Just like Missing and Duplicity, I’ve decided to share the opening scenes from my new first-in-series murder mystery novella, The Candidate, with you. As you might have guessed, the candidate is the first novella in a new series called the “Rookie Reporter Mysteries”, featuring James Lalonde.
In this blog post, I share the title and cover for James Lalonde Book 2 as well as an exclusive preview of the first two scenes of the story. For the sake of clarity, the events of this novel occur a few months after, the first book, Missing. However, you don’t need to read Missing to enjoy this new story.
When Will Thatcher, doesn’t show up for work, James Lalonde is forced to attend an afternoon tea with Alistair Carmichael in his place. The lovely autumn afternoon tea comes to an abrupt end when a body turns up on the lawn of the Carmichael Estate with strange markings on his neck.
But, something is missing, a priceless painting is off the wall. However, it’s no ordinary painting, it’s a Van Gogh purchased in an auction a few months ago. After discovering fresh tracks, most likely left by the murderer James realises the murder is still in the estate.
James, the chief editor of a small newspaper, returns home to discover that his girlfriend, Valentine has unexpectedly left. Later that morning, he fails to reallocate her story. To avoid blank space in the paper, James decides to write the story on the local museum’s latest acquisition, Excalibur. But, there’s one thing he didn’t count on… Excalibur is Missing, and his girlfriend has been kidnapped.
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Rookie reporter James Lalonde is bored. And, he isn’t a journalist. He’s an all-round dogs-body, to editor-in-chief, Rhys Kelly. But, his luck has finally changed. After eavesdropping in on the morning editorial meeting, James learns he has his first-ever story. There’s one catch. If the story gets too complicated, it will be taken away from him and given to another journalist with more experience. Sure it’s a boring interview with the soon to be sworn-in magistrate, Albert Harrington, but it finally gets him out of his six-month slump as an editorial research assistant.
The following day, James turns up to his interview with Albert to discover a trail of blood smeared through Albert’s house, an empty safe, the murder weapon on the floor, but no body. Detective Anwar Khan turns up to the crime scene, puts two and two together, and believes James murdered the controversial magistrate. Can James clear his name and write his first-ever story before his editor takes it away from him?
73,509 of 80,000 Words
Right now, I’m preparing Book Two in the James Lalonde series, for a final round of revisions. The next step is to send the story off to my editor. I aim to have this eBook published on all major ebook retailers by the end of March 2022. And, I will be making this novel available for free to my James Lalonde Insiders reader club. You can become an insider here.
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I’ve decided to add an extra book between the second book and the start of the byline series, where James arrives in New York. Book Three will be set in a 24 hour period in London. This novel will be available in ebook on all major ebook retailers by the end of mid 2022. And, the paperback editions soon after. I will be making this novel available for free to my James Lalonde Insiders reader club. You can become an insider here.
112,960 of 99,000 Words
Book Four the James Lalonde series needs one final round of revisions before I can hand it off to my editor. This longer novel will be published on all major ebook retailers in late 2022. And, the paperback editions soon after. I will be making this novel available for free to my James Lalonde Insiders reader club. You can become an insider here.
