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The Hardwick Series #1-6

Hardwick: Season 1 Box Set

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Who framed Charlie Hardwick?
"Difficult to put down"... "Great book from a great author"... "Would recommend to anyone who likes crime"...

Sixteen years ago, Officer Charlie Hardwick was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his partner. Today, he has been exonerated for the crime and given his life back. In lieu of a massive settlement, he is now a homicide detective with the Chicago Police Department.

His partner has her own questionable past. His chief has serious doubts of his innocence. And he has a city full of murders to solve. But while he adjusts to his new life, he's obsessed over his own case: who murdered his partner? Who framed him for it and sent him to jail? And why?

This is the first season of Hardwick - six episodes total, each with its own case for Charlie to solve:

Episode 1: Smokescreen
The season premiere. Charlie adjusts to his new job and new life, while his chief warns him not to get anywhere near his own case.

Episode 2: Domestic Affairs
A local politician turns up dead, and he has a long list of enemies who could have done it.

Episode 3: Snapshot
A serial killer is sending photos of his victims to the Chicago PD, taunting them with each murder that he gets away with.

Episode 4: Infamous
The most popular girl in high school is murdered. Her body is found on campus. And there's enough gossip to keep the detectives guessing.

Episode 5: Structural Damages
How does a dead body wind up in the wall of a new home? The answer will show Charlie a side of the city - and his partner - he's never seen.

Episode 6: Cold Case
A scientist is found a victim of her own technology - and Charlie follows the trail... right back to his own case.

This is a clean crime series loaded with thrilling police procedural stories in a format for anyone to enjoy. And with more episodes - and seasons - coming, Charlie has a long way to go in solving the murder that put him behind bars.

288 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 30, 2016

174 people are currently reading
70 people want to read

About the author

Tom Meitner

47 books10 followers
Tom Meitner (me) is a father and husband who lives in Wisconsin.

They say if you want a job done right, you have to do it yourself. A lot of fiction today doesn't speak to me - they're well written and have plenty of fans, so other authors are certainly doing it right. But me? I want something simple. I want something I can consume on my schedule. I want to be able to commit to a story, but have a clear point to break off when I have to get back to my real life.

So that's how I write.

My nonfiction books - based entirely on my experiences making stupid mistakes throughout my life - can all be read in under 2 hours apiece. My fiction books - including my current series, "Hardwick" - are arranged like episodes of an ongoing television show.

You can commit to the full series and keep on reading, or you can find a spot to take a break. It's reading on your schedule, with stories that move forward. I write the stories I would want to read. I hope you want to read them, too.

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Community Reviews

5 stars
152 (44%)
4 stars
109 (31%)
3 stars
50 (14%)
2 stars
19 (5%)
1 star
14 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
1 review
December 24, 2019
I recognise this story...

When I started reading this story, it immediately brought to mind a tv series I liked called 'Life' starring Damian Lewis. The basics are there, a cop called Charlie (with red hair?), wrongfully convicted, released, going back to the police force, investigating his own case and being paired with a female partner. Is this a novel based on the series or was the series based on the book or is the close resemblance coincidental.
I enjoyed this book but for me it had to many quickly solved cases supporting the thread of solving Charlie's wrongful conviction
Profile Image for Jeff Benham.
1,723 reviews12 followers
May 14, 2017
Charlie Hardwick is a good cop. Framed for the murder of his partner, he spends a lot of years in prison, where he has plenty of time to think. When DNA evidence proves his innocence, he sue the city to get his job back. Since he didn't kill his partner, that means that whoever did is still out there walking around. The main thread of Season 1 is Charlie investigating his partner's death. Each episode has it own crime that need to be solved. You can read each episode as a novella, or the entire season at once. Either way it is good reading!
Profile Image for Mary Rowe.
2,628 reviews8 followers
November 8, 2021
Workmanlike procedural of a wrongly convicted, then exonerated, murder suspect

The story is somehow spare yet full of promise of mysteries to be solved. The Book 1 is a free teaser on Kindle; the rest of the series costs real dollars, either Kindle or print.

With all the oft-times amazing content available on Kindle Unlimited, Tom Meitner hasn’t quite made the $$ cut, but he’s real close, as the question “what happens next” ends the first “season” - and from the hints, the twists and serpentine turns promise stunning revelations.
49 reviews2 followers
December 29, 2019
Perfect commuter book, leaves you wanting the journey to be longer!

I like the style of this book, it reads like a a tv series with an on going background plot over layered with non connected sub plots,. The sub plots are Conan Doyle obtuse which makes for good trading,
145 reviews
January 18, 2021
A gripping story about catching murderers

I liked Charlie and his determined focus on finding his partner's murderer. I liked seeing how he and his new partner solved new murder cases.
2 reviews
April 19, 2021
Good read

This book, and the prequel, paint a good picture of the character, and the plot is well developed. The book reads smoothly, and those loving police procedurals will enjoy this book
24 reviews2 followers
April 4, 2022
EXCELLENT MURDER MYSTERY

This is a great detective story that keeps the reader’s attention from the very beginning. Once read, you want to download the next chapter in solving the Charlie Hardwick mystery. I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in this particular genre.
145 reviews1 follower
November 17, 2019
Good read

A really good read..good story good characters ..twisting and turning..good idea using other cases to find out the case he worked on
6 reviews
November 26, 2019
Once started


You want to continue.The main theme is good; however, I would like more meat in the short stories that were embedded within the main plot
10 reviews
December 5, 2019
Loved it

Really liked Charlie and how he got his life back together after being wrongly accused of his best friends murder
3 reviews
April 1, 2020
Don't read.

The story doesn't end. You have to buy more books for the story to be concluded. I wish that I hadn't wasted my time on this turkey.
29 reviews
May 4, 2020
Great read

Loved this book
Couldn't put it down
Can't wait to dive into the next one from this great author. Thanks
32 reviews
October 27, 2021
Good book

I loved all the different cases Charlie worked on. Only a few were predictable.
I am looking forward to reading the next book
72 reviews
November 28, 2021
Riviting

Captured my attention, held it, caused me to go looking for more.
Very good author. Great storyline, plot. Definitely breaks the same ole same ole mold.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews

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