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Quilt City: Proving a Negative: A Hadley Carroll Mystery
Hadley Carroll’s big weekend plans include visiting the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky, with her friends and newfound family, watching an action scene being shot downtown for a Hollywood adventure film, celebrating a birthday, and quilting in Paducah Quilters Quorum.
But Hadley, a journalist and the mayor of Paducah, receives bad news from Ashley, the eighteen-year-old who lives with her, and from Dakota, Hadley’s best friend.
Then, when the movie stunt goes terribly wrong and the crimes that follow threaten to tear the city apart, Hadley and her usual entourage set out to catch the criminals.
But the stakes grow higher and the stresses become personal when someone close to her goes missing, and Hadley finds herself in unfamiliar terrain when the system breaks down.
She solicits assistance from private-eye Garrett Hunt and from her boyfriend, Detective Brandon Green, but this time justice may elude them all.
But Hadley, a journalist and the mayor of Paducah, receives bad news from Ashley, the eighteen-year-old who lives with her, and from Dakota, Hadley’s best friend.
Then, when the movie stunt goes terribly wrong and the crimes that follow threaten to tear the city apart, Hadley and her usual entourage set out to catch the criminals.
But the stakes grow higher and the stresses become personal when someone close to her goes missing, and Hadley finds herself in unfamiliar terrain when the system breaks down.
She solicits assistance from private-eye Garrett Hunt and from her boyfriend, Detective Brandon Green, but this time justice may elude them all.
- GenresFiction
262 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 2, 2024
43 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Bruce Leonard
11 books67 followersHello, Readers,
My latest novel, Hard Exit, is the most personal of the five I've written. I've lived with the story and various drafts for decades. The story takes place in Malibu and south Los Angeles and is narrated by depressed private eye Jack Drake, who lives in a Malibu beach mansion with movie star Amanda Bigelow.
He's endured traumas and suffered significant losses. He's muddled through years of grief and stasis, but then Game, an at-risk sixteen-year-old, changes Jack's perspective. The two of them become friends, then try to solve a series of murders in Malibu and south Los Angeles.
Unlike the Hadley novels, Hard Exit isn't a cozy mystery. It contains cursing, a sex scene, and some violence. However, fists don't fly every twenty pages, and the Jack doesn't subdue half a dozen armed foes with his wits and a handful of wet pork rinds.
I'm proud of my first four novels, but I think Hard Exit—a love story wrapped in a murder mystery—will appeal to a much broader readership. I hope you enjoy it.
After I finish the thriller I'm writing, and after I write the next Hadley novel, Quilt City: Safety Second, I'll return with the second Jack Drake Mystery: Stronger at the Break.
Stay tuned for audiobooks of the first four Hadley Carroll Mysteries, which should be released late in 2024.
All of my books are available through my website, https://bruceleonardwriter.com
and the usual channels.
Thank you tremendously for your support.
All the best,
Bruce
Please follow my author page at: https://www.amazon.com/author/brucele...
Thank you tremendously for your support.
All the best,
Bruce
My latest novel, Hard Exit, is the most personal of the five I've written. I've lived with the story and various drafts for decades. The story takes place in Malibu and south Los Angeles and is narrated by depressed private eye Jack Drake, who lives in a Malibu beach mansion with movie star Amanda Bigelow.
He's endured traumas and suffered significant losses. He's muddled through years of grief and stasis, but then Game, an at-risk sixteen-year-old, changes Jack's perspective. The two of them become friends, then try to solve a series of murders in Malibu and south Los Angeles.
Unlike the Hadley novels, Hard Exit isn't a cozy mystery. It contains cursing, a sex scene, and some violence. However, fists don't fly every twenty pages, and the Jack doesn't subdue half a dozen armed foes with his wits and a handful of wet pork rinds.
I'm proud of my first four novels, but I think Hard Exit—a love story wrapped in a murder mystery—will appeal to a much broader readership. I hope you enjoy it.
After I finish the thriller I'm writing, and after I write the next Hadley novel, Quilt City: Safety Second, I'll return with the second Jack Drake Mystery: Stronger at the Break.
Stay tuned for audiobooks of the first four Hadley Carroll Mysteries, which should be released late in 2024.
All of my books are available through my website, https://bruceleonardwriter.com
and the usual channels.
Thank you tremendously for your support.
All the best,
Bruce
Please follow my author page at: https://www.amazon.com/author/brucele...
Thank you tremendously for your support.
All the best,
Bruce
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 24, 2024
I love the Quilt City books!
Yes, I am a quilter which makes them especially interesting, but the stories are entertaining and the dialogue is fabulous!
Yes, I am a quilter which makes them especially interesting, but the stories are entertaining and the dialogue is fabulous!
July 30, 2024
Surprise, Surprise
Two murders and the town is protesting, rioting and acting !one its Hadley's fault. Hadley has met her half sister and two nieces. During a film production on Paducah a stunt man is killed. At the hotel two policemen and a young woman are shot and killed. Also, Hadley wants to find you why athletics young people are dying or becoming critically ill. Never a dull moment. Great job. Thank you. I guess I have to wait for book 5 Safety Second, so l guess ill just have to buy the cookbook. Thank you again.
Two murders and the town is protesting, rioting and acting !one its Hadley's fault. Hadley has met her half sister and two nieces. During a film production on Paducah a stunt man is killed. At the hotel two policemen and a young woman are shot and killed. Also, Hadley wants to find you why athletics young people are dying or becoming critically ill. Never a dull moment. Great job. Thank you. I guess I have to wait for book 5 Safety Second, so l guess ill just have to buy the cookbook. Thank you again.
September 30, 2024
good series
Ok, so I’ve now read the four books in the series and really liked all of them. This one contained less quilting time than the others, but it still involved Paducah and the national quilt museum. Like I said in one of the earlier reviews, I’ve been to Paducah for the quilt show I think 3 times and enjoyed being there even with the big crowds. We also lived in Carbondale Illinois for about 2 years and so know the area.
Ok, so I’ve now read the four books in the series and really liked all of them. This one contained less quilting time than the others, but it still involved Paducah and the national quilt museum. Like I said in one of the earlier reviews, I’ve been to Paducah for the quilt show I think 3 times and enjoyed being there even with the big crowds. We also lived in Carbondale Illinois for about 2 years and so know the area.
May 20, 2024
I'm addicted to this series which is more about journalism than quilting. Most of the characters are larger-than-life (which I mean as a compliment), the red herrings are plentiful and the plotting is delightfully labyrinthine. I just wish I hadn't embarked on a drink-more-water crusade the day before I cracked this book open.
May 4, 2024
Excellent
This series of books continues to excel. Hadley is an amazing character. The story line is great. Oh that someday Nick Stoddard is found guilty.
This series of books continues to excel. Hadley is an amazing character. The story line is great. Oh that someday Nick Stoddard is found guilty.
May 14, 2024
Definitely read the series in order. Lots of attention to detail. The last chapter could be read a few times. Great series!
June 13, 2024
Another winner
Hadley has to deal with a movie being made in Paducah going awry and finding the guilty parties responsible for robbery and murder.
Hadley has to deal with a movie being made in Paducah going awry and finding the guilty parties responsible for robbery and murder.
October 18, 2024
Good read for Hadley fans
Good read, plot twist with prior characters. I like how the main characters are evolving. Thanks again for a nice read.
Good read, plot twist with prior characters. I like how the main characters are evolving. Thanks again for a nice read.
January 5, 2026
Terrific character development. Engaging characters.
June 29, 2024
The best mystery so far! Bruce Leonard keeps you wondering what is next and then surprises you again and again.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews