In the raucous, bloody, red-light district of Storyville, New Orleans, in 1907, where two thousand scarlet women practice their trade in grand mansions and filthy dime-a-trick cribs, where cocaine and opium are sold over the counter, and where rye whiskey flows like an amber river, there’s a killer loose. Someone is murdering Storyville prostitutes and marking each killing with a black rose.

As Creole detective Valentin St. Cyr begins to investigate, he encounters a cast of characters drawn from history: Tom Anderson, the political boss who runs Storyville like a private kingdom; Lulu White, the district’s most notorious madam; a young piano player who would come to be known as Jelly Roll Morton; and Buddy Bolden, the man who all but invented jazz and is now losing his mind.

No ordinary mystery, Chasing the Devil’s Tail is a chilling portrait of musical genius and self-destruction, set at the moment when jazz was born.

David Fulmer, author of the acclaimed Storyville series, now brings us to the vibrant city of Philadelphia and the early days of its famous soul music.

Welterweight boxer Eddie Cero is out of the ring with an injury, but he still can’t bear to see an unfair fight. In a Philadelphia alley, he steps in on two punks beating up an older man–and the victim, a private detective, buys Eddie a round and offers him a part-time gig. After a few days on the job, Eddie stumbles on a cold case involving the frontman for the Excels, one of Philadelphia’s best soul acts. A music lover and big fan of the group, Eddie starts investigating the case out of curiosity, but the missing singer’s talented sister draws him deep into a violent, twisted story of betrayal and intrigue, power and passion–all set to the beat of Philadelphia soul.

David Fulmer won the Shamus Award for Best First P.I. Novel for his debut, Chasing the Devil’s Tail. In The Dying Crapshooter’s Blues, he spins a riveting tale set amid the hustle and bustle of 1920s Atlanta. On the same night a drunk cop shoots a gambler, a haul of priceless jewels is stolen-setting the stage for a mystery as complex and steeped in the blues as the city of Atlanta itself. “Fulmer paints the sprawling vitality of 1920s Atlanta with broad strokes … [a] vital effort from Shamus-winner Fulmer.”-Publishers Weekly

A fascinating and character-driven thriller, this novel delves into the deepest bonds of friendship, all accompanied by a rock ‘n’ roll beat.

After Richard Zale receives news of the death of a childhood friend, he returns to their hometown to pay his respects. It isn’t long, however, before old frictions and a new puzzle emerge, drawing him deeper into the mystery of his friend’s demise.

... Read more