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Will Harper Mystery #2
Guilty Money
JUSTICE FOR SALE –
TODAY’S SPECIAL: YOUR LIFE
TODAY’S SPECIAL: YOUR LIFE
Investigative journalist Will Harper thinks his story’s about Florida’s prison problems. It seems that budget cuts have led to police departments turning to creative schemes to raise money. Grove County’s version involves arresting citizens for minor charges and then driving up their bail when a search of the citizen’s home too conveniently turns up drugs.
But the usual guilty money scheme has been improved upon by a corrupt deputy, Deke Snyder, who’s skimming money from the jail. Once Will finds that out, Deputy Deke sics all his buddies on him–every deputy in the county, it seems–and it looks like even the Gulf of Mexico might not be big enough to hide in!
Now the story’s a lot bigger. Explosive action punctuates author Crosby’s adept use of Will’s magazine article to put human faces on the troubling excesses of the judicial system. When the whole system is corrupt, the danger comes in all forms and from all sides, on land and at sea. The pulse-pounding chase is on!
Those who’ve read Lee Childs’ Killing Floor, Stephen King’s nominee for Best Corrupt Southern Town, will especially appreciate this action-packed page-turner set in an idyllic Florida marina.
WanderLust, Will’s liveaboard trawler, will feel like home to fans of marina-living PIs like John D. McDonald’s Travis McGee and Randy Wayne White’s Doc Ford; and to more recent Florida tales like Wayne Stinnett’s Caribbean Adventure Series and Matthew Rief’s Florida Keys Adventure Series.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 26, 2016
469 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
About the author
David Crosby
15 books149 followersDavid Crosby grew up in Atlanta, GA, making weekly trips to the library with his Dad.
Crosby’s love of reading became a love of imagination and creativity, which he finally found an outlet for in college at the University of Georgia. David received an ABJ degree in magazine writing from the UGA School of Journalism, but it was his newly discovered interest in photography that took over his working life. Starting at graduation, David spent eight years as a photojournalist for newspapers before a desire for self-employment led him to start his award winning commercial photography studio, Crosby Stills.
David retired from photography after a 36-year career and is now writing. He's the author of eleven Will Harper Florida Thrillers, and the non-fiction book, Keeping Us Afloat. He lives in Land O Lakes, Florida, with his wife Marilyn, a retired Lutheran Pastor, and their lovable shih tzu, Zoe.
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Crosby’s love of reading became a love of imagination and creativity, which he finally found an outlet for in college at the University of Georgia. David received an ABJ degree in magazine writing from the UGA School of Journalism, but it was his newly discovered interest in photography that took over his working life. Starting at graduation, David spent eight years as a photojournalist for newspapers before a desire for self-employment led him to start his award winning commercial photography studio, Crosby Stills.
David retired from photography after a 36-year career and is now writing. He's the author of eleven Will Harper Florida Thrillers, and the non-fiction book, Keeping Us Afloat. He lives in Land O Lakes, Florida, with his wife Marilyn, a retired Lutheran Pastor, and their lovable shih tzu, Zoe.
Wanna get more exclusive Will Harper news? Copy and paste the link below in your browser to sign up for my newsletter.
https://mailchi.mp/dc6e8fb4707f/david...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
August 23, 2020
Review
Loved this book! Lots of interesting facts and details along with very likable good guys and not so likable had guys.
Loved this book! Lots of interesting facts and details along with very likable good guys and not so likable had guys.
Want to read
February 12, 2020TheFussyLibrarian
Book ONE Million Dollar Staircase KU
Book TWO Guilty Money
Book THREE Florida Burning free from TheFussyLibrarian
Book ONE Million Dollar Staircase KU
Book TWO Guilty Money
Book THREE Florida Burning free from TheFussyLibrarian
July 20, 2020
Guilty money: A Florida thriller
Well written book with interesting characters. A good blend of fiction and real life corruption. This was my first book by this author and I can't wait to read more!
Well written book with interesting characters. A good blend of fiction and real life corruption. This was my first book by this author and I can't wait to read more!
December 1, 2025
Guilty Money drops you straight into a version of Florida where justice has a price tag and corruption spreads like heat on the water. Will Harper journalist, truth-hound, and reluctant magnet for trouble thinks he’s working a straightforward piece on shady bail practices. But the deeper he digs, the more the ground shifts beneath him.
Crosby turns a simple investigation into a full-throttle chase through a county where the police aren’t the protectors they’re the threat. Deputy Deke Snyder and his crew run their racket like a back-alley business, using jail cells as cash drawers. Once Harper gets too close, every deputy with a badge becomes a hunter, and the gulf coast turns into a maze of danger he can’t outrun.
What makes the book hit harder is Harper himself. He’s sharp, stubborn, and too principled for his own safety. You watch him navigate a world where every door might hide an ally or an ambush. And the marina life the trawler, the quiet water, the small rituals of living afloat gives the story a warm, grounded heartbeat right next to the chaos.
Fans of Reacher, John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee, and Randy Wayne White will feel right at home here: sun-burned noir, flawed men with good intentions, and a system rigged against anyone trying to stay clean.
Crosby turns a simple investigation into a full-throttle chase through a county where the police aren’t the protectors they’re the threat. Deputy Deke Snyder and his crew run their racket like a back-alley business, using jail cells as cash drawers. Once Harper gets too close, every deputy with a badge becomes a hunter, and the gulf coast turns into a maze of danger he can’t outrun.
What makes the book hit harder is Harper himself. He’s sharp, stubborn, and too principled for his own safety. You watch him navigate a world where every door might hide an ally or an ambush. And the marina life the trawler, the quiet water, the small rituals of living afloat gives the story a warm, grounded heartbeat right next to the chaos.
Fans of Reacher, John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee, and Randy Wayne White will feel right at home here: sun-burned noir, flawed men with good intentions, and a system rigged against anyone trying to stay clean.
September 1, 2024
Good but flawed
I really like the MC and the story. This is the second Will Harper story, and the premise is goo.
So , what’s the flaw. Two thins, one major, one minor. The minor thing is typos. The book need better editing. Course, I’m a retired English professor, so maybe I notice more than others.
The major flaw is shifts in POV. I’m okay with multiple points of view. It’s that the novel starts as 1st person but then shifts to 3rd, and 3rd from a wide variety of characters. My expectation with Deere fiction is always first person, the voice of the detective, but I’m okay with 3rd person crime fiction. However, jumping back and forth seems like cheating to me.
So how do you get critical information to the reader when the detective isn’t present? Each, that’s the challenge for the writer if they want that detective’s voice at the center of their story.
Will I read the net one? Probably. The MC and the premise are good enough to give it another go. Maybe I’ll get used to the shifting.
I really like the MC and the story. This is the second Will Harper story, and the premise is goo.
So , what’s the flaw. Two thins, one major, one minor. The minor thing is typos. The book need better editing. Course, I’m a retired English professor, so maybe I notice more than others.
The major flaw is shifts in POV. I’m okay with multiple points of view. It’s that the novel starts as 1st person but then shifts to 3rd, and 3rd from a wide variety of characters. My expectation with Deere fiction is always first person, the voice of the detective, but I’m okay with 3rd person crime fiction. However, jumping back and forth seems like cheating to me.
So how do you get critical information to the reader when the detective isn’t present? Each, that’s the challenge for the writer if they want that detective’s voice at the center of their story.
Will I read the net one? Probably. The MC and the premise are good enough to give it another go. Maybe I’ll get used to the shifting.
February 18, 2022
This is the second in the Will Harper Florida thrillers that I've read in the volume of six. Will was decidedly against getting involved in someone's problem again, that involved trouble - and a possible beating ! He also made up his mind to stay away from women after being dumped - again. But enter Captain Rick with the daughter of a friend distraught with a story of injustice, and two interested women. I'd definitely want Will on my side if I had a scandal that needed investigation! I love the character of Will, he's actually very attractive, but David Crosby writes at the end of each story how it was based on a real life situation. If only there were more crusaders against injustice out there. This is a great story and I recommend all the Will Harper books to anyone who likes a good investigation to get their teeth in to
August 4, 2022
County Criminals
David Crosby keeps readers turning the pages...at least with his Will Harper Mystery Series.
I read mainly for my own entertainment, so it's very refreshing to pick up a book that's not laden with a labyrinth of a plot.
