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Flynt & Steele #5
Dead Head: Odd-Couple Detectives, High-Stakes Crimes, Unbeatable Team
New to the series? Start with Dead Beat Book 1.
A festival of music, mushrooms, and murder. Two detectives who couldn’t be more out of place—or out of sync.
The last thing Detectives Flynt and Steele expected when they were sent to a sun-soaked California music festival was to investigate a brutal murder. But when a vendor is found stabbed in the back amidst the swirling crowd of festival-goers, it’s clear that something far darker is happening beneath the haze of peace, love, and rock ‘n’ roll. The vendor wasn’t just any festival regular—he had deep ties to a local polygamist community, where multiple wives may hold secrets as twisted as the murder itself.
Flynt, with his love for all things eccentric, blends right into the wild world of dreadlocks, tie-dye, and jam sessions. Steele, on the other hand, feels like a fish out of water, growing more frustrated with every passing minute. As they navigate the chaotic festival scene—and the complicated web of polygamist relationships—their differences become even more pronounced. While Flynt relishes the weirdness, Steele fights to keep his cool amidst the sea of stoned suspects, cryptic clues, and a tangle of jealous wives who may be more involved than they let on.
But as they unravel the mystery behind the knife in the vendor’s back, the detectives realize the case is more twisted than it seems. The peace-and-love vibe masks a killer’s true intentions, and Flynt and Steele are once again pushed to their limits—both by the investigation and each other.
Prefer reading the full story in one volume? The Flynt and Steele Box Set collects the complete series in one edition.
A festival of music, mushrooms, and murder. Two detectives who couldn’t be more out of place—or out of sync.
The last thing Detectives Flynt and Steele expected when they were sent to a sun-soaked California music festival was to investigate a brutal murder. But when a vendor is found stabbed in the back amidst the swirling crowd of festival-goers, it’s clear that something far darker is happening beneath the haze of peace, love, and rock ‘n’ roll. The vendor wasn’t just any festival regular—he had deep ties to a local polygamist community, where multiple wives may hold secrets as twisted as the murder itself.
Flynt, with his love for all things eccentric, blends right into the wild world of dreadlocks, tie-dye, and jam sessions. Steele, on the other hand, feels like a fish out of water, growing more frustrated with every passing minute. As they navigate the chaotic festival scene—and the complicated web of polygamist relationships—their differences become even more pronounced. While Flynt relishes the weirdness, Steele fights to keep his cool amidst the sea of stoned suspects, cryptic clues, and a tangle of jealous wives who may be more involved than they let on.
But as they unravel the mystery behind the knife in the vendor’s back, the detectives realize the case is more twisted than it seems. The peace-and-love vibe masks a killer’s true intentions, and Flynt and Steele are once again pushed to their limits—both by the investigation and each other.
Prefer reading the full story in one volume? The Flynt and Steele Box Set collects the complete series in one edition.
Audible Audio
Published February 13, 2024
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About the author
Micheal Maxwell
65 books75 followersMicheal Maxwell has traveled the globe on the lookout for strange sights, sounds, and people. His adventures have taken him from the Jungles of Ecuador and the Philippines to the top of the Eiffel Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge, and from the cave dwellings of Native Americans to The Kehlsteinhaus, Hitler’s Eagles Nest! He’s always looking for a story to tell and interesting people to meet.
Micheal Maxwell was taught the beauty and majesty of the English language by Bob Dylan, Robertson Davies, Charles Dickens, and Leonard Cohen.
Mr. Maxwell has traveled the globe, dined with politicians, rock stars, and beggars. He has rubbed shoulders with priests and murderers, surgeons and drug dealers, each one giving him a part of themselves that will live again in the pages of his books.
Micheal Maxwell has found a niche in the mystery, suspense, genre with The Cole Sage Series that gives readers an everyman hero, short on vices, long on compassion, and a sense of fair play, and the willingness to risk everything to right wrongs. The Cole Sage Series departs from the usual, heavily sexual, profanity-laced norm and gives readers character-driven stories, with twists, turns, and page-turning plot lines.
Micheal Maxwell writes from a life of love, music, film, and literature. Along with his lovely wife and travel partner, Janet, he lives in a small town in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.
Micheal Maxwell was taught the beauty and majesty of the English language by Bob Dylan, Robertson Davies, Charles Dickens, and Leonard Cohen.
Mr. Maxwell has traveled the globe, dined with politicians, rock stars, and beggars. He has rubbed shoulders with priests and murderers, surgeons and drug dealers, each one giving him a part of themselves that will live again in the pages of his books.
