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The Hometown Hero's Last Shot: An Indiana Small-Town Murder Mystery
EARNED A BOOKY AWARDS FOR BEST DECTECTIVE PROCEDURAL
In Clear Creek, Indiana, basketball is more than a sport. It is history, pride, and the dream that holds the town together.
Johnny Sinclair made that dream real.
Raised in Clear Creek, Johnny rose from a small high school gym to college basketball and the professional leagues. Yet he never forgot where he came from. Every summer, he returned home to run free camps and give local children the opportunity that changed his life.
This year, someone is waiting for him.
Sheriff Robert “Bud” Delaney finds Johnny facedown at center court inside the locked school gym. A live electrical wire has been attached to the basketball goal. Johnny’s bruised face and battered knuckles point to a recent fight.
But the electrical shock did not kill him.
Indiana State Police Detective Cat Crearo expected to spend her first day off in weeks hiking, reading, and spoiling her two Golden Retrievers. Instead, she is sent to Clear Creek to guide an inexperienced young sheriff through the biggest case of his life.
The suspects are everywhere.
A former teammate blames Johnny for the future he lost. A frightened young athlete entered the gym before dawn and vanished. Johnny’s former girlfriend is protecting a fourteen-year-old secret. His wife refuses to leave a charity event after learning he is dead.
Then Cat discovers Johnny survived the electrical trap.
Someone entered the gym after he fell.
Someone who knew he would be helpless.
Johnny Sinclair came home to give Clear Creek’s children a future. To find his killer, Cat and Delaney must uncover the jealousy, obsession, and buried secrets hiding beneath the town’s devotion to its hometown hero.
Perfect for fans of small-town mystery readers who devoured Louise Penny, Julia Spencer-Fleming, and William Kent Krueger will recognize a kindred spirit. Fans of detective procedurals and sports-related mysteries. Readers who love stories about community, loyalty, and the dark side of hero worship will find rich ground in the world.
In Clear Creek, Indiana, basketball is more than a sport. It is history, pride, and the dream that holds the town together.
Johnny Sinclair made that dream real.
Raised in Clear Creek, Johnny rose from a small high school gym to college basketball and the professional leagues. Yet he never forgot where he came from. Every summer, he returned home to run free camps and give local children the opportunity that changed his life.
This year, someone is waiting for him.
Sheriff Robert “Bud” Delaney finds Johnny facedown at center court inside the locked school gym. A live electrical wire has been attached to the basketball goal. Johnny’s bruised face and battered knuckles point to a recent fight.
But the electrical shock did not kill him.
Indiana State Police Detective Cat Crearo expected to spend her first day off in weeks hiking, reading, and spoiling her two Golden Retrievers. Instead, she is sent to Clear Creek to guide an inexperienced young sheriff through the biggest case of his life.
The suspects are everywhere.
A former teammate blames Johnny for the future he lost. A frightened young athlete entered the gym before dawn and vanished. Johnny’s former girlfriend is protecting a fourteen-year-old secret. His wife refuses to leave a charity event after learning he is dead.
Then Cat discovers Johnny survived the electrical trap.
Someone entered the gym after he fell.
Someone who knew he would be helpless.
Johnny Sinclair came home to give Clear Creek’s children a future. To find his killer, Cat and Delaney must uncover the jealousy, obsession, and buried secrets hiding beneath the town’s devotion to its hometown hero.
Perfect for fans of small-town mystery readers who devoured Louise Penny, Julia Spencer-Fleming, and William Kent Krueger will recognize a kindred spirit. Fans of detective procedurals and sports-related mysteries. Readers who love stories about community, loyalty, and the dark side of hero worship will find rich ground in the world.
Kindle Edition
Published August 5, 2026
About the author
Karen L. West
61 books54 followersStories of survival, transformation, and hope.
Author Karen L. West creates immersive fiction shaped by resilience, courage, and the strength of chosen family. Her newest series, the Rose and Clive Search & Research Thriller series begins with The Girl in the Redwoods available now. The next two releases, Lost in Turkey Run is planned for Nov. 25, 2026, and Beneath the Kentucky Hills for some time in 2027.
Born in Indiana and now living in the Southwest, she draws on a lifetime of experience, including service in the United States Navy, to craft stories where ordinary people are tested by extraordinary circumstances and discover who they truly are.
Now retired, Karen writes across fantasy, science fiction, shifter fiction, apocalyptic and dystopian worlds, as well as children’s picture books. Her novels explore hidden shifter communities, dragon rider adventures, collapsing societies, and young heroes learning to survive in changing worlds.
Her stories are known for emotionally grounded characters, immersive worldbuilding, and the belief that even when the rules of the world change—or disappear—courage and compassion still matter.
Discover her books and latest news at www.booksbyklw.com, and step into worlds where survival, transformation, and heart go hand in hand. Here is the link to my Press Kit: https://booksbyklw.com/press-kit.
Fantasy author | Survival thriller author | Shifter fiction writer | Dragon rider series author | Dystopian fiction author
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 11, 2026
I really enjoyed this one. The small town setting worked especially well because everyone seems to know everyone, but there are still plenty of secrets hiding underneath. I liked following Cat and Delaney as they worked through the case, and the mystery kept me guessing about who was actually responsible.
The basketball connection also gave the story something different, and I thought the twists were handled well without becoming too complicated. A solid mystery with a good mix of suspense, small-town drama, and detective work. Definitely worth a read if you enjoy murder mysteries with a strong sense of place.
The basketball connection also gave the story something different, and I thought the twists were handled well without becoming too complicated. A solid mystery with a good mix of suspense, small-town drama, and detective work. Definitely worth a read if you enjoy murder mysteries with a strong sense of place.
August 27, 2026
Indiana small-town murder
I wrote this several and many years ago. Sent it out to an editor, got it back with so much red marks on it that I put it away. This is the first novel I tried and I think I’ve improved over the years. I also hope the twist and reveal at the end surprises everyone.
I wrote this several and many years ago. Sent it out to an editor, got it back with so much red marks on it that I put it away. This is the first novel I tried and I think I’ve improved over the years. I also hope the twist and reveal at the end surprises everyone.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews