Creative Deductions: Strike Out

by Michael Pickard, Virtual Voice (Narrator)

Bringing down bad guys, even outside his Chicago jurisdiction, is Detective Nick Chasm’s obsession. It ranks second only to his love for his 82-year-old mother. His half-brother, Brisbane, is equally obsessed ... with growing his drug cartel.

Despite ongoing, years-long investigations by the FBI and the DEA, successfully convicting Brisbane of his crimes is still only a far-off hope. To Nick’s growing frustration, the necessary evidence has yet to be obtained. Now, having just rescued his beloved mother from his brother’s clutches, Nick laments that his partner, Melanie Cooper, remains abducted, forced to work within Brisbane’s thriving empire.

Nick can’t rest until he brings his half-brother to justice and frees his partner. Can he achieve his goals without breaking the law himself? At this point, Nick might be willing to cross that line.

Audible Audio

Published April 6, 2025

About the author

Michael Pickard’s writing serves as the bridge between his professional work in technology and his passion for creative arts.

Pickard's catalog includes nine novels, two children's books, and a collection of juried short stories, including Hardwired, which won a Ray Bradbury Creative Writing Prize in 2005.