Mike Stoneman Thrillers by Kevin G. Chapman ➱ Series Sales Tour with Giveaway

 

 

Righteous Assassin

Mike Stoneman Thriller Book 1

by Kevin G. Chapman

Genre: Crime Thriller

" Move over Harry Bosch, there's a new guy in town. . . . Detective Mike Stoneman can match wits with Harry any day of the week." -- Authors Show Linda

Kindle Book Award Semi-Finalist / CLUE Book Awards Semi-Finalist

A MOB BOSS IS EATEN ALIVE BY TIGERS AT THE BRONX ZOO. . . .That was the fourth unsolved murder in four months - each on the last Saturday. The other three were even more unusual . . . .Could they be related? The victims share no similar traits and have no connections. Why would a single killer choose such strange and disparate methods? Why spread your victims across all of New York?

Each new murder adds a piece to the killer's jigsaw puzzle, but unraveling the clues and finding the killer's pattern may not be enough to catch him. NYPD homicide Detectives Mike Stoneman and Jason Dickson have to stop the elusive killer before he completes his decathlon of death. And, they have to deal with an FBI profiler, who has been called in to help. Mike must also avoid being distracted by Medical Examiner Michelle McNeill, who seems to be on his mind a lot lately. She's an asset to the investigation, but is this any time to be starting a romance?

The task force is racing against the calendar. Only one thing is certain - on the last Saturday of the month, there will be blood.

**Only .99 cents!**

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Deadly Enterprise

Mike Stoneman Thriller Book 2

"This is a stellar follow up to Righteous Assassin. The pacing is perfect and the character interactions are authentic and entertaining. With a tight plotline and plenty of action, this is indeed an excellent crime thriller. Can't wait to read more of Stoneman's cases. Highly recommend!" - Anna Willett, award winning horror and suspense author

Kindle Book Award Semi-Finalist / Chanticleer CLUE Award Short List


WHO IS THE DEAD GIRL THEY FISHED OUT OF THE EAST RIVER?   

Is she just a drug-addicted hooker? Medical examiner Michelle McNeill thinks it's a murder, and NYPD Homicide detective Mike Stoneman agrees.  When Mike and his partner, Jason Dickson, start to dig into the case, they run into unexpected obstacles that point in a disturbing direction.
  
In order to uncover the truth, Mike and Jason must go outside the lines and risk their own reputations, jobs - and lives.  This case is one that Mike can't walk away from, no matter how much he wants to.
 
Harry Bosch fans will love this fast-paced police thriller from award-winning author Kevin G. Chapman. Book #1 in the Mike Stoneman Thriller series, Righteous Assassin, was named one of the top 20 Mystery/Thrillers of 2019 by the Kindle Book Review. The series continues here.

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Check out the Audiobooks and listen to excerpts HERE!

Lethal Voyage

Mike Stoneman Thriller Book 3

"Filled with action, drama, and surprising twists, "Lethal Voyage" is a captivating addition to the Mike Stoneman series, guaranteed to delight readers old and new!" - InD'Tale Magazine (5-star Crowned Heart)


Finalist - 2021 RONE Award / Finalist CLUE Award 


A DEAD BODY can ruin a vacation. . . .
It was a suicide, wasn't it? . . . Maybe the on-board production of Chicago isn't the only place people are getting murdered!


NYPD homicide detective Mike Stoneman and medical examiner Michelle McNeill just want a relaxing cruise. But, Michelle is convinced that there is foul play at work in the death of a Broadway talent agent's wife.

The ship's head of security wants to keep it quiet. But, how many bodies can he cover up during one sailing? When it looks like Michelle might be the next victim, Mike needs to find the killer and keep Michelle alive for the end of this  Lethal Voyage. 

"Move over Harry Bosch, there's a new guy in town. Detective Michael Stoneman can match wits with Harry any day of the week." -- - "The Authors Show"

Don't miss the next installment in the Mike Stoneman Thriller series!

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Check out the Audiobooks and listen to excerpts HERE!

Fatal Infraction

Mike Stoneman Thriller Book 4

He took a knee for social justice. Now he's dead. Controversial quarterback Jimmy Rydell’s body was found naked – on the Central Park carousel. Who killed him? How did he get there two days after he disappeared? . . . And why was the body frozen? Jimmy’s team just wants to move on, after collecting on the $20 million insurance policy. Jimmy’s teammate – the one who threatened to kill him – swears he wasn’t there. Jimmy’s bodyguard had the night off. Somebody is going down for this if NYPD homicide detectives Mike Stoneman and Jason Dickson can find a theory that explains all the bizarre facts. They just hope the case doesn’t tear the team, and the City, apart first.

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Check out the Audiobooks and listen to excerpts HERE!

Text Excerpts from Mike Stoneman Thrillers – for Blog Tours (August 2021)

Fool Me Twice: A Mike Stoneman Short Story. Get it FREE at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086Z8GRCJ

Righteous Assassin: Mike Stoneman Thriller #1. Buy It for $0.99 at: getbook.at/Righteous_Assassin. 

