A runaway teen comes to P.I. James Cartwright for help. She claims to have evidence that will clear her boyfriend of murder. Her boyfriend is also slated for execution in the next few hours. But is the evidence enough? Highest Ranking - #25 Crime Fiction, #07 Wattys2018

A fast-paced mystery thriller and whodunit short fiction in the tradition and spirit of the hardboiled noir genre. In his latest case, Cartwright uncovers a sordid tale of betrayal, murder and deceit. And the clues don't come easy. He has to match wits with the mysterious Veronica Stone who shows up unexpectedly one night at his office. Then there's a stripper by the name of Sophie, who works at the Polka Dot Club and has a fascination for the colour pink. And a teenage stowaway he discovers on a yacht, who may hold the critical key to cracking the case wide open. Selected for Detective and Crime's (@crime) Reading List 'Kicking Ass & Taking Names' Highest Ranking - #05 Mystery/Thriller, #02 Wattys2018