Power Play: A Jess Hambrick Novel

by Stan Hardison

Detective Jess Hambrick of the Hampton, Virginia Police Department is confronted by a young man with a strange story. He claims some unknown person is threatening the life of his boss. The story is so strange that Jess and his partner, Detective Roy Hartman, decide to investigate. That same day the Detectives get a phone call from yet another stranger, telling them he has information that will shed some light on the case. While meeting with the caller, and before he can tell Jess and Hartman anything, he is murdered. The murder appears to be the work of professionals. What started as a questionable threat now includes a murder of an out-of-town informant and contract killers. The case takes Jess and Hartman from Virginia to Arizona State Prison before it is finally solved.

318 pages, Paperback

First published September 14, 2012

About the author

In 1966, I became art director and writer for the USAF safety magazine, The Combat Edge, formerly known as Tac Attack Magazine at Langley Air Force Base, VA. I held that position until my retirement in 1990.
In 1970, I introduced the comic strip "Fleagle" to the magazine and it was greeted with more than average success.
"Fleagle" has been published monthly from the time of his introduction until early 2010. The popularity of the strip deemed it necessary for me to continue drawing it even after my retirement.
In the late 70's "Fleagle" was printed in paperback and was received very well by the comic reading public. Other than Fleagle, I have had several short stories published and received the Distinquished Author award for "3 Against the Bay" in 2005.

My love of writing continued and until my retirement, I never had the time to devote to it. I had several ideas for novels and was eager to see if they would be accepted by a public.
My first 2 novels titled "Gardens of Brookside", and "Misguided Action" were published in 2011. My third novel, "Delayed Justice" has just been introduced on Amazon.com an Barnes & Noble.com