Text Excerpt (Righteous Assassin):

Chapter 1 – It’s a Jungle

July 29, 2018

CRIME SCENES IN NEW YORK CITY are often bloody, regularly bizarre, and occasionally fascinating to the homicide detectives who are jaded to all but the grisliest circumstances. Detective Mike Stoneman had seen them all in his twenty-four years on the force. Stiffs in swimming pools, stiffs tied up in basement dungeons, stiffs with various parts of their anatomy removed, and stiffs fished out of the Hudson river with their eyeballs eaten away by aquatic creatures. This one, however, was a new variation – what he referred to as a “unicorn.” Eaten alive by tigers is not a cause of death often registered by the New York City medical examiner. Mike knelt down next to what was left of the corpse’s foot and examined the remnants of duct tape that had bound one ankle to the other. The tigers had left the tape mostly uneaten. Discerning palates, apparently.

“Just another routine murder in the Big City, eh, Mike?”

Stoneman looked up, squinting against the morning sun, and saw Detective Jason Dickson towering over him. Jason was six-foot-three, with broad shoulders that tapered down to a slim waist. Even wearing a suit, it was obvious that he was in great shape and had well-defined muscles across his entire upper body. He was a mountain compared to Mike’s five-foot-ten and slightly paunchy frame, even when Mike was standing. On this morning, Jason was wearing a blue pin-striped suit with a starched white shirt that contrasted sharply against his dark brown skin. His red-and-blue silk tie was expertly knotted and held in place with a gold tie bar, giving him an especially dapper appearance next to Mike’s rumpled jacket, wrinkled shirt, and scuffed loafers. Even at 9:00 a.m., the July humidity made Mike sweat as the temperature started its unstoppable rise toward too-damned-hot, but Jason seemed impervious.

Mike looked up at his young partner and smiled, which was a rare occurrence. “What? Never seen a stiff partially eaten by wild animals before?”

“Oh, sure,” Jason parried, “just not this early in the morning.”

Mike turned his attention back to the remnants of the body. The crime scene team was nearly finished, but the photographer was still taking shots all around the area. Normally, Mike would be worried about people walking around and contaminating the evidence, but in this case the press had been relegated to the spectator area above the tiger enclosure and the zoo security team had not allowed anyone but NYPD into the pit. The whole Bronx Zoo was closed for the day. Mike could hear the faint thumping of a chopper’s rotors somewhere overhead, but he ignored it. “Did we get a positive ID on the corpse?”

“Yes, we did,” Jason responded with his usual perfect diction. “You were correct, Mike. It’s Mickey Gallata. The family has not reported him missing, but his son confirmed that he left home yesterday evening and did not come back. I guess he’s not going to make it.”

“No,” Mike said without emotion. “Slick Mick will definitely not be having supper with his family ever again. It’s funny, you know. We’ve been trying to pin a conviction on him for what, a dozen years? And now, somebody has taken care of all that for us. I guess we should thank them.”

“When we figure out who’s responsible, I’ll send a fruit basket.” Jason walked away to talk with the uniformed officer who was patrolling the perimeter of the tiger enclosure looking for anything out of place. Mike was pretty sure that the beat cop from the South Bronx was not going to know whether anything he saw in the replica jungle was out of place or not.

Mike stood up and squinted again as he gazed out of the pit and saw the television news 

getting too close to the edge. They had jockeyed for position as soon as the cops had let them in an hour earlier. At the time, the low sun had made the left side of the enclosure the prime real estate for live remote shots. But now, as the sun rose a little higher in the sky, the crews were repositioning, staking out spaces and camera angles with the best backgrounds and lighting. Signs all along the bars reminded the public not to feed the animals. These particular tigers would not need feeding again for a few days.

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Deadly Enterprise: Mike Stoneman Thriller #2. Buy it for $2.99 at: getbook.at/DeadlyEnterprise

Text Excerpt (Deadly Enterprise):

Chapter 1 – A Very Bad Date

THE GIRL ON THE FLOOR in the skimpy red dress groaned softly and rolled her head to the side. The corner of her right eye was caked with dried blood. A gooey scarlet trickle ran down toward the dirty blonde hair hanging in unkempt wisps around her ear. One of the thin shoulder straps of her dress was snapped off, allowing the shiny material to peel down, exposing the top half of her small breast. A knot on her forehead the size of a golf ball throbbed an angry shade of red with each heartbeat.

“I’m not so sure about dumping her in the river,” a male voice said, without a hint of anxiety. He sat casually on the edge of a bare wooden desk in a Spartan room lacking any semblance of charm. The bed, covered with a drab brown comforter, was pushed up against the wall in front of an imitation leather headboard with large buttons holding in the padded surface. Next to it, a nondescript lamp glowed on a stained nightstand. There was no art on the walls and the floor was industrial-grade carpet with a swirling pattern that hid most of the remnants of prior visitors. The air smelled of musty sweat and industrial-strength disinfectant. The calm man, by contrast, wore an expensive suit and a gold Citizen watch. He was tall and fit, with graying black hair that was carefully groomed. He looked decidedly out of place in the dumpy room.