Guilty Money hits all the right spots, with a gripping plot and realistic characters that you feel like you really know.
I've already got more of this series in my library.
David Crosby keeps readers turning the pages...at least with his Will Harper Mystery Series.
I read mainly for my own entertainment, so it's very refreshing to pick up a book that's not laden with a labyrinth of a plot.
Guilty Money hits all the right spots, with a gripping plot and realistic characters that you feel like you really know.
I've already got more of this series in my library.
April 1, 2023
Excellent
Great story and a HUGE indictment of the state our country is in. Anyone who can make a quick buck and stuff it in their pocket is doing it and usually with government complicity. I know this is fiction but the premise the ta!e us written about is happening here and now and mist people are turning a blind eye. Do not think this couldn't happen to you or someone you love.
Great story and a HUGE indictment of the state our country is in. Anyone who can make a quick buck and stuff it in their pocket is doing it and usually with government complicity. I know this is fiction but the premise the ta!e us written about is happening here and now and mist people are turning a blind eye. Do not think this couldn't happen to you or someone you love.
April 29, 2023
I Love that even though the stories in this series are fictional, they are all based on Truths. The events in these stories may not have actually happened, but many other stories very much like these have.
This book reveals the corruption in our jail system, how and why it happens. How poor people simply get screwed by the county that they live in, so that the county can increase income off the backs of minor violators.
This book reveals the corruption in our jail system, how and why it happens. How poor people simply get screwed by the county that they live in, so that the county can increase income off the backs of minor violators.
November 4, 2019
“The best mysteries are the ones that make you lose track of time ...”. That’s the truth with this book. A great storyline that is a great stand alone book or as a follow up to the series. I love how the author uses real cases and intermingles his own craft of storytelling together. Very engaging and captivating.
June 6, 2020
This the second in this series and I enjoyed it as much as the first. This story is fiction but based on a lot of fact and that makes it even more enjoyable to read. The story is fast paced, action packed, a great cast of characters with just the right amount of romance thrown into the mix. I highly recommend this book and this series.
January 26, 2021
Good follow-up to the first book in the series (Million Dollar Staircase) and I'm hoping it is just a good lead into the next (Florida Burning). I like that the stories are based on facts. Interesting, thought-provoking, and slightly scary.
Typos (a pet peeve of mine) are relatively few and far between.
See you on the WanderLust.
Typos (a pet peeve of mine) are relatively few and far between.
See you on the WanderLust.
September 10, 2021
Good fun read.
Will certainly knows how to get into a good story. Not bad for a retired reporter!! He gets involved through his mate to investigate scams that are going on in a local jail. Not a simple job by any means with a crooked Deputy Chief out to stop him by any means possible.
A good entertaining read.
Will certainly knows how to get into a good story. Not bad for a retired reporter!! He gets involved through his mate to investigate scams that are going on in a local jail. Not a simple job by any means with a crooked Deputy Chief out to stop him by any means possible.
A good entertaining read.
October 26, 2022
Another good read
Really liking this new series. Informative, entertaining and interesting all in one.
The writer does a good job of delivering the background without being too redundant. Plot line is easy to follow and the introduction of new characters and stories lead right into the next adventure
Really liking this new series. Informative, entertaining and interesting all in one.
The writer does a good job of delivering the background without being too redundant. Plot line is easy to follow and the introduction of new characters and stories lead right into the next adventure
February 10, 2020
Low 3 star
Positives: The thriller aspect was decent and handled well. Negatives: The MC kept turning me off the book, probably because I'm female. Also it ends on a huge hook for the next book.
Positives: The thriller aspect was decent and handled well. Negatives: The MC kept turning me off the book, probably because I'm female. Also it ends on a huge hook for the next book.
Read
May 8, 2020First of the series I have read. As an ex-Floridian I enjoy his intermingling of enviromental problems with the rampant political corruption that permiates the state while doing so in an entertaining and hopeful manner.
May 9, 2020
Hats off to you!
I enjoyed reading about that lifestyle & the area since I live in Englewood about 45 min.south of Sarasota. It brings back good memories of the laid back lifestyle. I enjoyed your character Will & others.
I enjoyed reading about that lifestyle & the area since I live in Englewood about 45 min.south of Sarasota. It brings back good memories of the laid back lifestyle. I enjoyed your character Will & others.
May 23, 2020
Super Encouraging
Wonderful to know that someone cares about regular everyday people who are used to find bank accounts for the greedy. Florida is the highlight and I love every exciting moment of this read.
Wonderful to know that someone cares about regular everyday people who are used to find bank accounts for the greedy. Florida is the highlight and I love every exciting moment of this read.
September 5, 2020
Fun read but looks at serious issues
I enjoyed that author looks at serious issues in a fun read. Main characters are done well. I liked the info in the book. I felt like I learned something.
I enjoyed that author looks at serious issues in a fun read. Main characters are done well. I liked the info in the book. I felt like I learned something.
October 17, 2020
Good read about corruption in small FL town
This is the 2nd novel I have read about Will Harper, and I have enjoyed them both. Fans of the Jesse McDermitt series by Wayne Stinnett will also enjoy this series which is easy reading.
This is the 2nd novel I have read about Will Harper, and I have enjoyed them both. Fans of the Jesse McDermitt series by Wayne Stinnett will also enjoy this series which is easy reading.
June 21, 2021
Very well written. Could not put it down.
My family lived on a boat in Bradenton Florida. So all the places are familiar to me. Even some of the restaurants. I'm starting book 3 today.
My family lived on a boat in Bradenton Florida. So all the places are familiar to me. Even some of the restaurants. I'm starting book 3 today.
July 5, 2021
Hard to put down
Will Harper usually gets dragged into cases where. His journalistic talents proved again to be necessary. He is a sucker for those who are unjustly charged. His investigations prove to help those who are treated unfairly. Finished it in 1day.
Will Harper usually gets dragged into cases where. His journalistic talents proved again to be necessary. He is a sucker for those who are unjustly charged. His investigations prove to help those who are treated unfairly. Finished it in 1day.
February 11, 2022
A Real Page Turner!
I started this book on a Thursday night and finished it the next day. I simply couldn't put it down. I too, live in Florida and know from what David depict s actually happens.
Sheila Stephens
I started this book on a Thursday night and finished it the next day. I simply couldn't put it down. I too, live in Florida and know from what David depict s actually happens.
Sheila Stephens
Read
June 7, 2022this is the second novel in this series and it was slightly better than the first novel. The plot moved swiftly and kept my interest. The ending was complicated and not predictable. A solid five star rating.
July 21, 2022
Great 2nd book in this series. Good combination between fiction and real life corruption in the county jail system. This time Will Harper takes on the corrupt Deputy Sheriff of Grove County. Can he close the corruption before he and his friends are seriously inured? Love the characters.
August 13, 2022
Good read
That Mr. Crosby's books are based out of real-life situations makes the reading all the more interesting. And at the end of his books he relays the situations that inspired his fictional story. Vey interesting and entertaining.
That Mr. Crosby's books are based out of real-life situations makes the reading all the more interesting. And at the end of his books he relays the situations that inspired his fictional story. Vey interesting and entertaining.
January 25, 2023
Florida is up for grabs!
I have just finished reading the second book in this series.
I really enjoyed the story line and characters were very interesting. I am looking forward to reading the next book.
I have just finished reading the second book in this series.
I really enjoyed the story line and characters were very interesting. I am looking forward to reading the next book.
April 21, 2023
Once again the author has revealed illegal and immoral activities on our own home ground and it is horrendous!! The subject matter is very well researched and the author used his own experiences in the storyline. I am really loving these books they are so good!!
May 11, 2023
Will Harper gets involved again?
It seems Will can't go too long without something coming up that he needs to do something about.
This is as good as Million Dollar Staircase, the first in the series.
I have the following 7 of the series on my TBR shelf.
It seems Will can't go too long without something coming up that he needs to do something about.
This is as good as Million Dollar Staircase, the first in the series.
I have the following 7 of the series on my TBR shelf.
July 3, 2023
Guilt Money
Another excellent novel by this offer. The main character was once again portrayed as a crusader. While the outcome was expected, I found the novel to be an excellent read.
Another excellent novel by this offer. The main character was once again portrayed as a crusader. While the outcome was expected, I found the novel to be an excellent read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews