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BURNT BLACK: A CLIFF SAINT JAMES NOVEL
Critically-acclaimed author Ed Kovacs presents Book Three in his thrilling Cliff Saint James series of murder mystery crime novels set in New Orleans. Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, Kirkus, the Associated Press, and many other major reviewers have given great reviews to this series of private detective cop thrillers. New York Times Bestselling Author Jonathan Maberry said “Kovacs comes out of the gate with a bang.” And Steve Berry called Kovacs a “vivid addition to the thriller genre.”
In BURNT BLACK, Cliff St. James returns along with his partner Honey to investigate a baffling series of ritualistic deaths that may be connected to a bizarre secret society.
New Orleans Homicide Detective Cliff St. James and his partner Honey are still trying to piece their lives together a year and a half after a killer storm decimated the city. Having fully recovered from near death at the hands of assassins, St. James is now in top fighting form and his sideline martial arts dojo is thriving. But physical ability plays little importance in the bizarre case he and Honey are now ensnared in--a succession of baffling deaths tied to a secretive occult group.
The investigation not only proves frustrating, but also drives a wedge between St.James and Honey, putting tremendous pressure on their relationship. As they probe the puzzling, ritualistic deaths, they uncover high strangeness in the freakish New Orleans netherworld of alternative spiritual beliefs.
Pushing forward an investigation fraught with strange occurrences and brutal death, St.James and Honey catch nothing but bad breaks as they struggle to determine which of their suspects is the killer, or perhaps the next victim.
This revised, Second Edition of BURNT BLACK is in the time-honored tradition of works by Michael Connelly, James Patterson, Lee Child, Raymond Chandler, Dashiel Hammet, James Ellroy, and Dennis Lehane.
In BURNT BLACK, Cliff St. James returns along with his partner Honey to investigate a baffling series of ritualistic deaths that may be connected to a bizarre secret society.
New Orleans Homicide Detective Cliff St. James and his partner Honey are still trying to piece their lives together a year and a half after a killer storm decimated the city. Having fully recovered from near death at the hands of assassins, St. James is now in top fighting form and his sideline martial arts dojo is thriving. But physical ability plays little importance in the bizarre case he and Honey are now ensnared in--a succession of baffling deaths tied to a secretive occult group.
The investigation not only proves frustrating, but also drives a wedge between St.James and Honey, putting tremendous pressure on their relationship. As they probe the puzzling, ritualistic deaths, they uncover high strangeness in the freakish New Orleans netherworld of alternative spiritual beliefs.
Pushing forward an investigation fraught with strange occurrences and brutal death, St.James and Honey catch nothing but bad breaks as they struggle to determine which of their suspects is the killer, or perhaps the next victim.
This revised, Second Edition of BURNT BLACK is in the time-honored tradition of works by Michael Connelly, James Patterson, Lee Child, Raymond Chandler, Dashiel Hammet, James Ellroy, and Dennis Lehane.
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 6, 2017
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About the author
Ed Kovacs
11 books16 followersED KOVACS is the author of six novels, including the critically-acclaimed Detective Cliff St. James series set in New Orleans, post-killer hurricane.
LOCKED DOWN, Nicole Grant #1, is now available as an e-book at most of the online retailers.
"When a former NSA analyst is targeted for assassination by rogue elements of the Chinese and U.S. governments, she’s forced to team with a renegade CIA spy and fight back using technology to extract the ultimate form of justice. The tension and suspense locks in on the first page and doesn’t let up until the last."
------------------------------------------------------
THE RUSSIAN BRIDE from St. Martin's Press:
“Quick, entertaining action.” Kirkus Reviews
“Brisk, easy-to-read thriller... Readers who like their heroes fearsome and focused... will want to see more of (the hero) Kit Bennings.”
"This is a thriller packed so full of action, it leaves readers breathless. Kovacs does an incredible job at being technically accurate and easy to understand, so readers of all levels are engaged throughout. A must-read for fans of fast-paced stories that don’t let you go till the very end." RT Book Reviews
---------------------------------------------------
BURNT BLACK, Cliff St. James #3.