“We gotta make sure,” a different voice replied. “She’s not hurt that bad. Look, she’s coming around.” This second voice was agitated and came from a much shorter man, who paced within the cramped space. He was thin and wiry. He ran his hand through a head of brown curls, pondering his next move. He wore blue jeans and a plaid button-down shirt. His gaunt face looked like it was pushed together from the sides, with large bulging eyes and a bent nose. “We’ll make it look like an overdose, but make sure she’s dead. We don’t want her ending up in an ambulance like the last one.”

“Not many people accidentally go in the river, Eddie,” the first man said, still without emotion.

“She’s an addict. She can OD, then there’s lots of reasons somebody might toss the body in the river.”

“All of those reasons involve somebody trying to hide something.”

“Yeah, I know, but what other options have we got? She was gonna run. She knows who you are, so sending her into lockup ain’t gonna be safe.”

The first man stood up, stretching his arms above his head. He was much bigger than his companion and thick, like the trunk of a sturdy tree. He looked down at the woman, who had brought one arm up to her head. She was clearly going to open her eyes in a few moments, but she was no threat to jump up and run away. “I don’t want to get in the habit of just shooting up every girl who gets out of line.”

“Nobody has said boo about the others,” replied Eddie, who stopped pacing. “I can go upstairs and get it from the doc.” He glanced nervously down at the figure still sprawled on the floor, then back up at his comrade. “I’ll go right now.” The taller man nodded, and then Eddie scurried to the door and disappeared into the dimly lit hallway beyond. The heavy door slammed behind him with a loud thump.

The woman partially opened her eyes, then blinked several times. Once she focused on the tall man, a shadow of fear passed over her expression and she started to cry. “I’m sorry,” she sobbed, her body shaking, causing the remaining fabric of her dress to fall completely off her left breast. “Please. I won’t say anything. I promise. I’ll be good. I’ll be–”

Her voice was snuffed out by the man’s vicious kick to the side of her head, which then lolled in the opposite direction as her eyes re-closed and she sank back into unconsciousness.

The tall man looked down, dispassionately. “You’ll be dead, Sweetheart.”

===v===v====

Lethal Voyage: Mike Stoneman Thriller #3. Buy it for $4.99 at: http://getbook.at/lethal_voyage

Text Excerpt (Lethal Voyage):

Chapter 2 – The Lullaby of Broadway

March 16, 2019

New York, NY

MAXIMILLIAN HORACIO BLOOM lounged on the king-sized bed, his head nestled in the plush feather pillows. The late afternoon sun peeked through the thin lace curtains of the Milford Plaza Hotel. Turning his head toward the sunbeam, he could barely make out the dark streak of the Hudson River in the distance, between two buildings. The cold March wind whipped the flag atop an office tower across Eighth Avenue. He yawned and stretched his thick arms over his head as the sound of the shower suddenly stopped. Max smiled and rolled ponderously onto his side so he would have a better view.

A few seconds later, he was rewarded when a woman emerged from the bathroom, dabbing at her wet hair. Even in such a mundane act, she looked graceful. She had a white towel wrapped around her slender torso, suspended above her half-exposed breasts. Her fingernails, painted bright red, contrasted against her pale skin. She was not tall, but her long, lithe legs gave the illusion of height. The fresh scent of lavender soap reached Max’s nostrils.

“You are amazing,” he said softly, admiring her glistening skin and wondering if he could manage another erection so soon. In his younger days, he could always get it up on command, but his younger days were behind him.

The woman lifted her foot onto the corner of the bed and leaned into a deep hamstring stretch. “Did you tell that director friend of yours how amazing I am?” Her fingers reached out beyond her toes and softly stroked the hair on Max’s leg, sending a tingle up into his groin. The reaction was immediate, but only momentary.

“Oh, you can be sure I’ve been singing your praises, Sweetheart. I’m working on several wonderful opportunities for you.” Max’s baritone was as smooth as a 21-year-old single malt. “I know you’re impatient, my dear, but you’ve been in town barely half a year. These things take time.”

The woman pressed her mouth into an exaggerated pout as she switched legs, allowing her towel to fall to the floor. She stretched the other leg, then stood up, ignoring the fallen towel. “Do I really have to go on that stupid boat?”

“It’s a ship, my dear, a cruise ship, and a very large one. If you call it a boat, people will think you’re a first-timer.”

She found her black panties on the nightstand. “It is my first time. Are you sure it’s really a credit that Broadway producers will care about?”

“Absolutely!” Max swung his legs over the edge of the bed and scanned the floor for his trousers. “This is a Broadway-quality show.”

“I’d rather have actual Broadway. I want to stay here – with you. Call them and tell them I got a part here and I can’t go.”

“Sweetheart, you signed the contract. It’s too late to change your mind. Your reputation would be sullied if you didn’t fulfill your contractual obligations. You said you performed it in college, right?”

“Sure I did – I played the lead. Well, one of the leads. I love the show; it lets me sing and dance.” She balanced on her left foot while slowly raising her right leg until it was parallel with the floor. She then reached out to thread the panties over her foot, before returning the leg to the floor in a smooth motion.

“I think I’d be better off staying here with you and auditioning instead.” She fastened her black bra and stood with her arms akimbo, staring at Max. “I’m beginning to think that you don’t love me as much as you say you do. It’s like you’re trying to get rid of me for six months by sending me away.”

“Nonsense,” Max replied quickly. “I love ya, Baby. This gig will be great for your career. The director on board, Brandon Marshall, is a good friend of mine. I’ve told him you’re a tremendous talent. He’ll take good care of you.”

“Do you promise?”

“Of course. I’m not trying to get rid of you. I’m trying to advance your career. While you’re gone, I’ll be working on my divorce. With any luck, when you get back, I’ll be free of that shrew I’m married to and you’ll be able to come to my apartment.”

She smiled sweetly, slipping into her heels. “I’d like that.” She floated across the floor to where Max was standing and slithered her arms around his neck. With her lips inches from his, she whispered, “When we’re married, I’ll do things that will make all your producer friends envy you.” She pressed her palms against his chest and traced tiny circles in his graying hairs. “I don’t see why we have to wait. You can just divorce her now.”

Max took a step backwards and gazed out the window. A pigeon perched on the ledge, staring back at him. “I’ve told you, my pre-nup will make my life very difficult if I leave without her agreement. Her family had money, not that I married her for it. I was successful enough on my own, but I’m stretched thin now and I need her to part amicably. It may take some time, but it will happen, I promise you.”

========v= == = = = = =

Fatal Infraction: Mike Stoneman Thriller #4. Buy it for $4.99 at: getbook.at/Fatal_Infraction

Text Excerpt (Fatal Infraction):

Chapter 1 – Team Chemistry

EVERYONE AGREED THAT JIMMY should not have slept with Nate’s girl. Within the team, some things were out of bounds. As the quarterback and leader of the offense, Jimmy should have known better – or at least kept it a secret. Nobody was surprised when it blew up.

Nate Bedford, a five-year veteran wide receiver, was nearly dressed when Jimmy Rydell strolled into the locker room at the practice facility. A dozen players lounged in the comfy chairs in front of the video game consoles, shouting at the screens and at each other. A dozen more were in various stages of undressing or dressing. They were halfway through their three weeks of voluntary spring practices. Jimmy was accompanied by four offensive linemen who had been lifting weights with him after the organized drills ended. Jimmy’s shirtless upper body glistened with sweat, emphasizing each cut in the dark muscle of his chiseled physique.

“Lookin’ good, Jimmy,” linebacker Billy Davis called out as he wagged a finger at the quarterback.

Nate nudged Austin Riley, a rookie free agent who was trying to make the team. “Look at him. Showin’ off. There’s more to life than muscles.” Riley smartly said nothing and turned away.

Jimmy took two steps toward Nate, holding his workout jersey in his left hand. “Some people prefer some muscle instead of your skinny white ass. I know Candi does.”

“You shut yer mouth!” Nate’s Louisiana accent always became more pronounced the angrier he got. He took a stride toward Jimmy, fire in his eyes. A large arm, belonging to the all-pro center, Kevin Mahwah, reached out and blocked him momentarily.

“Keep a lid on it, Nate.”

While Nate stopped, Jimmy kept walking. Five feet of carpet and one low wooden dressing bench separated them. “You got a problem with me? Huh, Nate?”

“You’re damn right! Somebody’s gotta teach you some respect.”

“You want a piece of me?” Jimmy flung his jersey to the floor and held up a hand, gesturing for Nate to step forward.

Nate showed off his cat-quick reflexes by stepping onto the bench and launching himself toward Jimmy in the same motion. As a quarterback, Jimmy was accustomed to large men hell-bent on his destruction assaulting him. He took a quick half-step back, planted his left leg, and landed a right jab dead center on Nate’s nose before the two athletes went tumbling to the floor in a knot of arms and legs.

Nate was an inch taller than Jimmy, but leaner and lighter. When Jimmy rolled on top of him, a dazed and bleeding Nate had no chance of gaining the upper hand. Jimmy delivered two sets of right-left combination punches to the side of Nate’s face before a gang of teammates grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him off.

Nate struggled to his feet, a stream of blood from his nose covering the front of his face, neck, and white polo shirt. As he gained his balance, he spewed a torrent of expletives and lunged toward Jimmy, but two large pairs of arms held him back. “You bastard! You don’t touch Candi again, ya hear me?! I’ll kill you! I’ll cut your dick off!”

Everyone in the locker room was silent as the two men stared at each other across ten feet of empty space. Nate had caught nine touchdown passes from Jimmy the prior season. The team was counting on him to be their primary deep threat in the season ahead. Chemistry between a quarterback and a wide receiver was both essential and fragile. This wasn’t good. But it was private. What happened inside the locker room stayed between the players. That was an unwritten rule. Of course, so was the rule about not sleeping with other players’ girlfriends.

Jimmy shrugged off the hands that were lightly restraining him and waved dismissively toward his most reliable receiver. “Candi’s all yours.”

“Yer damn right she is!”

Jimmy walked away toward the showers, accompanied by three of the offensive linemen with whom he had entered. Everyone else exhaled and returned to the normal buzz of conversation, now a bit more hushed. Someone tossed Nate a white towel, which was quickly stained red as he attempted to wipe the blood off his face and shirt. He said nothing, but glared at Jimmy’s back until the quarterback rounded a corner of green-tinted marble tile and disappeared from view.

Every player in the room had an opinion about Jimmy – and about Nate. Most were worried the two teammates might not be able to put this incident, or their underlying conflicts, behind them in order to move forward on the field. None of them imagined it would be the last time they saw Jimmy alive.

== == == = = = = =

Perilous Gambit: Mike Stoneman Thriller #5. Coming in November, 2021

Text Excerpt (Perilous Gambit)

Chapter 2 – Alarming discovery

December 26, 2019

New York, NY

MIKE STONEMAN WAS PERPLEXED and getting frustrated. He was staring into the bottom Dr. Michelle McNeill’s bedroom closet. Michelle, the county medical examiner, was running late, which was unusual for her, but not her fault. The body that came into the morgue late that afternoon was a high priority. Michelle completed the portions of the autopsy process that required her personal attention, and left the remainder to her assistant, Natalie. But, by the time she arrived at her Third Avenue apartment, she needed to hustle if they were going to make their pre-theater dinner reservation. Mike’s assignment was to fetch her silver two-inch pumps. They were supposed to be on the rack on the floor on the left side of the closet.

Mike was dressed in a blue pinstriped suit that almost fit well on his five-foot-ten, slightly paunchy middle-aged body. Normally, he wore lose-fitting slacks and his signature blue sport jacket on the job, but tonight he and Michelle were going out to a Broadway show, so he put on a full suit. He looked into the full-length mirror on the inside of the left closet door and assessed himself. He had dropped a few pounds over the past year and he thought he looked pretty decent. His brown hair was less curly and a little more gray than a decade earlier. He had more lines on his face, too, but Michelle didn’t seem to care. He counted his blessings for the thousandth time that Michelle considered him attractive enough to make him her regular boyfriend and lover. It had been a good year.

When Mike could not locate the pumps, he was confused, since Michelle was the most organized person he knew. Other shoes were there, neatly arranged in the rack, but not the silver pumps. Mike decided to open the right side of the double door. As it swung outward, Mike noticed two things. The missing silver pumps where there, on the hardwood floor just inside the threshold. But what really caught his eye was the dress covering the entire inside surface of the closet door.

It was sheathed in clear plastic, as if just returned from the dry cleaner, and hanging from a swiveling hanger draped over the top of the door. The dress was a shining white, covered with tiny white beads and lace fringes. It had long sleeves with white silk gloves dangling from its lace cuffs. There was no question. It was a wedding dress.

Mike had seen the inside of Michelle’s closet enough times to know that this dress had not been there as recently as a few days earlier. He grabbed the silver shoes, carefully unhooked the dress hanger, and carried them both down the narrow hallway. 

Michelle was looking into the bathroom mirror, applying makeup at an efficient but unhurried pace.

He set the shoes down on the floor. “Here you go. And, by the way,” He held up the dress. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

Michelle didn’t look away from the mirror, where she was applying mascara. “Oh, Mike, you didn’t touch Rachel’s dress, did you?”

A very relieved Mike exhaled, not conscious of how tense he had been. “No. I mean, it’s still in its plastic. But – why is Rachel’s wedding dress hanging in your closet?”

Michelle was now brushing eyeshadow on her lids. “We picked it up this morning at the Vera Wang sample sale. She didn’t have time to take it back to Brooklyn before her shift, so I said I’d hold it here for her. She’s was supposed to be here a half hour ago, but then again, so was I. I guess we’re both running late. I hope she gets here before we have to leave. I’ll text her as soon as I’m finished.”

After returning the dress to its place, Mike walked to the living room and sat down, trying to assess why his heart was still racing after seeing the wedding gown. He glanced at his wristwatch. If they were going to make it to the restaurant in time to have dinner and still make the curtain for Wicked, they needed to be down on the street hailing a cab in the next few minutes. At that moment, the house phone rang, indicating that someone was ringing up from the lobby.

“I’ll get that,” Michelle called out, emerging from the bathroom wearing the silver pumps and looking ready to leave. “It’s probably Rachel.”

Michelle picked up the white phone hanging on the wall, looking like a leftover from the 70s. As soon as she brought the receiver to her ear, her expression changed from calm to concerned.

“Rachel, what’s the matter? . . . Slow down, Honey . . . What? . . . Never mind. Just come right up.”

“What’s that all about?”

Michelle stood frozen, the phone receiver still in her hand, tethered to the wall unit by its short coiled cord.  “I’m not sure. Rachel’s coming up. She was distraught – almost hysterical. I’ve never heard her sound like that. Something’s very wrong.”

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Author Questions for Interview

{Kevin G. Chapman}

 

 

What made you want to be a writer?

I’m a lawyer, so I write for a living (in a way).  My job requires me to draft arguments, which ultimately involves telling a compelling story.  I wrote poetry and songs as a teenager, and in college I read a novel that had a disappointing ending.  My professor challenged me that if I didn’t like it, I should prove that I could do better, so re-wrote the ending.  It was better.  But I had law school and then the beginning of my working life and had a child and . . . well . . . you know how it is – no time to write.  Then, in 1991, I got laid off from my job and had three months with little to do aside from job hunting.  I decided to use the time and started writing my first novel, a detective mystery featuring a New York City private investigator named Rick LaBlonde.  I enjoyed the writing process, but then got a new job and the novel went on the shelf.  Plus, it was the early 90s so there was no amazon.com to publish an independent author.  I pitched the book to a few literary agents, but it’s impossible.  The book got published when my wife gifted it to me for our 20^th wedding anniversary and paid to have it self-published by Xlibris.  I still have a few copies left from that one and only printing of Identity Crisis: A Rick LaBlonde Mystery.  Since then, I’ve dreamed of someday retiring from my legal career and becoming a full-time author.

 

Where does Fatal Infraction fit into the Mike Stoneman story arc?.

The Mike Stoneman Thriller series started with a short story called Fool Me Twice. That story was written for a short story writing contest. It’s available free for all readers on Amazon and other platforms. I liked the character so much I expanded him into a full novel in Righteous Assassin, which tells the story of Mike and his new partner, Jason Dickson, chasing a unique serial killer. Then, book #2 (Deadly Enterprise) picks up the partnership after Mike was injured at the end of book #1. Jason has to deal with a new partner and a crisis, while Mike hooks up with an old partner who is also rehabilitating from an injury, but one much worse than Mike’s. In the end, they confront some corrupt cops and have a very unauthorized shoot-out in a Brooklyn hotel. After that episode, the police commissioner tells Mike and Jason that they should take a vacation and get out of town to avoid the prying questions of the New York media. They quickly arrange for a cruise to Bermuda, which is the setting for book #3, Lethal Voyage. Suffice to say that the cruise is not the relaxing vacation they hoped for. The thrilling events aboard the ship culminate during the performance of Chicago (the musical) aboard the Colossus of the Ocean. When they get back to New York, they immediately get pulled into the next case, which is the story of Fatal Infraction.

I try hard to make sure each book is a self-contained story and that the books can be read in any order. There are a few references to the earlier books and the events from the past, some of which are intended to be helpful references for new readers, and a few are Easter eggs that fans of the earlier books will “get,” but hopefully they won’t distract new readers (or listeners).

How important is it to read books when you want to be an author?

Reading is critical.  I encourage all aspiring writers to read, and to read many different genres.  Don’t stay in your comfort zone.  Read mysteries and sci-fi and romance and adventure.  Get free books (available all over) and then post reviews, which forces you to really think about what you have read.  Different authors with different voices and styles help you hone in on how you want your writer’s voice to sound.  Reading good writing helps you know what it looks like, and reading some bad writing helps you identify the flaws in your own prose.

Do you remember the first book you read?

The first book I remember reading was Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne.  I read a lot of sci-fi as a young adult, including Edgar Rice Burroughs (loved the Martian Chronicles), Robert Heinlein (Stranger in a Strange Land is perhaps my favorite book of all time), and Isaac Asimov.

What book are you reading now?

            I belong to a book club that reads a bunch of different types of books. I recently read Backstage Chinatown, which I really liked. I also just read All You Can Ever Know, which I didn’t like much. You can see all my book reviews, which I post on my Book Review blog on my website at www.KevinGChapman.com. You can also follow my reviews on Goodreads and Bookbub.

How did you come up with the idea for this book, especially the title?

I distinctly recall waking up in the middle of the night after having a dream that somebody murdered the quarterback of the New York Jets. I wrote that down on a pad I keep by my bed, and the next day stuck it into my folder of story ideas. As a long-suffering Jets fan, the concept of killing of an underperforming quarterback (or other player) is a fantasy for many fans. That germ developed into the book, which was a ton of fun to write. The title was pretty easy, since I’ve established a pattern with my titles being two words, so it needs to be a adjective or a noun, so get to “fatal” and then – Fatal Infraction where an “infraction” is a football concept. Easy one. The title of the next book was harder, but we finally came up with “Perilous Gambit.”

Which character do you identify with most in your novel?

There’s a lot of me in the Mike Stoneman character.  He’s dedicated and highly moral, but he also recognizes that all issues are not black and white and he has some rough edges. He’s compassionate, but also impatient and doesn’t suffer fools. Sometimes he’s the person I’d like to be. Sometimes he’s more flawed.

How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Everything in the story is fiction, but the locations in New York are very real. The depiction of Kristi Olson dealing with sexual harassment is real, as is the unconscious bias training and the characters dealing with racism.

Tell us how the atmosphere needs to be for you to be able to write. Example, music on or quiet etc.

I’m so busy at work that I write whenever I have spare time.  I write on airplanes, on the sofa while watching baseball games, during quiet moments around the house, and anywhere else I can get a chunk of time.  I can’t afford to be picky about the atmosphere or I’d never finish anything.

What is one goody you must have at your desk when you’re writing?

I’m a gum-chewer, so that’s a must have.  Also diet Pepsi.

Which part of the publishing process do you detest most?

Marketing.  Handling advertising and selling.  I love doing signings and talking about the books, but the mechanics of marketing I could do without.  I have writing to do!

What is the worst thing you’ve had to overcome before publishing your novel? If it’s too personal just make a generalized statement if you can.

I wish I had a great story about overcoming some great obstacle, but I really don’t.  The biggest problem I have is finding the time to write when I’m not working or attending to family business.

When you need some extra encouragement who do you turn to?

My wife, Sharon, is a great inspiration.  She helps me brainstorm ideas and characters and plot continuity and proofreads my stuff.  When I need a good idea, Sharon is always there.

How do you market your book?

On my third attempt now, I’ve learned (some) from prior mistakes.  I tried to work up a big list of folks who got a direct email on publication, and I set up a Facebook page and website for the book so that I could sell directly as well as on amazon.  I also blitzed the local newspapers and online news sites where I could get on.  I got a few other authors to give me promotional quotes for the back cover so that I had a nice poster.

 I also contacted local book stores, who were happy to stock a local author and I set up a few early book signings in book stores.

Have readers ever contacted you? If so, tell us the best thing they’ve said to you.

I’ve had nice conversations with many of my readers, but the best are the comments from readers who know me from my non-writer life.  I’ve had several people who purchased the book only because they wanted to be nice to me later tell me that they read the book and “it’s as good as a real book.”  I’ve been fortunate to get some really great reviews and comments during reviews. 

Who do you trust to read your finished books before publication?

My wife reads everything, but I also have a small circle of beta readers who read and tell me what’s wrong and right.  But most important is my daughter, who is also my editor.  Samantha Chapman is a professional freelance editor and has a really keen eye, especially for character development and plot issues.  (Find her at SamanthaChapmanediting.com)

Tell us all about your very first book signing. Take us there with your description of people, place, food, décor etc.

My very first signing was at a Barnes & Noble in south Jersey in 2003.  The store was home to a mystery book club and I got them to invite me in for a discussion about my first novel.  They had about fifty chairs set up mid-store and a big poster with the cover of my book that said “Meet the Author.”  I was stoked, and pretty nervous.  I guess it was easier in those days because today I can’t get a whiff from my local Barnes & Nobel.  There were only about fifteen people who showed up for that first signing, but I stood at a podium and pretended to be a “real” author for a half hour, then I signed hard-cover copies of the book.  If only those folks (mostly ladies) knew how valuable those first editions are – there are only about 200 in existence.

Is there a message you’d like to send through your book?

I want my books to be fun reads, but obviously this book has some serious plot points. Dealing with racism and sexual harassment is challenging. I’m trying to walk the tightrope between addressing the issues seriously, but still making the story entertaining and not getting bogged down in it. That’s why Mike just takes “baby steps” in his self-awareness of the racism around him. Jason doesn’t push it too hard, and Mike is able to grow a little bit, but while keeping it real. It wouldn’t work for me if Mike somehow transformed into an anti-racist super hero in the course of a few weeks. The message here is that taking small steps forward is important, but not sufficient.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

I have this question posted on the book’s Facebook page.  My favorite suggestion to play the part of Mike Stoneman is Sam Rockwell (and not just because of the symmetry of “Rock” and “Stone”).  I have already got a few pages of “screenplay notes” for things I would want to insert into the screenplay that were not in the book.

Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?

Dorothy Parker.  She was such a bad-ass radical intellectual.  I would drink with her all night.

Do you have any hobbies?

I’m an avid tournament poker player and golfer.

What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

I’m a Star Trek geek.  I love Gene Roddenberry’s optimistic view of the future and all the interesting moral/ethical issues that the writers intertwine with the action in the Star Trek shows.  Have the DVDs of every episode of TOS, TNG, DS9, and Voyager and I watch them on a cycle while exercising in the mornings.  As for current or recent shows, I love Dexter, Game of Thrones, and Homeland.

Favorite foods

Fudgie the Whale (Carvel ice cream cake).  Sushi.

What’s your lucky number.

I’m not superstitious about numbers and such.  My New York Jets jersey is #51.  My New York Mets jersey is #10, but that’s mostly an homage to former Met Kelvin Chapman.

What’s your favorite color.

            New York Mets Blue & Orange

What music do you hear in your latest book.

Mike Stoneman, like me, loves classic rock.  I also love jazz, but I don’t picture Mike as a jazz guy.

Do you have hobbies other than writing?

As noted earlier, I love to play poker.  This is my main hobby, which includes reading about poker, studying strategy, and playing a lot of cards.  It takes time away from writing, but it gives my mind something totally different to think about.  I love meeting new people around the card table and learning interesting things.  Several characters in my books have come from people I met while playing cards.

Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?

I’ll be dead.  I will be writing until I’m gone.  I write many things that are just for myself.  When my family looks through my computer files after I’m gone, there will be some surprises and there will be a lot of material for others to look at and hopefully appreciate that was never published.

You only have 24 hours to live how would you spend that time?

Drinking the best scotch I can get my hands on.

What do you want written on your head stone?

I have never thought about this one.  How about “Loving husband, devoted father, celebrated lawyer, and best-selling author.”

Are there any mistakes you made with your first book?

Oh, so many.  I had dates at the top of every chapter to help the reader follow the time line, but in the middle of the July dates I had a chapter that said “June.”  I had to get a patch with the correct date and physically paste the patch onto the pages of the books, which had already been printed.  You would think I would catch that in proofreading!  I also should have hired a professional editor, but it was my first book and I had neither the money nor the wisdom.

What kind of advice can you give to other aspiring authors?

Write the ending first.  So many books lose steam because the author doesn’t seem to know where the story’s going and it just meanders along.  Have a precise outline of each important development during the plot arc and write to the outline.  That way the pacing will flow naturally.  Also, get a good editor.  No matter how many times you read and re-read yourself, you won’t see things that an editor will see –and not just typos and grammar – a good editor will see the bigger picture and the holes in your characters and story.  Fixing that will make your book so much better.

When in doubt, who do you trust to help you out?

My wife.  No question.  She’s smarter than I am in many ways.

Tell us how we may get a copy of your audiobook (or other formats)?

            Fatal Infraction is available on all audiobook platforms including Audible, Chirp, Nook, Google Play, iTunes, Scribd, and others. The ebook, paperback, and hardcover are available only via Amazon at  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091PNQRQ8 or at https://getbook.at/Fatal_Infraction

Social media links and websites?

Website:  www.kevingchapman.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MikeStonemanThriller

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42268488-righteous-assassin

Kevin G. Chapman is an attorney specializing in labor and employment law. He is a past Chair of the Labor & Employment Law Network of the Association of Corporate Counsel, leading a group of 6800 in-house employment lawyers. Kevin is a frequent speaker at Continuing Legal Education seminars and enjoys teaching management training courses.

Kevin’s passion (aside from fantasy baseball, golf and tournament poker) is writing fiction. Kevin’s first Novel: Identity Crisis: A Rick LaBlonde, P.I. Mystery, was self-published through Xlibris in 2003, and is now available via Amazon.com as a Kindle e-book. His second novel, A Legacy of One, published in 2016, was a finalist for the Chanticleer Book Review’s Somerset Award for Literary Fiction. A Legacy of One is a serious book, filled with political and social commentary and a plot involving personal identity, self-determination, and the struggle to make the right life decisions. Kevin is currently working on a re-writing and re-editing of A Legacy of One, scheduled for re-launch in the summer of 2021.

Kevin’s current project is a crime-thriller series that will have a least five installments. Book #1 -- Righteous Assassin (A Mike Stoneman Thriller) -- has some serious sub-themes, but it's a serial killer chase and it's intended to be enjoyable and easy to read. It was named one of the top 20 Mystery/Thrillers of 2019 by the Kindle Book Review and a finalist for the Chanticleer CLUE award for mysteries & thrillers. Book #2 in the Mike Stoneman Thriller series, Deadly Enterprise, was published on December 2, 2019 and was named one of the top 20 Mystery/Thrillers of 2020 by the Kindle Book Review and is currently Short-Listed for the 2020 Chanticleer Book Review CLUE award. Book #3, Lethal Voyage, was published November 22, 2020 and is already generating stellar reviews and is Short-Listed for the Chanticleer CLUE award.

Kevin has also written several short stories, including Fool Me Twice, the winner of the New Jersey Corporate Counsel Association's 2010 Legal Fiction Writing Competition, which was the genesis of the character Mike Stoneman, the protagonist in Righteous Assassin. Fool Me Twice is available as a stand-alone short story free on amazon.com, or you can get it free from Kevin’s website. He has also written one complete screenplay (unproduced so far) and has another screenplay and two more novels currently in the works, one of which is a sci-fi space opera epic.

Kevin is a resident of Central New Jersey and is a graduate of Columbia College (‘83), where he was a classmate of Barack Obama, and Boston University School of Law (’86). Readers can contact Kevin via his website at www.KevinGChapman.com.

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