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Deuce Mora #5
Black Marsh
SHE’S LOST, BUT HELICOPTERS ARE CIRCLING…
THE BAD NEWS: THEY’RE NOT A RESCUE UNIT.
Investigative reporter Deuce Mora’s seen it all, been there, done everything – (everything dangerous, anyway) – but waking up in a swamp next to a plane crash is a whole other order of scary. The scariest part: she has no memory of how she got there.
She’s so disoriented she actually considers trusting the mysterious swamp hermit who says he needs to hide her to protect her from the search helicopters circling above.
But he could be right – the helicopters belong to agents of what passes for law and order in Joe Pye County – all of whom are rottener than last Easter’s undiscovered eggs and under the sinister thumb of a sadistic, corrupt sheriff.
If Deuce ever gets out of this alive, she’ll have a lot to answer for to both her editor at the paper (who pointedly instructed her not to go to Joe Pye County) and her fiancé Mark, who did not sign on for Deuce’s daredevil shenanigans. They’re both near the end of their respective ropes.
Deuce, however, hasn’t got the whole corruption story yet. She won’t be leaving any time soon.
A perfect fit for those who love tough-minded sleuths who're good in a fight.
THE BAD NEWS: THEY’RE NOT A RESCUE UNIT.
Investigative reporter Deuce Mora’s seen it all, been there, done everything – (everything dangerous, anyway) – but waking up in a swamp next to a plane crash is a whole other order of scary. The scariest part: she has no memory of how she got there.
She’s so disoriented she actually considers trusting the mysterious swamp hermit who says he needs to hide her to protect her from the search helicopters circling above.
But he could be right – the helicopters belong to agents of what passes for law and order in Joe Pye County – all of whom are rottener than last Easter’s undiscovered eggs and under the sinister thumb of a sadistic, corrupt sheriff.
If Deuce ever gets out of this alive, she’ll have a lot to answer for to both her editor at the paper (who pointedly instructed her not to go to Joe Pye County) and her fiancé Mark, who did not sign on for Deuce’s daredevil shenanigans. They’re both near the end of their respective ropes.
Deuce, however, hasn’t got the whole corruption story yet. She won’t be leaving any time soon.
A perfect fit for those who love tough-minded sleuths who're good in a fight.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 14, 2023
150 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
Jean Heller
13 books52 followersMy mother once confronted my husband and me, put her hands on her hips, and asked, “Can’t one of you hold onto a job?”
She was joking – sort of. Both of us were journalists, and we kept getting better jobs, which required moving. A lot. Moving frequently is, I have discovered, a good way to avoid having to clean out the closets, the garage, and the cabinets under the kitchen sink.
Through it all, I have been one thing above all else, a writer.
I started my first novel when I was in the third grade, the story of people living at the center of the earth. I liked the concept, but I really didn’t have a good plot point, and when I discovered what it’s really like at the center of the earth, the project sort of went up in flames, so to speak.
My first complete novel, a thriller called “Maximum Impact,” was published by Forge, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, in 1993. My second, “Handyman,” came two years later. Both received great reviews from critics, and both will be available in Kindle editions in early 2015.
The new one, also a thriller, is called “The Someday File.” It is the first in what will be a series set in Chicago, a city I have loved since I was in college and which I have called home for years. I set it here because Chicago is such a great character in its own right. The stories I can build on these bones – quite literally in the case of “The Someday File” – have infinite possibilities.
_________________________________________________
Jean’s news career included serving as an investigative and projects reporter and editor for The Associated Press in New York City and Washington, D.C., The Cox Newspapers and New York Newsday in Washington, D.C. and the St. Petersburg Times in Washington, D.C. and Florida.
Jean has won multiple awards, including the Worth Bingham Prize, the Polk Award, and is an eight-time Pulitzer Prize nominee.
She was joking – sort of. Both of us were journalists, and we kept getting better jobs, which required moving. A lot. Moving frequently is, I have discovered, a good way to avoid having to clean out the closets, the garage, and the cabinets under the kitchen sink.
Through it all, I have been one thing above all else, a writer.
I started my first novel when I was in the third grade, the story of people living at the center of the earth. I liked the concept, but I really didn’t have a good plot point, and when I discovered what it’s really like at the center of the earth, the project sort of went up in flames, so to speak.
My first complete novel, a thriller called “Maximum Impact,” was published by Forge, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, in 1993. My second, “Handyman,” came two years later. Both received great reviews from critics, and both will be available in Kindle editions in early 2015.
The new one, also a thriller, is called “The Someday File.” It is the first in what will be a series set in Chicago, a city I have loved since I was in college and which I have called home for years. I set it here because Chicago is such a great character in its own right. The stories I can build on these bones – quite literally in the case of “The Someday File” – have infinite possibilities.
_________________________________________________
Jean’s news career included serving as an investigative and projects reporter and editor for The Associated Press in New York City and Washington, D.C., The Cox Newspapers and New York Newsday in Washington, D.C. and the St. Petersburg Times in Washington, D.C. and Florida.
