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Clarkeston Chronicles #2
Cotton
When new evidence arises in a cold case, can Professor Hopkins refrain from delving into a newfound world of corruption, vice, and danger?
Stanley Hopkins cannot resist the invitation from a honey-voiced US attorney asking him to track down the source of photographs of a young dance major abducted five years earlier from her apartment in Clarkeston, Georgia. A journalist has stumbled across newly posted pictures of Diana Cavendish on the Internet, apparently taken just days before she disappeared with her boyfriend.
While Stanley deals with vexing personal problems and scrambles to identify the owner of the website that acquired the photos, small-town journalist James Murphy and federal prosecutor Melanie Wilkerson uncover new evidence of the crime—and the cover-up—that ranges far beyond the confines of the victim’s quaint Georgia college town.
This second installment of the Clarkeston Chronicles presents new challenges for Hopkins that take him far from the California base he established in Death in Eden and introduces him to a fascinating group of collaborators who will anchor him in small-town Georgia.
Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade, Yucca, and Good Books imprints, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fiction—novels, novellas, political and medical thrillers, comedy, satire, historical fiction, romance, erotic and love stories, mystery, classic literature, folklore and mythology, literary classics including Shakespeare, Dumas, Wilde, Cather, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
Stanley Hopkins cannot resist the invitation from a honey-voiced US attorney asking him to track down the source of photographs of a young dance major abducted five years earlier from her apartment in Clarkeston, Georgia. A journalist has stumbled across newly posted pictures of Diana Cavendish on the Internet, apparently taken just days before she disappeared with her boyfriend.
While Stanley deals with vexing personal problems and scrambles to identify the owner of the website that acquired the photos, small-town journalist James Murphy and federal prosecutor Melanie Wilkerson uncover new evidence of the crime—and the cover-up—that ranges far beyond the confines of the victim’s quaint Georgia college town.
This second installment of the Clarkeston Chronicles presents new challenges for Hopkins that take him far from the California base he established in Death in Eden and introduces him to a fascinating group of collaborators who will anchor him in small-town Georgia.
Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade, Yucca, and Good Books imprints, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fiction—novels, novellas, political and medical thrillers, comedy, satire, historical fiction, romance, erotic and love stories, mystery, classic literature, folklore and mythology, literary classics including Shakespeare, Dumas, Wilde, Cather, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 5, 2016
85 people are currently reading
596 people want to read
About the author
Paul Heald
6 books20 followersPaul started writing fiction in college but quit when he discovered that he had nothing interesting to say. So, he fled graduate school for Madrid on the eve of the tumultuous first election since Franco seized power. He taught English in Spain and then at Florida A & M University, an historically African-American college, before going to law school. He clerked for the Hon. Frank M. Johnson, Jr. (played by Martin Sheen in the movie Selma) and began teaching copyright law at the University of Georgia. For several years, all creative energy was channeled into dozens of articles on intellectual property law and thousands of scurrilous emails. The publication in October 2014 of Death in Eden marked the first installment in a series of books whose characters will find themselves wandering the lovely tree-lined streets of Clarkeston, Georgia.
When he is not writing, Paul sings vaguely on pitch with various groups and teaches copyright at the University of Illinois. He is a member of the Red Herring fiction workshop, and his wife, Jill Crandall, directs the well-known women's chorus, Amasong
The first editions of Death in Eden, Cotton, and Courting Death were published by Yucca Publishing, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing. Paul is represented by Peter Riva of International Transactions, Inc.
