Broken

Josh Ingram Series #3

by T.G. Brown

At first glance, the figure could have been construed as a large cocoon hanging from the church rafters. But as one moved closer, the outline of a man came into focus, his body strung upside down . . . his thick torso squirming against his restraints as though he was about to be reborn.

While bullfrog hunting on a cloud-covered night in the Louisiana Bayou JOSH INGRAM had no way of knowing the cogs of a grisly nightmare had already begun to turn. A nightmare that takes root with the murder of a priest in Northern Ireland only to find its way to a schoolyard in Louisiana.

RACHAEL TANNER, head of the FBI Special Crimes Unit, has been trying to reach Ingram all night. Death row inmate Samuel LeBlanc aka The Technician is insisting Ingram be present at his coming reveal, where he will disclose the names and locations of his remaining victims.

Then the unexpected occurs . . .

Confronted with an impossible demand and an evil that knows no bounds, Josh and Rachael must find a way to fit the pieces together. For should they not complete the puzzle in time, the consequence of such failure would be unthinkable?

358 pages, Paperback

Published February 9, 2022

About the author

Brown was born in Edmonton, Alberta. His mother was a strong, independent-minded matriarch. His father was a well read, self-taught historian, and World War II veteran.
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It was at the age of 13, after Brown received a copy of Leonard Cohen’s debut album “Songs of Leonard Cohen," that he discovered his love of writing. Moved by Cohen’s lyrics, he began with poetry.* Though Brown had become an avid reader and aspiring writer at a young age, life’s turns had other plans for him.

Brown took on a variety of short-term jobs, including ditch digging and bartending to pay for his undergraduate degree. It was there, in his studies, that he found the love of his life. A year later, they were married. Following the discovery that the first of their two children was on its way, Brown put his dream of authorship aside and chose a life of stability for his family, taking a 9 to 5 desk job.

But as days turned to weeks, weeks to months, months turned to years, his thoughts began to darken as his characters emerged from his subconscious and stepped out onto the stage. A space where both the good and the unsavory coexist, driven by their wants and needs, casting their long shadows across the floor. It was then, after 30 years of service, Brown left his job to put to paper the narratives and characters he had derived during his time behind the desk.
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In December 2013, his first novel, O’Henry, was published. Following its success, Brown went on to write two subsequent novels in the “Josh Ingram Series,” including Harvest (2017) and the highly anticipated Broken (2022). O’Henry was nominated for Whistler Independent Book Award. Harvest was a Whistler Independent Book Award Finalist.
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His inspiration:

Brown has lived across Canada, including as far north as Iqaluit. He now lives with his wife on Vancouver Island where he continues to write novels from his storm room overlooking the ocean. The inspiration for the settings in his books come from a lifetime of travel and experiences. His next novel is anticipated to take place on Vancouver Island.

John Ingram’s character, as well as his villains, according to Brown, grew organically. Brown describes Ingram as a “tortured soul wanting to heal.” While other characters, like his accomplice Mary, a “no holds barred ass kicking woman,” as Brown puts it, was inspired by the numerous strong and unabating women in his life.
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*Of note: the lines of poetry given by the psychopath in Brown’s third novel, “Broken,” were written by Brown at the age of 13.

Reviews

[Barb]

I love books that are hard to put down and this is one of those kinds of books. Lots going on, interesting characters and all skillfully connected. And interesting to read just enough about different locations. Nice one TG!