Created by Steve Liskow
Hartford, Connecticut private eye ZACH BARNES and his super-smart (and super-sexy, of course) girlfriend Beth Shepherd, a superstar romance author known as “Taliesyn Holroyd,” who writes over-the-top bodice-ripper romance novels. Except that the real writer is a dude–and Beth makes a good living posing as him at signings and other book events.
They’re essentially a lighter, more domesticated version of Spenser and Susan (they actually live together), but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth reading. The plots are pretty good, even if the wink-wink nudge-nudge patter gets a little smirky at times.
They’ve appeared in several short stories and six novels (so far, and all featuring rock’n’roll-tinged titles), including the Shamus finalist The Kids are Alright (2014).
STRAIGHT FROM THE AUTHOR’S MOUTH
“In fall 2006, a friend suggested I write a romance novel. Ghost Writers in the Sky became a romantic mystery spoof set in Connecticut with deliberately over-the-top characters, including a PI named Zach Barnes. Between 2007 and 2009, I sent it to nearly seventy agents and publishers with underwhelming success…”
–from trace-evidence.net
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A former actor, director and English teacher, Steve Liskow‘s short stories have earned Edgar and Shamus nominations. He also has two ongoing series of novels, both set in Hartford: one featuring P.I. Zach Barnes, and one featuring police detectives Trash and Byrne, and one set in Detroit, starring another private investigator called–I shit thee not–Woody Guthrie. one called–I shit thee not–Woody Guthrie. He lives in (Surprise!) Hartford.
NOVELS
- Who Wrote the Book of Death? (2011) | Buy this book | Kindle it!
- Cherry Bomb (2012) | Buy this book | Kindle it!
- The Night Has 1000 Eyes (2013) | Buy this book | Kindle it!
- The Kids are Alright (2014) | Buy this book | Kindle it!
- The Nowhere Man (2016) | Buy this book | Kindle it!
- Back Door Man (2018) | Buy this book | Kindle it!
SHORT STORIES
- “This Year’s Model” (2023, Black Cat Weekly #105)
FURTHER INVESTIGATION
- steveliskow.com
The author’s official web site.
Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.
