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A Killer Location: A Charlie McGinley Mystery - A Dark, Comedic, New Mexico Whodunit
Hollywood Came to New Mexico. And Murder Was in the Script.Charlie McGinley makes a living killing people. On paper, anyway.
From his New Mexico ranch, Charlie writes hard-boiled detective mysteries—when he isn't fighting writer's block, his publisher, or his bad habit of stumbling into trouble. Big trouble.
Then Hollywood comes calling.
Charlie sells the television rights to his latest Johnny Dent P.I. mystery, and soon a film crew is crawling all over New Mexico’s mesas and desert. For once, Charlie gets to watch somebody else create the drama.
Until the show's leading man, Billy Ray Cummings, drops dead on the set.
The producer calls it heat stroke. Charlie isn't convinced.
His questions lead him to the dead actor's journal, an abandoned uranium mine, and deadly secrets hidden in the desert.
With his family in danger and an unknown killer determined to shut him up, Charlie must solve a murder that happened far from the glamour of Hollywood—before someone writes his final scene.
A Killer Location is a darkly comedic New Mexico whodunit packed with eccentric characters, sharp dialogue, unexpected twists, and Southwestern humor.
From his New Mexico ranch, Charlie writes hard-boiled detective mysteries—when he isn't fighting writer's block, his publisher, or his bad habit of stumbling into trouble. Big trouble.
Then Hollywood comes calling.
Charlie sells the television rights to his latest Johnny Dent P.I. mystery, and soon a film crew is crawling all over New Mexico’s mesas and desert. For once, Charlie gets to watch somebody else create the drama.
Until the show's leading man, Billy Ray Cummings, drops dead on the set.
The producer calls it heat stroke. Charlie isn't convinced.
His questions lead him to the dead actor's journal, an abandoned uranium mine, and deadly secrets hidden in the desert.
With his family in danger and an unknown killer determined to shut him up, Charlie must solve a murder that happened far from the glamour of Hollywood—before someone writes his final scene.
A Killer Location is a darkly comedic New Mexico whodunit packed with eccentric characters, sharp dialogue, unexpected twists, and Southwestern humor.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 26, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 31, 2026
I would like to rate A Killer Location 5 out of 5 stars because it was a hilarious book. This book is the sixth book in the series titled Charlie McGinley mysteries and is a dark comedy that includes eccentric characters and unexpected twists. When one of Charlie's detective mysteries that he has written is chosen to be a major movie he takes a break from his normal life of chaos to watch the production unfold. But the show quickly takes a turn when the movie's main actor is found dead and it's declared a heat stroke but Charlie isn't convinced. His hunt for the truth leads him deep into a dark mystery he must solve to remain safe himself. Thank you author for this thrilling book.
October 31, 2026
This novel focuses on Charlie McGinley, who lives on a ranch in New Mexico and writes crime novels. He feels like his ship has come in when he sells the TV rights to one of his Johnny Dent PI books. Things are going great until Billy Ray Cummings, the show's lead, dies on set. It looks like natural causes at first, but there are aspects of his death that cause Charlie to get suspicious.
Now, real life and the fictional world of Charlie's writing are starting to blend. As the writer begins asking questions, he finds himself in real danger. Can he figure out what's happening before becoming a casualty? This thriller is funny, suspenseful, and features several unexpected twists.
Now, real life and the fictional world of Charlie's writing are starting to blend. As the writer begins asking questions, he finds himself in real danger. Can he figure out what's happening before becoming a casualty? This thriller is funny, suspenseful, and features several unexpected twists.
November 4, 2026
For me, dark humor is not real humor. It is simply dark. That is a problem when a book relies heavily on black comedy. While I appreciate the author's descriptions in A Killer Location, I do not enjoy the sarcasm, satire and so-called humor. The book starts out quite a bit better than it becomes, with Charlie McGinley simply creating murder in his stories. I find it very unsettling when real murder takes place. The descriptions are too gory for my liking. However, people who enjoy dark humor in mystery fiction may well enjoy this novel. Personally, I will not be going back to read the previous volumes in this series.
November 14, 2026
Mysteries and Danger on Set
This dark comedy is an entertaining read, thanks to its plot involving mystery, murder, and danger. It begins in New Mexico after Charlie sells his screenplay to Hollywood, where they begin filming it, but takes a turn when the protagonist is found dead—supposedly due to a heat wave—but Charlie doesn’t believe it and begins his own investigation, putting himself and his family in danger. The story is perfect for those who enjoy mysteries, detective stories, murder, and dark humor.
This dark comedy is an entertaining read, thanks to its plot involving mystery, murder, and danger. It begins in New Mexico after Charlie sells his screenplay to Hollywood, where they begin filming it, but takes a turn when the protagonist is found dead—supposedly due to a heat wave—but Charlie doesn’t believe it and begins his own investigation, putting himself and his family in danger. The story is perfect for those who enjoy mysteries, detective stories, murder, and dark humor.
November 10, 2026
Fun read
A little dark, a little funny, a little mystery and a lot of action. A crime novelist, his writer wife, a couple of dead souls, a couple of feline companions and a bunch of corrupt individuals are only part of the cast of characters. A dead actor starts the reign of corruption and confusion. This is a jumbled ride that you are sure to enjoy!
A little dark, a little funny, a little mystery and a lot of action. A crime novelist, his writer wife, a couple of dead souls, a couple of feline companions and a bunch of corrupt individuals are only part of the cast of characters. A dead actor starts the reign of corruption and confusion. This is a jumbled ride that you are sure to enjoy!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews