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Jane Knight #1
Cold Bones: Cold Case Thriller, Crime, Suspense and Private Investigator Mysteries Based in Marion North Carolina America
A Riveting Quest for Justice
In a small, tranquil town where secrets are buried deep, a newly elected senator is about to uncover truths that could shatter the peace forever.
Decades ago, a child vanished without a trace, leaving a community reeling and parents drowning in grief. Now, on the brink of an execution that promises closure, Senator Stoane Cold stands firm on his belief that the wrong man is about to pay the ultimate price for a crime he didn’t commit. With mere days to spare, his mission is clear: discover the truth and set the wheels of justice in motion.
As Stoane delves into the mystery, he faces a town reluctant to revisit its haunted past. With scant evidence and mounting pressure, he must navigate a web of lies, deceit, and long-held secrets. Each lead brings him closer to the chilling reality of what happened that fateful day, but also to the realization that not everyone seeks the truth he so desperately chases.
This gripping murder mystery weaves a tale of suspense and intrigue, where every twist and turn leaves you questioning the very fabric of justice. The stakes are high, not just for the man staring at death row, but for everyone who holds a piece of the puzzle.
Join Senator Cold as he races against time to bring peace to grieving parents and a community yearning for answers.
Will the truth finally see the light of day, or will it forever remain a cold case?
Dive into this electrifying thriller and experience a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 10, 2018
About the author
Leon M.A. Edwards
22 books16 followersHe has authored and published numerous steamy/ erotica titles and box sets, spanning popular tropes like strangers-to-lovers, romantic suspense, and athletic romance. His published works include the Jane Knight series (featuring titles such as Jane Knight: Rogue Officer, Jane Knight: Fair Game, Jane Knight: A Spy Among Us, and Jane Knight: Tomorrow’s World) and the female boxing sports romance Chance series (By Chance, Second Chance, and A Chance), alongside various standalone romance and thriller novels.
Merging genres like romantic suspense, espionage, and corporate conspiracies, his books pull readers into fast-paced, high-stakes plots filled with danger, tension, and unexpected twists. Stories like the Chance series, he takes characters from vulnerable or overlooked positions (such as working grueling supermarket shifts or surviving trauma) and tracks their grueling, realistic journeys toward physical and mental resilience—allowing readers to experience genuine empowerment and “champion’s origins”. His romances are designed to feel raw rather than easy or glossy. They explore complex relationship dynamics, messy timings, and deep vulnerability, leaving readers feeling deeply invested, emotionally moved, and occasionally drained by the passionate upheaval. Through themes of overcoming grief, betrayal, or personal stagnation, his narratives often mirror real human pain and recovery, helping readers find comfort, validation, and a belief in second chances in their own lives.
He primarily writes for lovers of gritty romantic suspense, fast-paced espionage thrillers, and high-intensity contemporary romance who want more than just a quick escape. Readers drawn to his underdog and recovery arcs—such as the physical and psychological rebuilding seen in the Chance series—often report feeling deeply seen. Reviewers frequently note that his honest depictions of how trauma isolates, how self-doubt lingers, and how recovery happens in heavy, hard-fought layers provide real emotional validation.
For readers who appreciate strong, gritty protagonists thrust into dangerous or overlooked circumstances (like the corporate conspiracies in the Jane Knight series or the grueling athletic training in Chance), his stories offer a potent sense of agency. The protagonists aren’t magically rescued; they fight their way out, giving readers an empowering template of survival and grit.
Fans of mature, slow-burn, or messy relationship dynamics appreciate that his romances reject tidy clichés.
By tackling imperfect timing, grief, and complex emotional architecture, his work appeals to an audience that wants high-heat passion balanced with psychological depth and realistic relational friction.
Readers who love watching characters climb out of difficult, overlooked, or painful circumstances through sheer hard work, physical training, or tactical survival (such as the athletic and psychological grind found in the Chance series).
Audiences who enjoy fast-paced plots involving corporate conspiracies, international espionage, and high-speed threats—exemplified by series like Jane Knight—where the stakes feel genuinely lethal and immediate. Readers who prefer romances that are “messy” rather than easy. They want to read about imperfect timing, trauma recovery, past betrayals, and slow-burning vulnerability paired with high heat and strong passion. Readers who want a story that makes them feel deeply—balancing white-knuckle adrenaline with the raw, rewarding satisfaction of characters fighting tooth and nail for their hard-won second chances. Looking for fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thrillers involving corporate conspiracies, international danger, and tactical action.
