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Richard J. Alley

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Born
in Memphis, Tennessee, The United States
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April 2008

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Richard J. Alley is the author of the novels FIVE NIGHT STAND and AMELIA THORN, and a contributor to the anthology MEMPHIS NOIR.
He lives in Memphis, Tennessee.

Tempting

“Everything Happens to Me” is a jazz standard first recorded by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and Frank Sinatra in 1940. Around that same time is when Cesare Annunziata, the antihero of Lorenzo Marone’s striking novel (translated from the Italian by Shaun Whiteside), The Temptation to Be Happy, would have been born, and Cesare might have taken that song as his life’s anthem.

When we meet Cesare he is

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Published on March 11, 2018 10:03
Average rating: 4.06 · 390 ratings · 88 reviews · 3 distinct works
Five Night Stand

4.12 avg rating — 295 ratings — published 2015 — 4 editions
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Memphis Noir (Akashic Noir)

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3.51 avg rating — 85 ratings — published 2015 — 5 editions
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Amelia Thorn

4.79 avg rating — 29 ratings — published 2020 — 2 editions
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The only two places these bedlamic stories and characters could exist are in the movies and in Memphis. Welcome to the theater of Corey Mesler’s mind. Sit back with a bucket of popcorn and grab a buttery handful of make-believe like it was a scene ou ...more
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“They are four people as similar as they are unique—one at the end of his career, one lost in the middle, one who dreams of beginning, and the fourth, a child, not knowing what is ahead of him.”
― Richard J. Alley, Five Night Stand

“East 103rd, New York, New York”
― Richard J. Alley, Five Night Stand

“Music, in all of its variations and venues, is the world's oldest social network.”
― Richard J. Alley, Five Night Stand

“They are four people as similar as they are unique—one at the end of his career, one lost in the middle, one who dreams of beginning, and the fourth, a child, not knowing what is ahead of him.”
― Richard J. Alley, Five Night Stand

“Thoughts are real', he said. 'Words are real. Everything human is real, and sometimes we know things before they happen, even if we aren't aware of it. We live in the present, but the future is inside us at every moment. Maybe that's what writing is all about, Sid. Not recording events from the past, but making things happen in the future'.”
― Paul Auster, Oracle Night

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Bernard Grisoni Sara's Secrets: A Mystery
Hello Richard,

Thank you for being my friend on Goodreads. I imagine that you have like me a deep love for spiritual mysteries, ancient journeys, and forgotten voices. I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself and share a little about my latest novel, Sara’s Secrets.

While working on my first novel - set over 5,500 years ago during the Neolithic period - I discovered a striking phenomenon: large-scale alignments between sacred ancient sites such as Stonehenge. These alignments suggest a far more sophisticated understanding of astronomy and geography than what modern archaeology typically acknowledges.

In my second novel, I set out to explore the rise of the Knights Templar and their role in the sudden emergence of Gothic architecture in 12th-century France. To my surprise, I observed a resurgence of monumental religious alignments - echoes of this Neolithic knowledge that had somehow endured. This story also introduces a surprising and ruthless killer at the heart of the plot.

My upcoming - and likely final - novel, Sara’s Secrets, attempts to identify the pivotal moment in the transmission of this ancient wisdom: the quiet overlaying of the Earth Mother, Gaia, with Mary, the mother of Jesus. It’s a historical mystery that blends sacred geography, forgotten traditions, and spiritual inheritance. Sara’s journey illuminates a hidden path through history that opened Western Europe to Christianity.

I’m currently looking for a few early readers interested in receiving an ARC of Sara’s Secrets before its official release on January 5, 2026. If you’re drawn to historical mysteries, ancient wisdom, or spiritual themes, I would love to share an early copy with you for an honest review or rating.
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...


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