Random Revenge (Detective Robert Winter, Book 1) by William Michaels

Release date: May 1, 2018

Subgenre: Police Procedural

About Random Revenge:

 

Melanie Upton is an ambitious actress stuck searching for her big break. She’s got the talent, but so do thousands of other actresses. She needs an edge, and she’ll do anything to get it.

Lenny Gruse sees himself as a celebrity photographer. All he needs is one great photo to catapult himself into the big time. Melanie, with her sultry good looks, is just who he needs, his ticket to fame. Together, they can blow past the hungry competition.

Detective Robert Winter has a knack for solving seemingly random crimes, yet even he is tested in a world where the players will stop at nothing to succeed and have the ability to con even the most seasoned cop.

 

Excerpt:

MELANIE UPTON HALF LISTENED TO Leah’s breathless chatter, a story she’d heard before, some slimeball making the moves, pretending he could help a girl out, blah blah blah, all bullshit. She could have finished Leah’s sentences, even while not paying attention, her eyes now locked on the guy who called himself Lenny G. She’d been dealing with guys like him since high school, ever since her drama teacher had suggested that if she just came to his house for some private tutoring he’d show her how to connect with the audience just by pursing her lips, a silent way to communicate emotion. Even at fifteen, Melanie had known what part of his body he wanted her lips to be emoting.

When Leah got to the part about Lenny taking staged pictures, Melanie had heard enough. It was one thing to hit on a girl, shit, she made half her tips letting guys think they were getting somewhere with her, but that was all play, even the guys knew what she was doing, it was a game. But taking advantage of Leah was something else. Melanie had steeled herself for the big time, and could handle herself, just as she had handled her drama teacher and the football coach and the boys in drama college. But Leah was so naïve she’d get taken in even by a would-be photographer.

“Let me help you with the order,” said Melanie, picking up the salad, not giving Leah a chance to protest. She led Leah to the table, the poor girl so innocent that if Lenny had been for real, Melanie could have stolen him away and Leah wouldn’t have seen it coming. Melanie kept her eyes on Lenny the whole time, watching him lock on her, clueless he was over his head. His clothing was as artfully planned as hers was, but she could pull it off. He just looked like he was in a costume, and no one had told him that there was no masquerade party. He didn’t look hot, just out of place. He was wasting his time, no one in Marburg knew hot, not the way she did. She’d studied it, she knew, she felt it, she didn’t have to put it on. She’d get to the big time, blow by the Leahs like they were standing still, leapfrog over the Lenny G’s.

At the table she gave Lenny a little look, getting his attention, and then she dropped the salad platter on the table with a bang, making him jump. “Whoa, there, big boy, no need to get excited over some iceberg.”

The guy looked at her, already on the defensive, his hand over his camera, protective. Melanie pushed on. “Leah tells me you’ve worked in LA.”

Leah, setting down the fries, chiming in, like she’d known Lenny for more than a few minutes, “He’s got a lot of experience, for his age.”

Melanie gave Lenny a good once over, making him squirm. His hand came up to his face, subconsciously hiding his ridiculous attempt at a scruffy look, his streaky brown hair in some kind of tangled mess, a homemade styled mop. A small scab glared from his left ear, probably a self inflicted piercing attempt. “Looks pretty young to me, what are you, twenty five?”

“Older. And I’m from LA, I didn’t just work there.”

“Yeah? If you’re such a hotshot, why are you here? Run out of money, have to come home to live with your mama?”

“I told you, I’m from LA.”

 

Amazon | Paperback

 

 About William Michaels:

 

William Michaels is the pseudonym of W. R. Pursche and Michael Gabriele. They also co-wrote The Eternal Messiah and Immanence. Pursche is also the author of The Canine Commandments and the fantasy series Chronicles of the Third Reckoning.

 

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