"An edge of your seat thriller!"

-Tami Mangrum Blog
"McCarthy's plot is fast-paced and exciting, and her writing style fits this thriller novel to a T. Cold Betrayal is highly recommended."

-Readers' Favorite
"Fast-paced, action-filled!"

-Authors Reading
“A simmering crime thriller with an explosive payoff.”

-David Lucero, author of Best Thrillers

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

Legacy of Fear
"Agatha Christie would have been proud."

-Mary Ellen Bramwell, author of Dandelion Summer
"A must-read for anyone who wants to be thrilled!"

-J.L. Canfield, award-winning author of What Hides Beneath
"A mystery that stands apart from the rest!"

-Daniel Oliver, author of The Long Road

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

By the Book
"A clever whodunit murder mystery, based on a very ingenious premise."

- The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

"Intense and captivating."

-Readers' Favorite
"Once again, AJ McCarthy has crafted a masterful mystery."

-Mary Ellen Bramwell, author of The Apple of My Eye
"[A] clever and engrossing serial-killer story."

-Jeffrey James Higgins, author of Furious: Trapped in a Perfect Storm of Terror
"Dark, innovative..."

-Timothy Gene Sojka, author of Payback Jack

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

Faux Friends
"AJ McCarthy continues her seemingly predestined course to being Canada's best thriller author."

-Timothy Sojka, author of Payback Jack and Politikill
"A potent, briskly-paced crime thriller featuring a detective whose vulnerability creates first-class suspense."

-Best Thrillers
"...gives the reader nonstop action, compelling characters, and a strong, complex plot that skillfully navigates the culturally and linguistically diverse cities of Canada."

-John Hazen, author of the  Francine Vega Investigative Thriller Series

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

"Really, really good."

-Amazon Review
"A fast-paced, brilliantly executed mystery with a resolution you will not see coming."

-Amazon Review
"Keeps you guessing until the end"

-Amazon Review

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.