Monkey See: A Ben Gallagher Mystery

by Paula LaRocque

Texas detective Ben Gallagher is facing his most challenging case. A serial murderer is mimicking sensational actual murders and tantalizing the department with cryptic notes that arrive just a tad too late. The killer faithfully copies three cases, but in his fourth, he improvises, injuring Ben and killing four of Ben’s colleagues. Meantime, Ben discovers his partner is dirty. And that’s not all. Ben’s brother, for ten years an inmate in Huntsville Prison, is up for parole. With pressure building from killer, city officials, chief, public, and family, Ben forges ahead despite his injuries—and more or less alone. He needs someone he can trust. He also needs a clue.

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2014

About the author

Paula is an editor, communications consultant, and author of nonfiction who has recently turned her attention to writing fiction. Her first novel, a mystery titled “Chalk Line,” will be published by Marion Street Press, Inc., in 2011.

Often hailed as one of America’s foremost writing coaches, Paula has conducted writing workshops for hundreds of media, government, academic, and business groups across the United States, Canada, and Europe. She also has served as a writing consultant for the Associated Press, the Drehscheibe Institute in Bonn, and the European Stars & Stripes in Germany.

From 1971 to 1981, she taught technical communication at Western Michigan University’s School of Engineering and, after moving to Texas, taught journalism at Texas A&M, Southern Methodist, and Texas Christian universities. From 1981 to 2001, she was assistant managing editor and writing coach at The Dallas Morning News.

She has been a columnist for the Society of Professional Journalists’ Quill magazine for more than 20 years. Her commentaries on the language air regularly on National Public Radio in Dallas, and she’s author of three books on writing (Marion Street Press).

After leaving The Dallas Morning News in 2001, Paula -- now a member of the Mystery Writers of America and of the Dallas-Fort Worth Writers Workshop -- wrote the first two books of a mystery series. The series features detective Ben Gallagher and is set in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

A member of the Associated Press Managing Editors association from the early 1990s through 2001, she was elected to the Board of Directors and appointed an officer. In 2001, the association granted her its highest honor: the Meritorious Service Award for exemplary contribution to journalism.

She earned a BA degree Summa Cum Laude in 1971 and an MA in 1972 (Western Michigan University). She also worked on a doctorate, but her career became so demanding she did not complete it.