Illinois Authors

Worldwide, Toronto ; ©1998.

A collection of short stories that involve crimes happening at Christmas time.

Alex Reynolds and his lover Peter Livesay discover that a mysterious cult has killed friends of theirs over their friends' accidental possession of a stolen religious artifact. Now, Alex, Peter, and Alex's mother have inherited their friends' annoying dog Muffin as well as the unwanted and deadly attention of the killers.

Alex Reynolds, his lover Peter, and Alex's mother are thrust into a confusing and deadly game when friends of theirs are killed for possessing a stolen religious artifact. Now, in addition to inheriting their friends' annoying dog Muffin, the killers believe that Alex and his family also possess the missing artifact, putting Alex next on their list if the object isn't found and returned very soon.

In Los Angeles, PI Alex Reynolds tours the pornographic film industry in the hope of finding the killer of his lover, Pat, an actor in porno films.

St. Martin's ; New York : 1999.

St. Martin's Press, New York : 1998.

Alex Reynolds has reluctantly agreed to help out in a Chicago campaign office, but the office is bombed, and he and his lover Peter Livesay are hoping to avoid getting killed themselves.

Alex Reynolds has reluctantly agreed to help out in a Chicago camppaign office, but the office is bombed, and he and his lover Peter Livesay are hoping "to avoid getting killed themselves."--Jacket.

Worldwide, New York : 1998, ©1994.

With a relaxing few days in mind, Miss Emily Charters signs up for a four-day seniors' cruise of the Great Lakes organized by her church. In the company of her friend and housekeeper, Lynn Francis, Charters and the other seniors set sail from Chicago, but while the waters on the lake are calm and predictable, her fellow passengers are not. However, a little tension is the least of the problems when one of her fellow passengers is found horribly murdered in her cabin. While the police investigate, the ship remains at port, leaving Emily stranded until her friend, Chicago Police Detective Jeremy Ransom, comes to her rescue. Together they set out to solve a most perplexing puzzle of a murder committed without seeming opportunity or plausible reason, not mention right under Emily's nose.

St. Martin's Minotaur, New York : 2003.

When a passenger aboard a Great Lakes senior cruise is found murdered, church group member Emily Charters teams up with her friend, detective Jeremy Ransom, to solve the case.

Worldwide, Toronto ; 2002.

St. Martin's Press, New York : 1997.

A mystery featuring a pair of inter-generational sleuths. He is Detective Jeremy Ransom of Chicago, she is his friend, Emily Charters, an elderly lady recuperating from heart surgery. They solve a murder while on holiday together.

Worldwide, Toronto ; 1999.

After being exonerated in the rape of a high school classmate, Ben Harvey becomes the suspect in the girl's murder eight years later. Jerry Ransom is drawn to the case, only to discover that the fine line of justice can be razor sharp ... and deadly. "(Ransom's) sharpest, most urgent case yet."--"Kirkus Reviews." Martin's Press.

Worldwide, Toronto ; [1997], ©1995.

Worldwide, Toronto ; 1997.

"The young man's body was found nude, the marks on his palms and feet revealing his grim fate: he had been crucified. The body is later identified as a parishioner of the Community of the Lord Church. As Chicago police detective Jeremy Ransom investigates the cultlike enclave led by its rigid and autocratic minister, the invisible bond of the community tightens. But Ransom is convinced that the killer lurks among them, especially when another victim meets the same torturous death. With insightful help from his surrogate grandmother, Emily Charters, Ransom discovers the truth that did not set these victims free ... it only got them dead."--BOOK COVER.

The elderly Abigal Pearson has a heart attack at home when she has a vision of her long-disappeared husband. When Emily Charters goes to stay with Abigail to look after her, Emily begins to believe something nefarious is indeed afoot. The strangest case yet for Emily and her friend, Chicago police detective Jeremy Ransom.

Worldwide, Toronto ; 2000.

On seeing the ghost of her dead husband, a woman in Chicago has a heart attack. Police attribute her vision to old age, but sleuthing senior citizen Emily Charters sees the hand of a criminal.

When Alex Reynolds, his lover Peter Livesay, and his mother Jean-occasional freelance operatives for the CIA-are asked to stash an Iraqi military defector in their home, all three are less than thrilled. It turns out the defector is an 18-year-old soldier who has ties to a terrorist organization and, to further complicate matters, is gay. But the real trouble begins when the young man mysteriously disappears, and suddenly Alex, Peter and Jean find themselves in the middle of a very dangerous game.

St. Martin's Minotaur ; New York : 2002.

A controversial exhibit of Chinchorro mummies is about to open in Chicago at Dolores Tower, the latest building by the equally controversial local developer Louie Dolores. The mummies - dating from 2000 to 7000 BC - are incredibly fragile, making their transportation and display very risky. Even worse, the pending exhibition is being protested by a group who regard the exploitation of the mummies to be desecration of their ancient dead, leading to both tension and excitement over the coming opening. Lucky for Chicago Police Detective Jeremy Ransom none of this has anything to do with him. He figures as long as he can keep his friend, the elderly Miss Emily Charters, away from the opening, then there won't be a murder and he won't have to get involved. But first there are reports that a mummy is moving around the exhibit at night, then there are death threats against the developer, and when one night, alone in the exhibit, Louie Dolores is attacked by one of the mummies, Ransom is assigned to find out what's going on. With the sharp wits and intelligence of Emily at his beck and call, Ransom has to sort out the truth in what could be his strangest assignment ever before the a volatile situation turns fatal.

Worldwide, Toronto ; 2003.