Micheal Maxwell has found a niche in the mystery, suspense, genre with The Cole Sage Series that gives readers an everyman hero, short on vices, long on compassion, and a sense of fair play, and the willingness to risk everything to right wrongs. The Cole Sage Series departs from the usual, heavily sexual, profanity-laced norm and gives readers character-driven stories, with twists, turns, and page-turning plot lines.
Micheal Maxwell writes from a life of love, music, film, and literature. Along with his lovely wife and travel partner, Janet, he lives in a small town in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 4, 2021
Dead Ringer - a review by Rosemary Kenny
Rosemary and Dylan's attendance at The Gathering Festival, (at which they're anticipating their favourite band's appearance) is rudely and shockingly interrupted.
As they casually enjoy the offerings of hand-made jewellery and coins on one of the side stalls, they discover the 'sleeping' stall-holder is actually dead. Who's the killer? What happens next?
Detectives Flynt and Steele are soon on the case, that leads to weird and wonderful situations. It's revealed the victim, Tom Sawyer was the 'sultan' of his own 'harem' - of six 'wives', all living at a secluded rural homestead.
Meanwhile Sawyer also has two more identities/ lifestyles, making detection of the motive, means and opportunity of the killer, extremely difficult to identify.
Recently widowed Steele has returned to work too soon, taking out his poorly-concealed aggression and grief on his partner, suspects and witnesses alike, while seeking 'consolation', (like his alcoholic father before him) at the bottom of a bottle.
Micheal Maxwell expertly and believably blends storyline threads together, to make an exciting, whole. He sympathetically portrays his flawed hero and the development of understanding and increasing empathy, that makes Flynt and Steele such a special partnership.
Don't wait - get your copy of Dead Ringer today!
Rosemary and Dylan's attendance at The Gathering Festival, (at which they're anticipating their favourite band's appearance) is rudely and shockingly interrupted.
As they casually enjoy the offerings of hand-made jewellery and coins on one of the side stalls, they discover the 'sleeping' stall-holder is actually dead. Who's the killer? What happens next?
Detectives Flynt and Steele are soon on the case, that leads to weird and wonderful situations. It's revealed the victim, Tom Sawyer was the 'sultan' of his own 'harem' - of six 'wives', all living at a secluded rural homestead.
Meanwhile Sawyer also has two more identities/ lifestyles, making detection of the motive, means and opportunity of the killer, extremely difficult to identify.
Recently widowed Steele has returned to work too soon, taking out his poorly-concealed aggression and grief on his partner, suspects and witnesses alike, while seeking 'consolation', (like his alcoholic father before him) at the bottom of a bottle.
Micheal Maxwell expertly and believably blends storyline threads together, to make an exciting, whole. He sympathetically portrays his flawed hero and the development of understanding and increasing empathy, that makes Flynt and Steele such a special partnership.
Don't wait - get your copy of Dead Ringer today!
April 2, 2021
Another terrific case for this dynamic duo. Steele is recovering from the death of his wife, Jacki, and having a tough time. He’s drinking too much and then calls his partner—first time ever not about a case. This case is about the husband of 6 wives who gets stabbed in the back at a hippie festival. Since almost everyone is stoned, it is hard to find anyone who remembers anything out of the ordinary. The wives claim total devotion to Tom Sawyer, that’s his name. So who did it. There is much back and forth and lots of bantering between the two but in the end they solve the murder. The book ends too abruptly but at a good place. This is a great series. I highly recommend it. I recommend every book written by Micheal Maxwell.
March 20, 2021
Wow, can't wait for the next book!
I just adore this series. I have read a quite a few other books by these authors, but their collaboration in this series is the bomb! Can't wait for the next one.
I just adore this series. I have read a quite a few other books by these authors, but their collaboration in this series is the bomb! Can't wait for the next one.
October 4, 2021
Dead Ringer
His novel was not the best but following Flynt and Steele storyline, I give it a four rating. I have read other novel from these author and if you enjoy mystery. I would pick up another novel in this series.
His novel was not the best but following Flynt and Steele storyline, I give it a four rating. I have read other novel from these author and if you enjoy mystery. I would pick up another novel in this series.
August 10, 2022
Excellent read
Absolutely love this series! I don't want to put it down. Mr. Maxwell has the ability to keep you interested to the very end
Absolutely love this series! I don't want to put it down. Mr. Maxwell has the ability to keep you interested to the very end
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews