Red Running Deep: A Sci-Fi Mystery

Janey McCallister Mystery

by Beth Barany

Three murders. Three locked rooms. The race is on to find the killer before more red is spilled.

On edge and desperately tired, Investigator Janey McCallister wants nothing more than to take bereavement leave to grieve a terrible personal loss. But when the high-end hotel-casino space station Bijoux de L’Étoile is struck by three locked-room murders, she must take the lead.

When the murders turn out to be related to a top-secret case Sol Unified Planets inspector Orlando Valdez is investigating, Janey questions her entire purpose for working at the hotel.

Janey finds herself knee deep in blood and heartache, running red and ragged toward a man and a case that might destroy her career.

Can she overcome her need to control every situation and work with others to solve the case, or is Orlando using her for his own ends like he has before?

***

Red Running Deep is perfect for fans of J.D. Robb’s Eve Dallas books and Killjoys and CSI. It contains a slow-burn romance, enhanced humans, cool high-tech gadgets, a futuristic vision of the Earth, and a tough kick ass heroine with secrets.

***

Janey McCallister Mystery series
Into The Black (Book 1)
Lured By Light (Book 2)
Gone Green (Book 3)
Red Running Deep (Book 4)

Other Fiction Series by Beth Barany
Henrietta The Dragon Slayer, YA Adventure Fantasy series (3 books)
Touchstone series, sweet sensual paranormal romance (5 books)

REVIEW FROM THE SERIES
"Into the Black starts off with a bang and never lets up..."
— Nancy Allen, Amazon Vine Voice Reviewer

"This fun, often riveting novel offers an intriguing blend of mystery, sci-fi, and romance elements..."
— The BookLife Prize

"This is a real good and twisty mystery."
-- Patricia Beaver

"I'm totally hooked on the Janey McCallister novels. I adore the scifi element of this mystery series as well as the well-defined characters. I like how the author lets us feel the personal struggles Janey has, not only with her job but also with juggling a personal life as well as a (hopefully) a love life."
-- Keri Kruspe

"This is a science fiction detective story that grabs you right from the start and never lets go."
-- Doug Williamson

288 pages, Paperback

Published March 26, 2022

About the author

Award winning author, Beth Barany writes in several genres including young adult adventure fantasy, paranormal romance, and science fiction mysteries.

Inspired by living abroad in France and Quebec, she loves creating magical tales of romance, mystery, and adventure that empower women and girls to be the heroes of their own lives.

For fun, Beth enjoys walking her neighborhood, gardening on her patio, and watching movies and traveling with her husband, author Ezra Barany.

They live in Oakland, California with a piano, cats, and over 1,000 books.

Beth is also the author of bestselling nonfiction books for authors and aspiring authors and helps novelists through her courses and programs at Barany School of Fiction.

Reviews

[Sentinelle23 · Rating 5 out of 5]

♥️♥️💚 Apotheosis !!!

Investigator Janey Mc Callister gave the "red code" to her artificial intelligence named Rhea.

She left "l’Etoile", the hotel-casino of the space station for an indefinite period...

What would happen now ?
We’ll see, she thought...

-------------

An incredible sequel and end to the mysterious and dangerous adventures of the phenomenal space inspector Janey Mc Callister.

A great moment of reading, packed with action, surprises and emotions

A must read for fans of the genre!
♥️♥️💚

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always Janey is fantastic. Unfortunately for her a lot is happening at the same time. People dying, things happening. There is never a dull moment and once you start reading, you’re hooked forever.

[Jrevier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable Read

Truly enjoy fun reads and that's what this one was as well as the other three books in the series I'd highly recommend it for somebody that just likes fun space bang bang shoot them up stories

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book drops you right into the heart of the story from the first words on the page. From there, it’s a mad-scramble rush for Janey to figure out why station guests are dying while everything (and everyone) she thought she could count on change around her. I read this anxiously balanced on the edge of my seat, desperate to find out what was really going on. The ending is both “a-hah!” and “WTF?” and leaves me begging that please (please!) this isn’t the last time we get to see Janey doing what Janey does best.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this through Hidden Gems Books.

[Jay Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Janey has on and off need to act as the chief, as she is difficult Orlando's romance and the loss of Janey's mother from her disease. The Janey has to investigation three unusual deaths from a found to be a fungus. Janey has to quickly solve the murders from seem to be unrelated. Janey couldn't get to her mother's rites due to strong storms in Earth, so Janey works to find the cause of the deaths and the suspects. This ending is very different, and the owner of the space center is deeply involved. The action is entertaining, and the ending is very exciting.

[Romaine Heart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Janey felt like she had been sucker punched. News of her mother's death. No way to Earth with the storms brewing. Plus she had been called back to work at the space station. Chief was missing. Someone was murdered. Orlando wasn't available either. He had just gotten an important lead for his case. Jupiter's b@lls!  Her mind felt like asteroids colliding!

Now bodies are dropping like flies! Venus h€lls! How were these men murdered and by whom? No evidence!
Now as Acting Chief Janey, Orlando and her team work around the clock to unravel this mystery.
When the pieces of the puzzle fall in place the two cases are intertwined. Everyone is surprised to find out that one of their own is involved.
Action packed drama, mystery, suspense and betrayal will keep you intrigued from beginning to end!
Thank you Hidden Gems and the author for a digital copy. Read and reviewed voluntarily and the opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book, kept you guessing and emotionally attached. Great mystery

[Suzanne Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the Janey McAllister series. This book starts out with Janey being notified that her mother has passed away. Her ability to leave Bijoux de L’Etoile is inhibited by sever storms making travel impossible. Shortly she is notified that there is a murder, then a second and a third. If that wasn’t enough, the Chief has resigned and Janey must again take on the mantle of temporary Chief. This book has more than a few twists that keep the reader amused.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! The characters are great, and this mystery keeps you guessing.

[Shey Saints · Rating 5 out of 5]

Red Running Deep by Beth Barany is a gripping sci-fi mystery that pulls you right into the world of Janey McCallister, a lead investigator working aboard a luxury hotel-casino space station. Just as she’s about to rush home to her ailing mother, a sudden death forces her to stay and take charge of a new case. As Janey navigates her grief, duty, and suspicion that the crime might run deeper than it seems, the story blends emotion, suspense, and futuristic intrigue perfectly.

I’m giving this 5 out of 5 stars because it hooked me from the start and didn’t let go. The writing is sharp, cinematic, and full of heart. Janey is a relatable lead—strong, intelligent, and deeply human beneath her professional armor. The mystery keeps building with the right balance of tension and character moments, and the setting feels alive without being overcomplicated. It’s the kind of story that lingers after you finish, both for its mystery and its emotional pull.

[Norman Hirschman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author does an outstanding job of projecting a story that combines high tech, emotions and action
under one cover. Basically Chief Investigator Janey McAllister, ready to depart to her mother's funeral receives an alert that a has been visitor had dies and was determing to have been murdered. She cannot make up mind as to what direction she needs to turn. However bad weather prevents her from leaving and Duty is first. Then 2 other murders occur and time is running out for her and her team. Can she mentally handle everything to find the killer. A surprised ending. Well worth reading.

[Edwin Downward · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sorry to see this engaging series end with this novel. Once more the author kept me on the edge of my seat during the roller coaster of building action.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 suspicious deaths on same day. Jamie McCallister and her team investigate the deaths.

[Catriona Bain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have followed the story from the beginning and I have to say it is a brilliant book. It has such amazing characters with awesome twists and turns to keep you guessing, I can't wait for the next one.
But if your going to read about one seriously badass woman this year then Janey McCallister is the woman for you.
I did receive this book as an ARC but this is my honest review.