Enjoy sports romance and character arcs focused on rigorous physical training, survival, and hard-fought personal transformation (such as the journey seen in his Chance series). Prefer slow-burn, emotionally complex relationships over tidy, predictable tropes—apprecia
Merging genres like romantic suspense, espionage, and corporate conspiracies, his books pull readers into fast-paced, high-stakes plots filled with danger, tension, and unexpected twists. Stories like the Chance series, he takes characters from vulnerable or overlooked positions (such as working grueling supermarket shifts or surviving trauma) and tracks their grueling, realistic journeys toward physical and mental resilience—allowing readers to experience genuine empowerment and “champion’s origins”. His romances are designed to feel raw rather than easy or glossy. They explore complex relationship dynamics, messy timings, and deep vulnerability, leaving readers feeling deeply invested, emotionally moved, and occasionally drained by the passionate upheaval. Through themes of overcoming grief, betrayal, or personal stagnation, his narratives often mirror real human pain and recovery, helping readers find comfort, validation, and a belief in second chances in their own lives.
He primarily writes for lovers of gritty romantic suspense, fast-paced espionage thrillers, and high-intensity contemporary romance who want more than just a quick escape. Readers drawn to his underdog and recovery arcs—such as the physical and psychological rebuilding seen in the Chance series—often report feeling deeply seen. Reviewers frequently note that his honest depictions of how trauma isolates, how self-doubt lingers, and how recovery happens in heavy, hard-fought layers provide real emotional validation.
For readers who appreciate strong, gritty protagonists thrust into dangerous or overlooked circumstances (like the corporate conspiracies in the Jane Knight series or the grueling athletic training in Chance), his stories offer a potent sense of agency. The protagonists aren’t magically rescued; they fight their way out, giving readers an empowering template of survival and grit.
Fans of mature, slow-burn, or messy relationship dynamics appreciate that his romances reject tidy clichés.
By tackling imperfect timing, grief, and complex emotional architecture, his work appeals to an audience that wants high-heat passion balanced with psychological depth and realistic relational friction.
Readers who love watching characters climb out of difficult, overlooked, or painful circumstances through sheer hard work, physical training, or tactical survival (such as the athletic and psychological grind found in the Chance series).
Audiences who enjoy fast-paced plots involving corporate conspiracies, international espionage, and high-speed threats—exemplified by series like Jane Knight—where the stakes feel genuinely lethal and immediate. Readers who prefer romances that are “messy” rather than easy. They want to read about imperfect timing, trauma recovery, past betrayals, and slow-burning vulnerability paired with high heat and strong passion. Readers who want a story that makes them feel deeply—balancing white-knuckle adrenaline with the raw, rewarding satisfaction of characters fighting tooth and nail for their hard-won second chances. Looking for fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thrillers involving corporate conspiracies, international danger, and tactical action.
Enjoy sports romance and character arcs focused on rigorous physical training, survival, and hard-fought personal transformation (such as the journey seen in his Chance series). Prefer slow-burn, emotionally complex relationships over tidy, predictable tropes—apprecia
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 7, 2021
Obtained 8 August 2021 free Kindle edition.
DNF at 6%. Terrible writing. All telling, no showing, no dialogue, nothing.
Author is English trying to write about small town Southern America and it just doesn't work. Cannot recommend.
DNF at 6%. Terrible writing. All telling, no showing, no dialogue, nothing.
Author is English trying to write about small town Southern America and it just doesn't work. Cannot recommend.
May 22, 2024
Not for me… haven’t read a book this bad in some time..
Was it just me that seemed to think it was funny how he always seemed to be eating??! It was constant and it seemed he went from one mealtime straight into another..
The main character seemed to be having to let down all the women throwing themselves at him throughout the book! He was simply irresistible!!? It was so laughable! A book author celebrity, retired cop now trying to find employment at a home depot in his 50s?! Oh with six pack abs apparently!! Lmaooo!!! No six pack with the way he eats in this book!!! But seriously? Every women wanted him?? Yeah right!! Such the male ego here…
But the worst part was that they found the missing kids body after 39 years only a short ways up from where he played with his friends on a regular basis?? I get that it was 1982 but they must have been the dumbest police officers that ever existed? There was even a road that lead them to the cabin? Oh come on!!! So they didn’t do a search?
Also the killers had acid and a drum to finish off the remains and just never got around to it in almost 40 years??!
There were so many issues with this book..
Was it just me that seemed to think it was funny how he always seemed to be eating??! It was constant and it seemed he went from one mealtime straight into another..
The main character seemed to be having to let down all the women throwing themselves at him throughout the book! He was simply irresistible!!? It was so laughable! A book author celebrity, retired cop now trying to find employment at a home depot in his 50s?! Oh with six pack abs apparently!! Lmaooo!!! No six pack with the way he eats in this book!!! But seriously? Every women wanted him?? Yeah right!! Such the male ego here…
But the worst part was that they found the missing kids body after 39 years only a short ways up from where he played with his friends on a regular basis?? I get that it was 1982 but they must have been the dumbest police officers that ever existed? There was even a road that lead them to the cabin? Oh come on!!! So they didn’t do a search?
Also the killers had acid and a drum to finish off the remains and just never got around to it in almost 40 years??!
There were so many issues with this book..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2021
Stoane Cold was a cop and investigator who recently retired . Senator Charleston had him picked up by the police . Heaven forbid what did he do. He was asked to help clear a child murderer. The man was in jail for many years and the Senator said hes innocent and was soon on death row. Stoane took the job. In a little town that had very little crime. He was looked at strangely as not many black men were welcomed there. Daniel the little boy always wanted to a detective, One day he went missing almost 40 years ago- thats high odds to solving the case. His wife Sheila was a pathologist. When you get to the parts in the book of them you soon realize they have a strong sex life. I like how he gives his reasons for what he does in his investigation. The ending was a total surprise to me.
June 3, 2025
I really dislike virtual voice narrations! This book was ok. Seems the author was more focused on describing the sex scenes between lead character and his wife. Evidently the couple needs to learn to lock their doors or find some place more private. I would have preferred less of that and more descriptions on the actual crime being investigated. The lead character, Stoane Cold (really???) also spent a lot of time eating, looking for food, or fending off all these women in a small town throwing themselves at him. Some inconsistencies in the story too. Not really anything overly likeable to the story.
April 27, 2023
Page turner to find out what happens next
The descriptions of characters, places, and items were good but not lengthy. The store flowed in a way that keep you wondering what was going to happen next. It also was interesting because I know of the place the author writes about. Very interesting book.
I recommend this book to those that like mystery, forensic, who done it, those that know of the county, and to anyone who enjoys reading a good book.
The descriptions of characters, places, and items were good but not lengthy. The store flowed in a way that keep you wondering what was going to happen next. It also was interesting because I know of the place the author writes about. Very interesting book.
I recommend this book to those that like mystery, forensic, who done it, those that know of the county, and to anyone who enjoys reading a good book.
September 4, 2021
Twists and turns
This book had my interest from page one. The narrator was the main character.
It had intrigue, and a mystery waiting to be solved. It was solved in a way that kept you guessing who it could be and how it was done.
Excellent developed characters and some humor kept you guessing.
This book had my interest from page one. The narrator was the main character.
It had intrigue, and a mystery waiting to be solved. It was solved in a way that kept you guessing who it could be and how it was done.
Excellent developed characters and some humor kept you guessing.
March 29, 2022
cold bones
What a great story. Of course I figured out some of it ahead of the ending. Well written and keeps your interest the whole time
An ex cop- detective is hired to prove the innocence of a man on death row for the death of a child
What a great story. Of course I figured out some of it ahead of the ending. Well written and keeps your interest the whole time
An ex cop- detective is hired to prove the innocence of a man on death row for the death of a child
February 10, 2026
Cold Bones is a gripping, well-paced thriller packed with suspense and clever twists. Leon M.A. Edwards brings the setting and investigation to life, keeping you hooked from start to finish. A must-read for crime and mystery lovers!
September 8, 2021
No contractions
Very stilted writing. The crime first is in California then it's
North Carolina. The man in prison first gets life without parole then he's on death row...???????
Very stilted writing. The crime first is in California then it's
North Carolina. The man in prison first gets life without parole then he's on death row...???????
January 4, 2022
Wonderful
This book was a pleasant surprise. Subtle and intriguing clues spread throughout the story line and still the end got me!! Good up to the very last period.
This book was a pleasant surprise. Subtle and intriguing clues spread throughout the story line and still the end got me!! Good up to the very last period.
March 19, 2022
excellent crime story
The ending was not what I expected but the mystery of the missing child was investigated in an unusual way. It kept the attention of the reader.
The ending was not what I expected but the mystery of the missing child was investigated in an unusual way. It kept the attention of the reader.
January 8, 2023
Hard to put down
This book caught my attention right from the start. It is well written and keeps you guessing. First time reading this author.
This book caught my attention right from the start. It is well written and keeps you guessing. First time reading this author.
July 18, 2023
Great police thriller
This story kept you on the edge of your seat. Loved the way the detective worked to unravel the mystery. Did not Ser that twist coming at the end. Great read!
This story kept you on the edge of your seat. Loved the way the detective worked to unravel the mystery. Did not Ser that twist coming at the end. Great read!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews