by: January Bain
Genre: Hard-Boiled Mystery/Thriller
Release Date: April 16, 2024
Publisher: Rough Edges Press
A Gripping Tale of Identity, Crime, and Survival… Claire Preston, a script reader for a Hollywood movie studio, has recently lost her mother. Discovering she was adopted as a baby, she goes on a perilous quest for her true identity.
Assisted by her mentor, the seasoned private investigator, Jake Sterling, Claire delves deeper into her past, only to unearth a labyrinth of secrets more daunting than she ever envisioned. Soon, she finds herself in the crosshairs of a ruthless serial killer—an ex-Nazi fugitive evading justice for decades.
As Claire confronts her heritage, grapples with danger, and races against time to evade the clutches of a deadly predator, she finds herself wondering: Is uncovering the truth in a city of lies even possible?
Experience the chilling twists and turns of a tale where identity, mystery, and survival converge in the heart of 1968 Los Angeles.
She smiled that Mona Lisa smile again before efficiently tapping the end of her Salem twice against the huge glass ashtray still sparkling from a recent cleaning. When she sat back, her brown suede mini skirt rose another half inch, making him sweat in the air conditioning he’d cranked up to maximum setting before Mae Dixon, his bossy and essential secretary, had ushered in his last client of the day. The small rose tattoo peeking at him was the final coup de grâce. He yanked at his tie, releasing its stranglehold.
“You read a lot, Mr. Sterling?”
“Please, call me Jake. Guilty. You?”
“It’s what I do daily to keep body and soul intact.” She gave a grimace, quirking red-rouged lips downward at the corners like she’d just eaten something unagreeable. Picking up the glass of whiskey, she took a large gulp, the liquid working its way sensuously down her creamy white throat. His best guess, a real redhead. The conveniently located beauty mark near the edge of her mouth sealed the siren deal.
He looked into her arresting green eyes shining like an alley cat’s in the streetlight before taking a good slug of his own Jim Beam. “Doesn’t appear to be agreeing with you. And here I was betting on your being an actress. An even less agreeable occupation.”
“Good place to learn the lying, stealing, mannerisms of Hollywood as anywhere—reading scripts. And I leave the acting profession to my friend, Serena Sands.”
“You want to become a mystery writer exposing the underbelly of Hollywood? Come work for me. Nothing like the real world to give a writer excellent fodder. In fact, you’ll need to work hard to make your book more plausible than what truly goes down in this city of lies.”
She stubbed out the cigarette, then immediately lit another before he could lean forward to assist. He noted her fingers trembled ever so slightly. She blew another perfect smoke ring. Impressive. She was the kind of female he almost hoped would say she needed his help to kill someone, and to bury the body in the desert, so she’d be in his debt forever. Not that he would do it, of course, though he had never been properly tested. Until now.
“Maybe I will. Do you believe in fate, Jake?”
The rebel song still high jacking his brain slowed down a bit. “I like to think I have a hand in my own destiny, that if I don’t care for the cards dealt, I can reshuffle the deck. Helps me sleep at night.”
She gave him a slight nod, her glittering Veronica Lake pageboy swinging forward against her shoulder, shadowing half her face. Too bad she was a decade younger and a ten. On a good day he might be a solid six—six and a half.
“You read a lot, Mr. Sterling?”
“Please, call me Jake. Guilty. You?”
“It’s what I do daily to keep body and soul intact.” She gave a grimace, quirking red-rouged lips downward at the corners like she’d just eaten something unagreeable. Picking up the glass of whiskey, she took a large gulp, the liquid working its way sensuously down her creamy white throat. His best guess, a real redhead. The conveniently located beauty mark near the edge of her mouth sealed the siren deal.
He looked into her arresting green eyes shining like an alley cat’s in the streetlight before taking a good slug of his own Jim Beam. “Doesn’t appear to be agreeing with you. And here I was betting on your being an actress. An even less agreeable occupation.”
“Good place to learn the lying, stealing, mannerisms of Hollywood as anywhere—reading scripts. And I leave the acting profession to my friend, Serena Sands.”
“You want to become a mystery writer exposing the underbelly of Hollywood? Come work for me. Nothing like the real world to give a writer excellent fodder. In fact, you’ll need to work hard to make your book more plausible than what truly goes down in this city of lies.”
She stubbed out the cigarette, then immediately lit another before he could lean forward to assist. He noted her fingers trembled ever so slightly. She blew another perfect smoke ring. Impressive. She was the kind of female he almost hoped would say she needed his help to kill someone, and to bury the body in the desert, so she’d be in his debt forever. Not that he would do it, of course, though he had never been properly tested. Until now.
“Maybe I will. Do you believe in fate, Jake?”
The rebel song still high jacking his brain slowed down a bit. “I like to think I have a hand in my own destiny, that if I don’t care for the cards dealt, I can reshuffle the deck. Helps me sleep at night.”
She gave him a slight nod, her glittering Veronica Lake pageboy swinging forward against her shoulder, shadowing half her face. Too bad she was a decade younger and a ten. On a good day he might be a solid six—six and a half.
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The award-winning author has had the pleasure of select novels being turned into games, while her work is also available in different languages.
January and her husband live in rural Canada on peaceful acreage where a variety of wildlife comes to visit regularly and expects to be fed and paid attention to.
Places to find January Bain:
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Looks like an interesting book.
ReplyDeleteWe appreciate you featuring CITY OF LIES today.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome.
DeleteThis sounds like a good story. I enjoyed the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteI'm really looking forward to checking this book out. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for featuring my book, Kim, it means a lot to an author to get the word out there! And thank you to those commenting on the excerpt. I hope you decide to take a chance and read it. I've been getting some nice reviews. I think sharing one might be called for? :-) From an avid reader:
ReplyDeleteReview for City of lies I always enjoy January Bain’s books! I love the scene and tone of city of Lies! Small details and secondary characters made it feel like I had stepped into the time period. The author pulled so much of the feel of the late 1960’s into a story that mixes mysteries old and new. Claire is an exceptional FMC. Gorgeous, intelligent, resilient and very likable! Jake is honest and the kind of guy you want in your side. He takes his job as a private detective very seriously. Together, they team up to solve what ends up being multiple mysteries. I highly recommend this fast paced, page turner.
Thank you and I wish everyone a lovely day! I'll be back later! Best, January Bain/storyteller
You're welcome, January. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteJanuary, I HAVE to ask... January is such a cool name. Is it your birth name?
ReplyDeleteIt is the one on my birth certificate, yup! And I always find it the best month of the year for me, even if it is the coldest one in Canada where we live! Thanks for the question, Kim.
DeleteThat's so cool.
DeleteHard-Boiled Mystery/Thriller - I love this genre!
ReplyDeletePromises great reading.
Thank you for sharing this.
Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteThis looks great!
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed the excerpt. Good work.
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds great. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteHow is life these days?
ReplyDeleteHave a good Sunday.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great thriller. I like the cover.
ReplyDelete