When he is not writing, Paul sings vaguely on pitch with various groups and teaches copyright at the University of Illinois. He is a member of the Red Herring fiction workshop, and his wife, Jill Crandall, directs the well-known women's chorus, Amasong
The first editions of Death in Eden, Cotton, and Courting Death were published by Yucca Publishing, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing. Paul is represented by Peter Riva of International Transactions, Inc.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 12, 2016
This is the finest piece of writing Paul Heald has produced. I've read all his books, but this one gripped me from start to finish. Stanley Hopkins is back, along with a new cast of characters that I hope will appear in many more books to come. The fact that is grounded in Congressional funding largesse, WTO sanctions, not to mention murder and mayhem just made this an impossible to put down book. Hurry up Mr. Heald, I'm eager for the next adventures of Stanley and company. Well done old friend. (Spoiler alert, I know the author as a lawyer and fellow church member, but this book fully exposed his evolving writing capabilities. ) Move over Grisham!
July 7, 2016
4.5 stars.
Cotton by Paul Heald is an intriguing mystery about a cold case in small Georgia town. Although this second installment in the Clarkeston Chronicles series still features college professor Stan Hopkins, two newcomers to the series play major roles during the investigation into the disappearances of Diana Cavendish and Jacob Granville.
Newspaper reporter James Murphy reported extensively on Diana's case five years earlier so when he runs across a photo of her on a website featuring bikini-clad beauties, his curiosity is immediately piqued. Believing the local police failed to adequately investigate her initial disappearance and tried to cover-up her boyfriend Jacob's possible involvement in the case, he reports his discovery to federal prosecutor Melanie Wilkerson. Agreeing to see if she can track down the source of the photo, Melanie runs into a dead end and soon receives a warning to leave the case alone. Needing help tracking down the information about the uploaded photo, Melanie reaches out to Professor Stan Hopkins to track down the owner of the website. When the case takes an international turn, Murphy, Hopkins and Wilkerson are stunned when they uncover a shocking conspiracy close to home.
A deacon in his church with a troubled marriage, James is embarrassed to have to admit he was looking at scantily clad women but he has no choice but to report his discovery. He believes Diana deserves justice but he also knows local police will not welcome his renewed interest in the unsolved case. His search for answers takes him to the local Episcopal church where the previous priest Ernest Rodgers (now deceased) was firmly ensconced in Jacob's corner. Finding an unexpected ally in his replacement Father "Thor" Carter, James hopes to find new clues about Jacob in Rodgers' long abandoned papers. Working closely with Melanie, they uncover some puzzling information about Granville, but they continue to have more questions than answers.
Melanie's hard work has paid off with her promotion to federal prosecutor but she is beginning to feel the lack of a personal life. Although she does not have jurisdiction in the Cavendish case, she does not see any harm in doing a little off the books poking around in the case. Perplexed by some of the information she finds, Melanie continues helping James with his investigation after a troubling phone call seems to trigger suspicious activity. Hoping a fresh set of eyes might provide a different perspective on old information, James and Melanie stumble across some previously overlooked details but will this discovery aid them in their quest for locating the missing couple?
After suffering a tragic loss, Stan Hopkins eagerly agrees to try to track down the owner of the website where James spotted the pictures of Diana. He cleverly devises a plan that yields what could be a vital clue and he impulsively follows this lead to a small town in Spain. After James and Melanie discover Jacob's bewildering connection to the World Trade Organization, Stan then travels to Geneva where he finds startling information that breaks the case wide open.
Cotton is another meticulously plotted, complex mystery by Paul Heald that quickly escalates from a simple small town murder investigation to a shocking conspiracy involving the cotton industry, trade agreements and US politics. An informative and exciting addition to the Clarkeston Chronicles series, the introduction of new characters and shift in locations help keep the series fresh and interesting while the storyline is a somewhat shocking exposé of political misconduct and corruption. It is an absolutely outstanding mystery that fans of the genre do not want to miss.
Cotton by Paul Heald is an intriguing mystery about a cold case in small Georgia town. Although this second installment in the Clarkeston Chronicles series still features college professor Stan Hopkins, two newcomers to the series play major roles during the investigation into the disappearances of Diana Cavendish and Jacob Granville.
