AN AWARD-WINNING LAW & ORDER WRITER WHO KNOWS THE CITY STREETS LIKE FEW DO . . . A COP THRILLER THAT WILL HOLD YOU IN ITS GRIP. . . . Charles Kipps introduces Conor Bard, NYPD homicide detective and wanna-be rock star, in his suspense-packed debut novel. Hell’s Kitchen: The Manhattan neighborhood with a long history of cold-blooded crimes now witnesses one more—the murder of a hugely successful criminal defense lawyer with rumored Mafia ties, whose corpse is found on the banks of the Hudson River. Conor Bard’s investigation begins with a sexy, unfaithful widow who stands to inherit millions . . . and leads him to cross paths with a sorrowful, intriguing Albanian woman he can’t resist. Young enough to chase down bad guys, smart enough to know time’s ticking on his dreams of making it in the music business and finding the right woman, Conor will discover that time is more precious than even he may realize . . . as a tightening web of secrets, lies, and seduction may cut his own life short.

“Lee Harris, author of the beloved Christine Bennett holiday mystery series, gives us a new detective and a grittier neighborhood in Murder in Hell’s Kitchen, but her storytelling skill remains top quality.”—Tony Hillerman After twenty years of loyal service, Detective Jane Bauer is just two months and one case away from leaving the NYPD for a cushy desk job. Her last assignment: working for a special unit that tackles unsolved crimes. At a crossroads in her personal life, Jane relishes the chance to lose herself in a challenging investigation. Four years ago, Arlen Quill was found dead in the entryway to his apartment building—leaving no clues, no witnesses, and no leads. When Jane decides to interview Quill’s old neighbors, she makes a startling discovery: Every single occupant at the time of the murder subsequently disappeared. Like any seasoned New Yorker, Jane knows that mere homicide isn’t enough to drive people from their rent-controlled apartments. In Hell’s Kitchen—where a cold case suddenly heats up—Jane soon finds herself face-to-face with a killer. . . . “Lee Harris heads off in an exciting new direction with Murder in Hell’s Kitchen—a page-turner of a police procedural, in which a cold case turns hot and the suspense builds and builds. Detective Jane Bauer is a most welcome addition to the ranks of fictional cops.”—Peter Robinson

In 1914, Hell’s Kitchen is an apt name for New York City’s grittiest neighborhood, as one of the city’s first policewomen, Louise Faulk, is about to discover when the death of a young prostitute leads her on a grim journey through the district’s darkest corners . . . Filthy, dangerous, and deadly—Hell’s Kitchen is no place for a lady, but Louise Faulk is no ordinary woman. The amateur investigator turned rookie policewoman is investigating the death of young prostitute, Ruthie, who leaves behind a baby boy. Although detectives are quick to declare it a suicide, Louise is less certain after she discovers clues implying murder while attempting to find a caretaker for Ruthie’s orphaned son. Uncovering the truth won’t be easy, especially since Louise is struggling to make a name for herself amid the boys’ club of the New York City Police Department. But Ruthie’s case keeps tugging at Louise, luring her beyond the slums’ drawn curtains and tenement doors, into an undercover investigation that often seems to conceal more than it reveals. Louise is convinced Ruthie’s secrets got her killed, but can she prove it before they catch up to her too?

This suspenseful sequel to "Murder in Hell's Kitchen" finds NYPD detective Jane Bauer back at work after a near-fatal encounter with a killer. Now she's investigating a recent death that may be connected to an eight-year-old suicide--and both cases may well be murder. Original.

PORTOLINA Hells Kitchen Or Shangri-La? is a riddle, mystery, wrapped up in an enigma, about former Chief of Homicide in San Fernando Valley, California, John Mirabella, and his wife, Theresa (Teri), who believe they found their ideal town for retirement in the San Bernardino/San Gabriel area in California. On their first visit to the town of Portolina, they find a very unfriendly Sheriff and several inhospitable citizens of the town who, to put it mildly, urge the visitors to leave. John Mirabella, however, remains unfazed by the outlandish treatment he and his wife received on their initial visit. They return to Portolina only to experience an attempt on their lives. John, one of the heroes in my book ROMULUS AND REMUS The Imperfect Murders, enlists the help of the other hero in the aforementioned book, Ernie Barnes, Private Investigator, as both embark on a suspenseful and most unusual journey to discover the reasons for the behavior of the Portolinians in their attempt to hide whatever alleged crime(s) they have been committing. Eventually, they bring a mutual friend, FBI Agent Augie Brandt, and his brother State Trooper Gary Brandt into the case. The lawmen work on theories involving murder, drug marketing, a recent Brinks armored vehicle robbery, racketeering, bank robbery, money laundering, kidnapping and rape. Those theories are just a few of the possibilities devised by the four experienced investigators, who are frustrated as they try to avoid facing a brick wall in following each theory to its conclusion. The final chapter, Chapter 35, presents quite a surprising revelation as it begins with a raid on the community and ends with the answer to the question, Is Portolina a Hells Kitchen or a Shangri-La?

A CELEBRATION OF ABUNDANCE BECOMES A DAY OF LOSS. More than a year ago Natalie Gordon went to buy a balloon at the Thanksgiving Day Parade and dissolved into thin air. The police and a private investigator still have no leads. So when Natalie's despairing husband pleads with ex-nun Christine Bennett to help, she can't say no. Not only are Natalie's present whereabouts a mystery, but so is her past. Someone has stripped her personnel file in her old office. Even her husband knows strangely little about her. Starting with a cardboard box of Natalie's belongings--a few books, keys, some cosmetics--Chris searches for a life someone has tried very hard to erase and finds a cast of characters so chilling that murder seems not only inevitable but likely to happen again. . . .

New York, 1914. Filthy, dangerous, and deadly -- Hell's Kitchen is no place for a lady, but Louise Faulk is no ordinary woman. The amateur investigator turned rookie policewoman is investigating the death of young prostitute, Ruthie, who leaves behind a baby boy. Although detectives are quick to declare it a suicide, Louise is less certain after she discovers clues implying murder while attempting to find a caretaker for Ruthie's orphaned son.