Books

Having never been to college, Yarnell isn't sure he's eligible to fly down to Florida during Spring Break. His partner in crime, Beaumont, assures him this will be an easy job, all they have to do is wait at the foot of a ten story condo while the loot is lowered to them on a rope. While waiting in position, Yarnell suddenly finds a crowd of drunken college students in the bushes behind him. It seems the crowd earlier observed a "spiderman" climbing the condo wall to the top and now they are filming his antics in order to place their video on You-Tube and have it go viral.

Brought to Gold Rush San Francisco from Ireland by way of the penal colony in Australia, a young orphan boy is taken under the tutelage of his criminal uncle. His first burglary job at night is to be inside the residence of a "collector" for the China Town area. The owner is supposed to be out working, but the orphan soon hears noises on the second floor and later regrets the object he stole.

“Labor Day,” AHMM October 2011 issue is fifth in the Holiday Burglars series. Yarnell and Beaumont have successfully burgled a top floor condo in an old building and are trying to quietly depart with the loot. Unfortunately, their ancient get-away elevator keeps descending slower and s-l-o-w-e-r, while a pregnant passenger can’t wait. Now, the closest help onboard for medical services may be The Thin Guy, their burglar protégé who used to work as a mortician.

Tales of death and desperation, requiem and revenge. From Bookies to Pawn Shops, from the Golden Triangle to the slums of Colombia, and the early biker stories. 9 tales of action and adventure, humor and more. Something for everyone.

   9 separate mysteries ranging from a rip-off artist re-evaluating the actions of his partner, to vengeance in today's Mexico, a merchant sailor stranded in 1900 French Indo-China, spies in the Boer War, a perilous life in the warrens under old Edinburgh, and other tales of intrigue, suspense and death.

   The proprietor of the Twin Brothers Bail Bond firm only takes on special clients who are then required to put up high value collateral. This collateral, often stolen or illegal goods, is promised to be returned after the bond is no longer needed, but somehow these special clients seem to fall from high places, go deep water swimming without appropriate breathing equipment, become victims of an errant taxi cab or otherwise render themselves deceased. And yet, the bail firm always makes an exorbitant profit on the arrangement.

   On the north bank of the Terek River sets the Cossack cordon where they act as frontier guards for the Muscovy empire, but having lost all past rebellions against the Tsar, they are now forced to have Russian troops quartered in their nearby villages as uneasy allies. South of the river in the shadows of the Caucusus Mountains lies the Wild Country, where Chechen Hill Tribes war against all invaders.
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“et tu Valentinus,” AHMM March 2011 issue is the 4^th in the Holiday Burglars series. Trapped into a “romantic” cruise for his wedding anniversary, Yarnell is supposed to get away from pressures of his night job, his partners in crime and the boarder in his closet. But, work seems to follow him everywhere and not all the predators are in the water. Video trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEJ6gTgUGvE

“The Alchemist,” AHMM January/February 2011 issue, 4^th in the 1660’s Paris Underworld series. Jules, self-proclaimed king of the Paris underworld, has an alchemist who can change silver coins into gold, for a price of course. Our young orphan pickpocket has seen the transformation himself from a place of hiding and will vouch for the process. But there are other forces at work on this dark night, and more than one has plans for this new wealth.
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“The Little Nogai Boy,” AHMM September 2010 issue is the prequel to the Armenian series. On the Steppes of 1850, a 7-year old boy from the declining Nogai Horde attaches himself to a wandering Armenian who trades with warring Cossacks and raiding Chechens on both sides of the Terek River. Then far south of the river border and deep into the Wild Country, he finds murder, suspicion and an odd alliance. (Watch the video trailer at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvUaagz_sNw )