Harm None: A Rowan Gant Investigation

By M. R. Sellars

HARM NONE: A Rowan Gant Investigation (Book 1)

THE WITCH AND THE DEAD...

They say dead men tell no tales. I really wish that was true, because the dead tell me more than I ever wanted to know.

My name is Rowan Gant. I’m just an average guy...well, except for the fact that I’m a Witch. That last part is the reason I’m the go-to-guy for the local cops whenever a murder is a little beyond the pale and they need a consultant with knowledge of the Occult. I didn’t actually want the job, but apparently the job wanted me.

It all started when I was asked to decipher some symbols found at a crime scene. The police needed answers, and as it turns out so did I. You see, fate being what it is I had a personal connection to the victim when she was still among the living. It gets worse, though... The images in the crime scene photos gave me a sick feeling that the killer wasn’t finished. I could see—even feel—what was coming next, and it was not going to be good.

In fact, it was going to be downright evil...

• Language: English
• Publisher: WillowTree Press
• Release date: Aug 13, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452478944

M. R. Sellars

A member of the ITW (International Thriller Writers), M. R. Sellars is a relatively unassuming homebody who, in his own words, considers himself just a "guy with a lot of nightmares and a word processing program." Legend has it he started making up stories to entertain a stuffed bear during his single digit years, then began writing them down sometime around his early teens when the growing catalogue of fiction started causing him to experience migraines. Although he had several short stories and newspaper articles published during his early adult life, it wasn't until 2000 that his first full-length novel, Harm None: A Rowan Gant Investigation, hit bookstore shelves, officially launching the acclaimed paranormal thriller series. Sellars says that the biggest adjustment he has had to make with his writing career is coping with the time spent away from his family while traveling on promotional tours. Still, he approaches the necessity of public appearances with the same humorously deadpan and satirical wit that he applies to life in general, stating, "As long as I have an RC Cola and a bag of peanuts, I'm all good, Bubba." All of the current novels in Sellars' continuing Rowan Gant Investigations saga have spent several consecutive weeks on numerous bookstore bestseller lists as well as a consistent showing on the Amazon.com Horror/Occult top 100. In 2010 a short e-novella featuring a supporting character from the RGI cast spawned a new series, The Special Agent Constance Mandalay Novels, the first in the spinoff being IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER, which hit the streets November 2011. Sellars currently resides in the Midwest with his incomparably amazing wife, equally fantastic daughter, and a pair of felines he describes as, "the competition." At home, when not writing or taking care of the household, he indulges his passions for cooking and hanging out with friends. In order to satisfy his lifelong dream of being a satirical humor columnist for a major metropolitan newspaper, twice each week he removes his glasses, dons blue tights and a red cape, then blogs about the incredibly bizarre world that is his life as a writer, husband, and father. It has been said that his blog articles sometimes blur the line between fiction and reality. To that Sellars responds, "What line?" M. R. Sellars can be located on the web wherever there is a virtual bar serving virtual single malt Scotch, single barrel bourbon, good Irish whis...

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Reviews for Harm None

[tracyj914 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love the way he explains and weaves the tenets of the Wiccan faith without making witches look like a bunch of weirdos that worship Satan and have awesome powers ( come on, they would be fun to have) like the fictioal witches on the series "Charmed". M.R. Sellars has earned another loyal fan in me. I look forward to some new books, by the time I get the rest of the series already out.Thank you for your excellent use of The Craft in your books.

[ravens_bookshelf · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book of a series of "Rowan Grant" investigations. Rowan Grant is a well-versed Wiccan/Magick User in St. Louis who helps his friend Ben Stone, skeptical detective for the St. Louis Police Department solve a mysterious crime. In the first few chapters, readers are introduced to what Wicca and Magick are and are not. What is a Athame? What are Spells? What does the Wiccan Rede phrase "Harm None" really mean? And what happens when a Witch turns Bad?The conversations between the main characters, Rowan and Ben, bring back memories of the camaraderie between old friends like Kirk and Spock, Apollo and Starbuck, Abbot and Costello, etc. Basically two opposite people meeting, joking and working with each other in friendship and trust. The author transports you to a familiar setting 'believable' plots and supporting characters, which all enhance the flavor, tone and timing of the action. Once you start, its hard to put it down!A brilliant work of "Fiction", based in the World of Facts only the few know about. Exciting, Educational and provocative, this book has been acclaimed by Dorothy Morrison, who said, "Its guaranteed to leave you breathless and begging for more!" and by the Midwest Book Review as "a superbly suspenseful thriller...". I have read this several times, and I am as enraptured by the story as when I first read it. Excellent work! - Salient

[particle_p · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Very meh Wiccan detective solves crimes with his painfully stereotypical Native American cop friend while battling psychic forces. Rather gory.

[drlake66_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In the first of the Rowan Gant Investigation series we are introduced to Rowan, his wife Felicity and his friend Ben Storm. Ben just happens to be a St. Louis homicide detective. Rowan and Felicity also happen to be Wiccans. So when Ben comes across a case that has occult overtones he consults Rowan for some insights. Rowan offers some useful information and then all hell breaks loose. Rowan finds himself being contacted by the spirit of the murder victim (who just happens to have been a former student). The murder is especially brutal and disturbing and, unfortunately, only the beginning.In his efforts to help the spirit he finds himself more involved in this murder investigation than he ever intended. In addition to trying to find the serial killer, we follow along as Rowan tries to deal with his new (and unwanted) psychic talents.Rowan, Felicity and Ben are flawed, sometimes annoying and ultimately human characters. None are perfect and all of them are disturbed by the case. I really appreciate that Sellars treats spellworking in a realistic way and not as something that creates fireworks and leads to flying on broomsticks.When this book was done, I was glad I had the next one ready to start reading.

[madamejeanie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book in the Rowan Gant series. I have to say that I'm not nearly very enthusiastic about this book. The story was interesting enough, and the "woowhoo" factor was fairly high -- with many psychic visions and odd dreams. But there was just something about the way the characters talked to each other, the way they interacted, that rang false to me. Much too stilted, conversations that just didn't seem true to life, the way friends or spouses really talk to one another. The character of Ben Storm came off seeming almost like a buffoon at times. It just didn't ring true.I wanted to read the book, also, because it was set in St. Louis, which is only about 100 miles from me and I'm pretty familiar with the city. I couldn't help but picture a friend of mine who happens to live in St. Louis (a certain "wizard") in the role of Rowan Gant. He certainly looks the part, even if his religious views are completely different. That made the book a little more interesting for me, too, I'll have to admit.The story was good, and now that I've gotten to know the characters a bit, perhaps I'll enjoy the next book in the series a bit more. I'll give this one a 3.5.

[woosang_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Exciting mystery with not too much gore. It is described, but not in so much detail as to make you ill. Terrific writing kept me turning the page, even at work. Thrilling to the end, it is possible to guess the killer, but not until later in the book. (A nice change from the fluffies) The last chapters are action packed. Worth reading I got through the 300 odd pages in less than one day so I can honestly say and fast read.

[pschristmas · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I haven't read many of the Rowan Gant mysteries, but I did enjoy this one. I found the main characters a little stereotypical, but overall it's a pretty good first novel.

[cathepsut · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wasn't really sure, what I was getting. Witches, magic, something like "Charmed", but on paper? It turned out to be a pretty good crime novel with an alternative religion as a backdrop. The main character, Rowan Gant, is a Wiccan - a witch. Not one with a broom, not even an electrified one, but someone believing in a pagan religion. And Sellars makes it feel like the most normal thing in the world, even when it turns supernatural. The characters are well drawn, Rowan is a nice guy - Sellars' alter ego, I am sure -, his police friend Ben Storm is a nice guy, the bad guy is really evil - perhaps a little one-dimensional and too sugary on occassion. And the style is a bit flowery for my taste. A lot of adjectives and the first sentence of the book made me scream and almost throw it into a corner in disgust, but the story is so good, that already during the first chapter I decided to ignore that and get on with it.Very good, I am looking forward to the next one. Although the sometimes convoluted style and grammar make me cringe, it's worth it!

[bcquinnsmom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

For a series opener, Harm None was not bad. I would recommend to readers interested in Wicca or the occult, and to readers who don't mind suspending logic & belief for a few hours. I enjoyed it, and I will definitely be following the series.brief plot summary w/o spoilers:Rowan Gant and his wife, Felicity, are witches. That is, they are Wicca practitioners. When one of his former students is found dead, Rowan's policeman friend Ben Storm calls Rowan in for some advice -- it seems the girl was found dead and a pentacle was drawn on the wall,her blood dripping down the wall. The police just think this is the act of some whacko Satanist, but Rowan knows better. He also knows that this murder is not the only one to come.The pace of the novel is kind of slow, but that's understandable in a series first. We are just meeting the characters and understanding their individual personalities. The writing is good,the story is good and there aren't any stupid superfluous scenes to get in the way of the story. Try it!