Downfall

by Ben Rehder

Bianca Rossington is leading the life she’s always wanted—working a dream job in a vibrant city that suits her perfectly—until an anonymous stalker begins to ruin it all. When the situation escalates from flowers and phone calls to a veiled death threat, Bianca hires Roy Ballard and Mia Madison, who have worked together for years and recently opened a private investigation firm. They quickly identify several possible suspects, but they also learn that their client might not be giving them the full story. Can Roy and Mia sort fact from fiction as the situation turns deadly and somebody attempts to scare them off the case?

236 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 6, 2025

About the author

Ben Rehder wanted to become a writer ever since he was dropped on his head as a toddler. As he grew into a young adult and the vertigo gradually dissipated, his passion for literature grew. Ben longed to craft the type of soul-stirring prose that would touch people’s lives and help them explore new emotional horizons. But he went to work at an ad agency instead.

Throughout his rewarding and fruitful career in the ad business, Ben has been known to write such imaginative and compelling phrases as “Act now!,” “Limited-time offer,” and “Compatible with today’s rapidly changing network environment.”

However, there eventually came a time when, as unbelievable as it sounds, writing brochures and spec sheets simply wasn’t enough to satisfy Ben’s creative urges. Ben knew: It was time to write a novel.

“But what kind of novel?” Ben asked himself, drawing stares from passersby.

A mystery? A thriller? A work of suspense? Ben had read hundreds of books in these genres and loved them all. But nothing had sparked his creative juices enough to try it himself.

Fate played a hand one day when Ben’s father-in-law tossed him a copy of a Carl Hiaasen novel. And then it hit him. It literally hit him, right in the forehead. When the swelling went down and Ben had a chance to read the book, he discovered a type of fiction he had never experienced before—the comic crime novel! He loved the wacky characters, the zany plots, the interesting writing that threw a good deal of humor into the mix.

So Ben set out to write his own novel. After many grueling minutes in front of a computer, Ben was proud to present Buck Fever. Like many best-selling classics, Buck Fever has lots and lots of verbs, prepositions, adjectives, and the occasional gerund. It was even nominated for the Edgar Award for Best First Novel!

Next came Bone Dry, Flat Crazy, Guilt Trip, Gun Shy, and Holy Moly. Best of all, Ben is now releasing the earlier novels in ebook format at the low low price of just $2.99. What a deal!

Reviews

[Travis Mcgee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably a biased 5 star rating because i love the main characters so much and enjoy the sarcastic sense of humor.

[Linda Weatherbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good who-dunit

Another great edition to the Roy Ballard mysteries. Ben Rehder does as good a job as ever with this one. Quick but excellent read.

[Triggerpuller · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've read all of Ben readers books. This was a huge disappointment

It's as if somebody else wrote it. Boring mundane Not a waste of time. I wound up skimming the last 30% And don't feel I missed anything. I'm a huge fan But I feel cheated with this book

[Julie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and after the last book its nice to see Roy and Mia back in action. This was an unusual case, as what seemed like simply identifying a stalker quickly turned into a much more complicated case, where even there client became a suspect. I enjoyed the mystery with all the twists, it was like being on a roller coaster ride and never knowing where you are going to end up. It certainly kept me guessing as to who was involved and I liked how it played out. The story moved at a fast paced and with a lot going on it has me hooked until the end. I like the characters, Roy's skill for annoying people is just a blast and Mia's kind heart keeps the two of them on the right track and me eagerly awaiting the next book.

Having passed there private investigation exam Roy and Mia take on a case that was referred to them by one of Roy's earliest clients. I woman is being stalked and wants to know who is leaving here mysterious present in a secured building. The pair quickly turn there attention to her ex boyfriend and co worker but somebody takes a shot at the ex boyfriend and it turns out its not the first time the victim has had a stalker, things get a lot more complicated. Can they save there client or do they need to save someone from her?
I like the narrator. With all the one liners and banter from Roy the narrator has perfect timing and temperament to pull it off and make it a great listen.

[Steff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. Felt like Roy was overly sarcastic in this one, I’ve always liked Roy’s character but this book he was just doing too much. Never really had an opinion with what Mia wanted to do as long as he just agreed because he loves her so much.

[Robbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my least favorite books in this series. I rate it 3 stars.

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

The latest Roy Ballard novel is another great addition to the series.

[Vfields Don't touch my happy! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally, Roy and Mia are back to the fast-mouth, get the bad guy attitude I enjoy. This was a fun mystery with a doable conclusion. Wow, I realize I’m honestly satisfied.