Newspaper reporter James Murphy reported extensively on Diana's case five years earlier so when he runs across a photo of her on a website featuring bikini-clad beauties, his curiosity is immediately piqued. Believing the local police failed to adequately investigate her initial disappearance and tried to cover-up her boyfriend Jacob's possible involvement in the case, he reports his discovery to federal prosecutor Melanie Wilkerson. Agreeing to see if she can track down the source of the photo, Melanie runs into a dead end and soon receives a warning to leave the case alone. Needing help tracking down the information about the uploaded photo, Melanie reaches out to Professor Stan Hopkins to track down the owner of the website. When the case takes an international turn, Murphy, Hopkins and Wilkerson are stunned when they uncover a shocking conspiracy close to home.
A deacon in his church with a troubled marriage, James is embarrassed to have to admit he was looking at scantily clad women but he has no choice but to report his discovery. He believes Diana deserves justice but he also knows local police will not welcome his renewed interest in the unsolved case. His search for answers takes him to the local Episcopal church where the previous priest Ernest Rodgers (now deceased) was firmly ensconced in Jacob's corner. Finding an unexpected ally in his replacement Father "Thor" Carter, James hopes to find new clues about Jacob in Rodgers' long abandoned papers. Working closely with Melanie, they uncover some puzzling information about Granville, but they continue to have more questions than answers.
Melanie's hard work has paid off with her promotion to federal prosecutor but she is beginning to feel the lack of a personal life. Although she does not have jurisdiction in the Cavendish case, she does not see any harm in doing a little off the books poking around in the case. Perplexed by some of the information she finds, Melanie continues helping James with his investigation after a troubling phone call seems to trigger suspicious activity. Hoping a fresh set of eyes might provide a different perspective on old information, James and Melanie stumble across some previously overlooked details but will this discovery aid them in their quest for locating the missing couple?
After suffering a tragic loss, Stan Hopkins eagerly agrees to try to track down the owner of the website where James spotted the pictures of Diana. He cleverly devises a plan that yields what could be a vital clue and he impulsively follows this lead to a small town in Spain. After James and Melanie discover Jacob's bewildering connection to the World Trade Organization, Stan then travels to Geneva where he finds startling information that breaks the case wide open.
Cotton is another meticulously plotted, complex mystery by Paul Heald that quickly escalates from a simple small town murder investigation to a shocking conspiracy involving the cotton industry, trade agreements and US politics. An informative and exciting addition to the Clarkeston Chronicles series, the introduction of new characters and shift in locations help keep the series fresh and interesting while the storyline is a somewhat shocking exposé of political misconduct and corruption. It is an absolutely outstanding mystery that fans of the genre do not want to miss.
May 15, 2016
James Murphy is a small town journalist in Clarkston, GA who covered the disappearance of Diana Cavendish and her boyfriend and suspected killer 5 years earlier. So when he stumbles across a picture of her on a current website he decides he needs answers. Answers to who posted the picture and answers to what he thinks was a cover up and lack of investigation by the police at the time. Because he distrusts the local police he takes the picture and his old notes to a federal prosecutor in Atlanta named Melanie Wilkerson. Stanley Hopkins is a sociology professor with a law degree from CA. He is still in grief over the death of his wife and daughter and is at loose ends as to what to do with himself so when Melanie is given his name as a legal detective he welcomes the chance to try and find the source of the pictures. The three have no idea that they are about to uncover links to international organizations and links to members of congress. They also have no idea that their lives will soon be in danger because someone very important does not want them to find out what happened. I loved the characters, the story and learning about an interesting bit of US history that I had never encountered before.
July 26, 2022
A seasoned journalist, a fairly new Episcopal minister, a sociology professor, and a U.S Attorney walk into a bar . . . well, not exactly, but once the mystery gets going, they do spend quite a bit of time over drinks, and there's enough pastry eating to induce full-blown diabetes. In the small southern town of Clarkeston, journalist James Murphy came across some information that renewed his interest in the disappearance of a young woman years ago. He was convinced back then that she had been murdered and that the murderer had been her boyfriend at the time, who also went missing without a trace. One of the primaries who hushed up the case, besides local law enforcement, was the power-wielding Episcopal priest, Father Ernest Rodgers. When Rodgers retired, he was replaced by the younger Thorsten V. Carter, but Rodgers continued to rule Saint James Episcopal up to and even after his recent death.
Because he would get no local help, Murphy contacted the FBI and happened to land on First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Wilkerson, formerly from Georgia and recently returned to work in the Atlanta office. Eventually, in the investigation, she brought in Los Angeles sociology professor Stanley Hopkins. These three, with the addition of Father Rogers's daughter, all similar in age, professionalism, and determination, plunged from clue to clue, trying to discover what had happened to the young couple. Their investigation ranged to numerous spots in the U.S., to the WTO in Geneva, and to Mexico and Spain, as they picked up and tried to link leads.
There's a good variety of information to be gleaned in the story such as how web information is sold and distributed massively, World Trade Organization sanctions and U.S. manipulations regarding cotton production and sale, to name two. The fact that this reads like a Stuart Woods book, where the good guys have a moral compass, makes it fun reading.
Copy editor - there's a difference between import and export. Otherwise, nice going!
Because he would get no local help, Murphy contacted the FBI and happened to land on First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Wilkerson, formerly from Georgia and recently returned to work in the Atlanta office. Eventually, in the investigation, she brought in Los Angeles sociology professor Stanley Hopkins. These three, with the addition of Father Rogers's daughter, all similar in age, professionalism, and determination, plunged from clue to clue, trying to discover what had happened to the young couple. Their investigation ranged to numerous spots in the U.S., to the WTO in Geneva, and to Mexico and Spain, as they picked up and tried to link leads.
There's a good variety of information to be gleaned in the story such as how web information is sold and distributed massively, World Trade Organization sanctions and U.S. manipulations regarding cotton production and sale, to name two. The fact that this reads like a Stuart Woods book, where the good guys have a moral compass, makes it fun reading.
Copy editor - there's a difference between import and export. Otherwise, nice going!
November 26, 2016
This book waffled back and forth between being brilliant and being just so-so. It did bring up a really important subject (the US cotton subsidy - outrageous) in an interesting and round-about way. The characters had potential, but the writing periodically got very uneven at times. Still glad I read it.
February 13, 2020
A lot of moving parts but the writing style was such that it was easy to follow each character's story line. Interesting information also on subsidies to industry in the US. Couldn't put it down until I was done.
November 3, 2016
A murder mystery with many wanna-be solvers. Lots of characters wh0m I found to be hard to keep straight. Good writing and character development. All in all, an enjoyable read.
June 29, 2018
Really enjoyed all of the twists and turns and the adventures that lead along the way.
July 15, 2019
Good one!
December 31, 2017
The small-town Georgia setting and the Episcopal church angle made me feel right at home. The protagonists are good guys but not without flaws, therefore real, admirable "heroes" who seem like people I'd like to call friends. The reader must get well into the book before understanding why it is titled the way it is, and once you arrive there the core mystery, though connected, takes a back seat to intensive explanations of the "cotton issue." I assume the politics are real-life, so it's good to be informed, but the narrative bogs down. That's not to say there aren't big dramatic moments in the last part of the book, although one in particular felt a bit too unrealistically action hero-y to me. All in all, however, an enjoyable read.
May 16, 2018
I enjoyed this book a lot, found it to be well written, the story pretty good, liked the characters very much, made me laugh at times & I could picture the characters in my mind's eye, the plot was good, sometimes a bit far-fetched but it was a novel & not historical events. I confess that I read it much faster than other books I've recently read. I'm only giving it 4 stars since I did skip some parts which I found repetitive, otherwise, it was enjoyable. Could not believe the outrageous US cotton subsidies, how people get ripped off by the government is simply indecent. Did not check out if these subsidies are currently going on. This was the first time I read a book by Paul Heald but it will not be the last.
February 15, 2019
A Tightly Wound Yarn
As this thriller unravels the author introduces the reader to a cast of characters who are not only quite realistic but delightful to know. I questioned the title at first because the importance of cotton isn’t revealed immediately. Cotton brings together a journalist, a college professor and a US Attorney to try to solve a five year old mysterious disappearance of a young couple. It also involves an Episcopalian priest, some critical Christians among others. Principal location is Clarkston, Georgia, but it winds through Atlanta, San Gabriel mountains, Geneva, Mallorca, North Carolina, and Arkansas. A great read! Highly recommend.
As this thriller unravels the author introduces the reader to a cast of characters who are not only quite realistic but delightful to know. I questioned the title at first because the importance of cotton isn’t revealed immediately. Cotton brings together a journalist, a college professor and a US Attorney to try to solve a five year old mysterious disappearance of a young couple. It also involves an Episcopalian priest, some critical Christians among others. Principal location is Clarkston, Georgia, but it winds through Atlanta, San Gabriel mountains, Geneva, Mallorca, North Carolina, and Arkansas. A great read! Highly recommend.
July 26, 2025
This is best read in order as book one is about Stanley and how he ended up doing what he does. Excellent mystery listened on audible and love it. Narration is well done with all the voices by Eric Dove.
Fantastic thriller with U.S. Attorney, a reporter and a professor all searching for the truth about a young woman who was murdered/disappeared in a small town in Georgia 5 yrs ago. This is an EXELLENT thriller with political intrigue spanning the globe. I loved the characters, each having a part of the plot as well as some romance.
Fantastic thriller with U.S. Attorney, a reporter and a professor all searching for the truth about a young woman who was murdered/disappeared in a small town in Georgia 5 yrs ago. This is an EXELLENT thriller with political intrigue spanning the globe. I loved the characters, each having a part of the plot as well as some romance.
September 23, 2018
Unlikely characters
Interesting story, government corruption and characters that were an odd mix of characters to uncover the murders and motives. Some pretty intense moments. Well written.
Interesting story, government corruption and characters that were an odd mix of characters to uncover the murders and motives. Some pretty intense moments. Well written.
February 8, 2019
King Cotton
Wonderful mystery with great characters and insight into the world of cotton and porn. Fun relationships between main characters and view of bias between religions and small town people
Wonderful mystery with great characters and insight into the world of cotton and porn. Fun relationships between main characters and view of bias between religions and small town people
July 17, 2018
After reading the first book in the series, I was hooked and had to read this one. It didn't disappoint, good mystery!
July 26, 2018
A little disappointed with the loss of one character (spoiler so I won't say) but a fun & interesting mystery with a good flavor of the southeast.
September 3, 2016
Cotton is a fun twisting mystery with charming characters. As an Episcopal church lady, I particularly enjoyed the church humor and found myself laughing out loud. A quick, fun, fully enjoyable read!
December 17, 2016
I received this book free from goodreads...great read, fast paced mystery of abduction, corruption and great characters. Loved it and will read more from this author. I think mystery readers will enjoy this one .
October 15, 2016
Good book! Interesting plot and interesting ties to actual US politics.
April 25, 2017
A great ride.
A satisfying mystery with one of the best ensemble of random good guys. I appreciated the well-drawn characters. And, politician being what they typically are, I knew the political aspects would conclude as they did.
A satisfying mystery with one of the best ensemble of random good guys. I appreciated the well-drawn characters. And, politician being what they typically are, I knew the political aspects would conclude as they did.
April 29, 2017
This legal who-done-it was a fun look at life in a southern small town and how the internet can be used to trace a cold case of a missing girl. I enjoyed the chance to relax and be absorbed in a story which raged far from the small town where it began.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews