The Riverbottom Emperor release is tomorrow, March 15. 

Jack Derrett seizes a case that becomes extraordinarily difficult, dangerous, and weird. Yet it changes so many things, personal, professionally and with only a little gunplay.

To Jack it was a simple investigation about a dead man. Buck Canton hunted the river bottoms and called himself the emperor there. He died attacking a city police officer and the family sued. Hale, the city’s lawyer, knew of Jack’s tenacity. He was just the guy to save the town. A six-million-dollar lawsuit would bankrupt the city of Macabre, Texas.

Jack’s interview with the estranged daughter surprised him. She was happy Buck was gone, and she was not part of the lawsuit. Her story painted him and the family as depraved human beings.

The Canton family warned Jack to go away by burning his truck overnight. He starts home in a rental car and a big truck tries to ram him off the road. Another family member tries to burn Jack’s home, and there is a gunfight at Danny August’s Gun Shop. Jack’s famous gun-fighter gaze and mild manner hid a ferocious temper. When Hale suggested they drop the case, he said, “I’m going back, they burned my truck.” But why is the Canton family so out of control? What are they hiding? This is too much violence for a civil case.

Danny August went with him. Was he testing him? That seemed odd to Jack. Danny didn’t need the excitement; he had once been a Colonel with the Army Rangers. Why did he talk to people at the Pentagon, and the State Department all the time? Even Danny had secrets.

Jack hated keeping the dangers of Macabre from his wife, or that he was taking suggestions from ghosts.

As Jack and Danny become closer friends on the trip, can they pierce the secrecy of the outlaw Canton family, and stay alive?

Jack Derrett is a masculine Texas lawman. His story tells of a powerful, action-oriented man protecting his friends and family. It is a life-threatening story of self-sacrifice and calculated risk.

Read it.

Jack Derrett Family

I’ve never read police procedurals aka crime thrillers that had pictures. That’s not what the picture above is about. Ann Derrett, Jack’s wife, is a hot shot lawyer who is partner in an Austin law firm. She’s hanging on him, because that’s what she does. Hale, his brother owns a law firm, is the former DA and highly politically connected. The last fellow in the picture is Danny August.

The picture is generated by AI. So it made Jack look too young for how I see him, but it’s very close. Danny August is a multi-millionaire and CEO of a private military and corporate security firm he founded along with four Army buddies. He calls those old friends His Patrol. Each are, even at retirement age, at their battlefield weight, and retain their physical skills. The are the bigger family to which, Jack’s people are a part.

If that’s as clear as muddy water right now. The book is right around the corner, or you could get the free eBook.

Before the First Line (the eBook)

Riverbottom Emperor is available for preorder, you can still get a copy of Before the First Line if you like. Its a collection of 5 short stories. Jack Derrett is a rugged, experienced police investigator, but he wasn’t borne that way. BTFL begins in high school and takes you through his rookie season to his journeyman phase. (about 17,000 eBook pages.)

OGSB Mystery, Western and Fantasy books with heart

Living Waters – By D. LaRue Mahlke

The Website, ogsbauthors.com has been undergoing an upgrade for the last several weeks. We will begin a relaunch today, offering book-related blogs and information on this site.  When appropriate either of the authors may post here to offer their thoughts about books and the topics about which we write. We even critique each other.

Books with value and values

OGSB is however about books and writing. While on our hiatus, Robert M. Starr moved his The Mountain Valley Wrangler into #63 in Historical Western fiction.

His other books have also been selling more than usual. To make things even rosier, he has some new chapters almost ready for a new Western.  It does not yet have a release date. That is a good reason to sign up on his page now. Take a look at Robert’s page listed on the menu. He’s just the kind of guy you think a Western Novelist would be.

Writers with a Christian perspective

Spencer A. Allen’s book is available on Amazon at this writing and we will begin promotional work on it along with the relaunch maybe some freebie items. Give us your email and we will let you know in a few days.

D. Larue  Mahlke has just added several new works and has some new photos of available art. Her use of color and light always just stuns the people who first see it. The Utah Sky hanging over my dining table is a favorite of mine. That is another of hers at the top of the blog.

With the relaunch is a guest author, Michael Wigington. Michael is a gamer, a Comicon guy, and a well-recognized recycling and upcycling expert. His books exist in a world of his own invention and frankly sometimes scare the pants off of me. If what you are looking for is an adventure, we-have-a-guy. Some of you are going to want to chat with him, so if sword-swinging fantasy is your thing, go sign up to follow him on the Guest Author page. We will make sure he gets it immediately.

We promise not to be spammy. The OGSB site does not do sales or advertising of other products on the site. We are not an Amazon affiliate but next to every book cover photo, there is a link to the site where you can purchase it. That is the hardest sales pitch we have. Usually, the site where you will be sent is Amazon. Things change, especially with Guest Authors.

Thank you for your patience and attention.

The OGSB Gang