"The vibrant description of occult doings mixes well with the movements of the earthbound characters, making this Cliff and Honey’s best outing to date." -- Kirkus
"What lingers after the demons are downed is St. James’ obliquely funny personality. A fine, offbeat procedural." -- Booklist
"This series has a definite southern noir feel, and its rough around the edges locale will be catnip to some readers, like myself." -- Criminal Element
---------------------------------------------------
GOOD JUNK, Cliff St. James #2.
"The scenes of New Orleans are rich and real." --The New York Times Book Review
Publisher's Weekly gave Good Junk the rare honor of a *starred,* boxed review.
"Powerful prose elevates this well above most other contemporary P.I. novels." --Publisher's Weekly
"With so many twists and turns, even the most devoted noir fans may wish they had a map. But it’s well worth trying to find the way." --Kirkus
"Kovacs maintains a fast pace, and his descriptions of a steamy, seamy, badly managed city that is failing to recover from Katrina are jolting and plausible. Good Junk has plenty of action—and high-tech gadgetry, too--" --Booklist
----------------------------------------------------
STORM DAMAGE
"Powerful as a Category Five hurricane, Storm Damage is a riveting journey into murder, politics, and greed. Kovacs writes like a master." -- Gayle Lynds, New York Times bestselling author
-----------------------------------------------------
UNSEEN FORCES
"A spellbinding thriller that will keep you riveted well past midnight." St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"A real page-turner rivaling The Da Vinci Code." --Phenomena Magazine
-----------------------------------------------------
Ed is a member of AFIO, Association for Intelligence Officers, American Legion Post 299, the International Thriller Writers organization, and the Mystery Writers of America.
"Ed Kovacs is a vivid addition to the thriller genre." –Steve Berry, NYT Bestselling Author
LOCKED DOWN, Nicole Grant #1, is now available as an e-book at most of the online retailers.
"When a former NSA analyst is targeted for assassination by rogue elements of the Chinese and U.S. governments, she’s forced to team with a renegade CIA spy and fight back using technology to extract the ultimate form of justice. The tension and suspense locks in on the first page and doesn’t let up until the last."
------------------------------------------------------
THE RUSSIAN BRIDE from St. Martin's Press:
“Quick, entertaining action.” Kirkus Reviews
“Brisk, easy-to-read thriller... Readers who like their heroes fearsome and focused... will want to see more of (the hero) Kit Bennings.”
"This is a thriller packed so full of action, it leaves readers breathless. Kovacs does an incredible job at being technically accurate and easy to understand, so readers of all levels are engaged throughout. A must-read for fans of fast-paced stories that don’t let you go till the very end." RT Book Reviews
---------------------------------------------------
BURNT BLACK, Cliff St. James #3.
"The vibrant description of occult doings mixes well with the movements of the earthbound characters, making this Cliff and Honey’s best outing to date." -- Kirkus
"What lingers after the demons are downed is St. James’ obliquely funny personality. A fine, offbeat procedural." -- Booklist
"This series has a definite southern noir feel, and its rough around the edges locale will be catnip to some readers, like myself." -- Criminal Element
---------------------------------------------------
GOOD JUNK, Cliff St. James #2.
"The scenes of New Orleans are rich and real." --The New York Times Book Review
Publisher's Weekly gave Good Junk the rare honor of a *starred,* boxed review.
"Powerful prose elevates this well above most other contemporary P.I. novels." --Publisher's Weekly
"With so many twists and turns, even the most devoted noir fans may wish they had a map. But it’s well worth trying to find the way." --Kirkus
"Kovacs maintains a fast pace, and his descriptions of a steamy, seamy, badly managed city that is failing to recover from Katrina are jolting and plausible. Good Junk has plenty of action—and high-tech gadgetry, too--" --Booklist
----------------------------------------------------
STORM DAMAGE
"Powerful as a Category Five hurricane, Storm Damage is a riveting journey into murder, politics, and greed. Kovacs writes like a master." -- Gayle Lynds, New York Times bestselling author
-----------------------------------------------------
UNSEEN FORCES
"A spellbinding thriller that will keep you riveted well past midnight." St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"A real page-turner rivaling The Da Vinci Code." --Phenomena Magazine
-----------------------------------------------------
Ed is a member of AFIO, Association for Intelligence Officers, American Legion Post 299, the International Thriller Writers organization, and the Mystery Writers of America.
"Ed Kovacs is a vivid addition to the thriller genre." –Steve Berry, NYT Bestselling Author
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