Desperate Days: The Judge

by Matt Press

Where Sci-Fi Meets Private Eye. Monday, May 28th, 1934. 
My name is Henry Hollis and my life took a turn recently that I didn’t see coming. The easy way to say it is that I got a job offer, but that doesn't do justice to the situation. Maybe they should have told me the job would get me tangled up with mobsters and space aliens. Maybe it wouldn’t have mattered. Times being what they are, I took the job, and every day since has been just this side of madness. I’ve met powerful men. I've been on the receiving end of death threats and bribe offers, and just yesterday, a .38 caliber slug to the leg. I’ve conversed with a 400-year-old child, beaten a perfectly decent man into unconsciousness at his request and been mistaken for a vengeful angel from beyond the veil. It's been quite a carnival ride, and I don't expect things to slow down any time soon. After some reflection on the situation, I've decided to keep a journal of my experiences on this runaway train I'm riding. Maybe this will all be nothing but a waste of good paper, but I'm following what you might call an educated hunch. I hope you'll forgive the coffee stains.

354 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 16, 2018

About the author

I can't remember a time when I wasn't conjuring up imaginary worlds and telling stories. I've always loved breathing life into characters and places that existed only in my head. By the age of ten I was writing fantasy stories and by the age of thirteen I was deeply involved in storytelling games, a pastime that continues to fire my imagination and keep me in good company. After growing up in South Bend, Indiana, I went off to spend my undergrad years at the University of Iowa, then I did my graduate studies at Indiana University. After that, I spent a solid decade learning about adulthood and myself and the real world. Eventually, and for more than twenty years, I came to live and work in Bloomington, Indiana, where I owned a property development company. These days, I live in Arlington, Virginia, where I dedicate my work-time to writing and the rest of my time (and heart) to my wife and two children.

Check out my facebook page for more info and updates: www.facebook.com/authormattpress

Reviews

[Christine Rains]

Henry Hollis badly needed the job, but didn't know it would get him into a heap of trouble. What should have been a simple job investigating the destruction of a park statue turned into something much bigger and out of this world. Henry had been in the Great War, but he's seeing things in his hometown he never knew existed. Will he survive to get his next paycheck?

Fun speculative fiction that is slow to start, but once it gets rolling, you won't want to put the book down. Henry is a sympathetic character with a heavy history. Yet even with all that he's been through, the secret world unfolding in front of him leaves him and the reader in awe. Terrific world building which sets up a great universe for the series. I'm eagerly awaiting the next one!

[Robin]

what a fun book

I quickly became thoroughly enthralled by the story. Each mystery solved uncovered more intrigue and weirdness. I’m going to start reading the next book immediately.

[Bruce Shaver]

Fun

I was greatly entertained by this story line. I liked the time was the early 1900's, gave it a little more interest without all our 2018 technology.

[Kathleen Duffy]

Very Entertaining

Syfi fiction and thrilling story. A quick read. I kept looking for the aliens to show,the ending of this portion is interesting, want to read more..

[Allen Herman]

Heat plots, but

The structure,lots and their movements was well done. I would have the more stars of this work had far fewer words. At times it out me to sleep.

[Dave Wallace]

Period background is great, characters good, story a bit too complicated for simple me.

[Sam Hagadorn]

I'm a sucker for detective noir. And urban fantasy. Mix them up and this was a fun read.