Jean has won multiple awards, including the Worth Bingham Prize, the Polk Award, and is an eight-time Pulitzer Prize nominee.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 3, 2025
Are all politicians this bad in Illinois? No. But this story contains some pretty bad ones.
Are all rich people as evil as the guy in this story? No. Think of the worst thing a father or step-father could do to his son or step-son. I bet you're not even close to what happens in this story.
Do all newspaprr reporters get death threats. No.
Finally, do all bad guys die of natural causes? No. I'm not going to hint one way or another on this.
Read the book, you'll enjoy it. How could one writer think of all this bad stuff and get it all in one story?
Are all rich people as evil as the guy in this story? No. Think of the worst thing a father or step-father could do to his son or step-son. I bet you're not even close to what happens in this story.
Do all newspaprr reporters get death threats. No.
Finally, do all bad guys die of natural causes? No. I'm not going to hint one way or another on this.
Read the book, you'll enjoy it. How could one writer think of all this bad stuff and get it all in one story?
April 19, 2023
This series went straight downhill for me. I thought book 1-3 were really well-done and worthy of a read. I couldn't believe how poor book 4 was but I finished it. No way was I going to put any more time into book 5 and gave up at the halfway point. There was no editing and things like referring to Deuce and her compatriot as "they" when the story was written in the first person. Large parts were printed in italics for no apparent reason and were very hard to read. There were things like "two many" and "work" when she meant "word." The plot was so muddy that, even when I bailed at the middle of the book, I still had no idea what Deuce was doing in southern Illinois. Such a shame.
October 1, 2024
really?
Can she just do a desk job after ALL that adrenaline? This is another great story that is also harrowing. But it ties up many threads from all the previous stories too. Some I never expected to think about or would have missed, and yet they really completed the story. I am afraid this is the end of Deuce’s adventures, with her promises, but honestly, she needs a break! I am a huge fan of this author and will read any thing she writes, and I am looking for her first two, not in this series.
Can she just do a desk job after ALL that adrenaline? This is another great story that is also harrowing. But it ties up many threads from all the previous stories too. Some I never expected to think about or would have missed, and yet they really completed the story. I am afraid this is the end of Deuce’s adventures, with her promises, but honestly, she needs a break! I am a huge fan of this author and will read any thing she writes, and I am looking for her first two, not in this series.
May 24, 2023
I enjoyed the first three books in the series but had to struggle to get through this one. I felt I had been reading forever and was only 30% of the through the book. The high point(?) of the book was seeing Deuce and Mark were together. Didn’t care about anything else. Won’t be going back to read what I missed in book 4.
June 2, 2023
Deuce is back and this time stakes are even higher than ever. In this installment I love how the plot is unbelievably brilliant and also flows quite well. The narration from different angles also helps understanding what was really going on. I think this series us one of the most exciting series I have ever read. I loved everything about it.
May 19, 2023
great but gruesome story!
It was very long! When they got rescued from Joe Pye, I thought it would be over butNO! There was lots more to be told! Stick with it! It will be worth it in the end!
It was very long! When they got rescued from Joe Pye, I thought it would be over butNO! There was lots more to be told! Stick with it! It will be worth it in the end!
May 19, 2023
Ok
This is an Ok book, started out good then went downhill about half way through it. To much erroneous information about covid, vaccines, etc. Also supposed law officers, the good guys, doing things that doesn't seem like something they would do.
This is an Ok book, started out good then went downhill about half way through it. To much erroneous information about covid, vaccines, etc. Also supposed law officers, the good guys, doing things that doesn't seem like something they would do.
February 8, 2025
Incredible book that you must read. Superb mystery.
This book will shock you in so many twists and turns, but you will not be able to put it down. Horrific scenarios and unimaginable background bring the dark underworld to light. Outstanding.
This book will shock you in so many twists and turns, but you will not be able to put it down. Horrific scenarios and unimaginable background bring the dark underworld to light. Outstanding.
March 21, 2023
A rollercoaster ride of a thriller! Wow!
June 17, 2023
Great story line bring it all together in the end.
January 19, 2024
Deuce Mora mysteries
Best stories ever written about a reporter for a newspaper. Exciting and sependful the entire time. Loved it. Will read it again.
Best stories ever written about a reporter for a newspaper. Exciting and sependful the entire time. Loved it. Will read it again.
August 31, 2024
First rate thriller.
March 4, 2025
Never ending action.
Best Deuce Mora book In the series. I've read the first four but this one kept me on edge until the end.
Best Deuce Mora book In the series. I've read the first four but this one kept me on edge until the end.
August 22, 2025
a really great story however there were numerous errors such as words missing and misspelling.
October 25, 2025
Secrets
This book could not hold my attention very long. It was okay but I just couldn’t get into it and it took a while to read it.
This book could not hold my attention very long. It was okay but I just couldn’t get into it and it took a while to read it.
March 14, 2024
Not as good as the earlier books,, and quite a few editing errors. Too bad.
March 17, 2024
So sad
What could have been a good book. Was very disappointed. Stereotypes. The black man could not talk like an intelligent person. Despite being a recent war veteran
What could have been a good book. Was very disappointed. Stereotypes. The black man could not talk like an intelligent person. Despite being a recent war veteran
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews