James & Jim

by Douglas Moser

Imagine, if you will, James Morrison-a Cadillac of a man, cruising through life with a beautiful wife, picture-perfect home, two-and-a-half kids, and an enviable career. He's only one client away from partnership at Noble, a revered management consulting firm. The problem? His new client might be a crazed killer.



On his commute home, James witnesses a brutal murder on a passing train. But when no corpse turns up and no reports surface, he's left doubting his own sanity. That is, until the next day, when he meets the firm's newest client -- the very man he saw commit the crime.



Caught between chasing the partnership he's worked his whole life for and exposing a killer, James must navigate cutthroat office politics, a showdown with his rival -- the relentless "walking PowerPoint," Shari Perkins-and the dark secrets that come with success. Partnership might cost him more than he ever imagined.



"James & Jim is a masterpiece of an icy thriller about an ambitious innocent. James possesses the manner and power skills of a lord born to rule Wall Street's elite. But when the battle grows deadly, does he lack the bloodless soul to survive? You hope for him, you pray for him, and you fear for him as Moser edges him ever closer to a gilded abyss."

-Justin Scott, author of The Sister Queens, The Shipkiller, and Rampage



"Unforgettable. And unclassifiable. James & Jim is a thriller, a fall-down-the-stairs farce, a harrowing expose of a secret world, a comedy of manners, and a fire-and-brimstone morality tale brought to hilarious and horrifying life by the author's wicked sense of humor and bred-in-the-bone sense of ethics."

-Amber Edwards, award-winning documentary filmmaker and co-author of Forty Days and Forty Nights - A Novel of the Mississippi River



"Smart, Savage¿blazes across the page"

-Anya Liftig, author of Holler Rat



"Doug Moser has created a diabolical, unnerving thriller that cleverly captures the price paid for fiendish corporate ambition."

-Susan Granger, SSG Syndicate

312 pages, Hardcover

Published August 14, 2025

Reviews

[Doug MOSER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: this is my book, in that I wrote it. So naturally, I'm going to give it a rave! And you should too! Why write a book? Well, I've been a professional theatre director for over 40 years. It's a tough way to earn a living, and you're always dependent on outside factors: producers, theatres, budgets, availability...you name it. So I wanted to create a story that would always exist, just as it is. And because I've always loved reading fiction, it seemed the natural progression of my storytelling skills, from theatre to fiction, wasn't such a leap. Throw in some experience working in communications for a major management consulting firm (whose name shall go unmentioned), I saw some things going on behind the scenes that inspired this novel. So fasten your seatbelts, it's a hell of a ride.
____________________

A killer client. A deal on the line. A murder no one believes happened.
Twisted, darkly funny, and razor-sharp!

Imagine, if you will, James Morrison-a Cadillac of a man, cruising through life with a beautiful wife, picture-perfect home, two-and-a-half kids, and an enviable career. He's only one client away from partnership at Noble, a revered management consulting firm. The problem? His new client might be a crazed killer.

James Morrison is on the brink of everything he's ever wanted-until one eerie night derails it all. A rising star at the elite consulting firm Noble, he's one client away from partnership, with a high-powered job, a beautiful wife, and a picture-perfect home.

But everything changes when James witnesses what looks like a man stabbing someone on a passing train. No body. No news report. Just silence. And the next morning, James meets his newest client-the charming, magnetic Jim Malcolm. The same man he's almost certain he saw holding the knife.

[Jim McConnon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating fictional tale that is engrossing. The writing style is very clever and it keeps you engaged. Man's inhumanity to man.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted this book by the author and I absolutely loved it. It's a fantastic murder mystery novel, but I also enjoyed that it was set in the world of management consultancy (which was an industry in which I worked). There are lots of playful observations about the quirkiness of management consultancies and how consultants have to work hard to become partners at their firm (companies in this industry include Accenture, Bain, BCG, Deloitte, McKinsey, etc). But even if you're not familiar with this particular industry, it's still a fantastic murder mystery novel (which I love) and I confess that when I reached the end which revealed who did what, I embarrassingly hadn't worked out who the guilty parties were! Highly recommend if you like a good mystery novel and/or have worked as a consultant as you'll enjoy the references within the book. Looking forward to the next novel from Douglas Moser.

[Rita Tilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normally when my husband hands me a book he has enjoyed, I smile and add it to the “pending” pile. Last week he handed me James and Jim. To keep him quiet I thought I’d read the first few pages. In a matter of moments I was hooked.
James and Jim is a fast, fun, freewheeling ride into the dark side of corporate America. Moser keeps up an astounding pace, the only pauses occurring in the laugh out loud moments. He clearly knows the gold-plated world inhabited by management consultants and their corporate clients very, well.
James and Jim is a classic “who done it,” but it’s also much, much more. I loved it. I’m already casting the movie in my head.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rip-roaring thriller. The author is a friend, so I was eager to read his debut novel. The fast-moving story centers on James Morrison, one of the polished prep-school / Yale / Harvard Business School guys who seem to glide through life on gilded skates

Not so. James is thisssss close to making partner at Noble Management, a top-tier management consulting company. What will he do to make this final leap? Moser keeps the plot twists coming so fast you're never a step ahead, a welcome change from so many books.

A super-fun, super-fast read. A smashing debut.

[Tom Holehan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I am a personal friend of Doug Moser and have long admired his talents as a writer, director and educator. That said, I'm delighted to report that my friend's first novel is a absolute winner. It's a devilishly clever and deliciously evil satire about corporate machinations that doesn't let up a second from first chapter to last. Moser is not afraid to pull out all the stops and deliver right to the bitter (and bleakly hilarious) end. Congrats, Doug!

[Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

James & Jim pulled me right in from the opening train scene. Watching James freeze as he witnesses the murder set the tone for everything that followed. Doug Moser captures the quiet horror of doing nothing and then forces you to watch the fallout. I loved how the story blended suspense, humor, and guilt into one relentless ride. I am really glad the club picked this one because it hit me on both an emotional and intellectual level.

[Amy A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am an avid mystery reader, and often hard to please. But James & Jim was a true thrill; a roller-coaster ride through the dark landscape of corporate America. Moser gave me a true insider's view of cut-throat big business—and the twists and turns kept me wide awake and guessing. Whether you're a mystery buff, or just curious about murderous politics at the high corporate level, this book will knock your socks off.

[Avid Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

James & Jim pulled me right in from the first page. The humor, the unease, and the way Doug Moser peels back the layers of ambition are remarkable. I did not expect to feel so seen by a corporate satire, but I did. It made me question how often I look away when things go wrong, just like James on that train. I am really glad the club picked this one because it hit harder than I expected.

[BEAT Rice · Rating 4 out of 5]

The humor in James & Jim feels like armor over something deeply painful. I loved how Moser used satire to expose the cruelty of corporate culture. Watching James justify his choices, from ignoring the murder to protecting his career, was both disturbing and relatable. It is the kind of book that entertains you while making you squirm.

[BROOKE · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not expect to connect emotionally to this kind of story, but I did. Shari Perkins fascinated me from start to finish. She is ambitious, sharp, and desperate to prove herself in a world that underestimates her. The dynamic between her and James felt electric, and her fate stayed with me long after. The club never misses when it features books with this much depth.

[Aleeah · Rating 4 out of 5]

What struck me most was how silence becomes its own kind of violence in this story. That first moment on the train defines everything that follows. I kept thinking about James’s wife, Rebecca, and how she quietly sees the cracks in him long before he does. The book is haunting because it forces you to see how ambition corrodes the soul.

[Adebayo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an experience. I laughed out loud and then immediately felt guilty for laughing. Moser’s dark wit makes you confront the ugliness beneath ambition and the comfort of silence. By the end, I felt like I had watched a man lose himself in slow motion, and somehow I still cared for him.

[AVANI · Rating 5 out of 5]

The club never disappoints with its picks, but James & Jim stands out. It is smart, sharp, and unexpectedly funny. Moser writes like he has been inside every boardroom and every heart that sold itself for success. I walked away thinking about the cost of wanting too much.

[IngramSpark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This title was selected for IngramSpark's Indie Title Discovery Spotlight 2025!