Scandal on Nob Hill: Sterling Quinn: Detective Series, #1

By Robert Steacy

Scandal on Nob Hill

The first in a series of Sterling Quinn, detective extraordinare novellas (approx 42 pages).
Sterling Quinn, the uncompromising police officer turned private detective, always found his way into the mind of the weak, determining their thoughts and deeds before they could react.
His was a mind that was consistently precise and determined, yet at times imbalanced to the point of recklessness. He observed the world with a machine-like quality, constantly sensing what the casual observer could not. But his passions were misplaced when it came to the deep reasoning of love, never completely understanding the fine points of a woman, especially the intoxicating Anna Mercer. Conversely, his strong emotionless appearance became the driving force for piercing the veil of the criminal mind.
No matter the complexities of his existence, he remained deeply attracted by the study of crime, tortured by the unresolved nature of his parent’s murder. Only his compatriot drug of choice, the nearest bottle of whiskey, allowed him to cope with the intense ambition etched into his DNA. The lethargic effects of the drug combined with the fierce energy of his own powerful nature presented a riddle that was at worst disturbing. He became feared yet befuddled by victims and criminals alike, unraveling mysteries and crimes which had been abandoned as hopeless by police.
The Sterling Quinn mystery series will engulf you and drive you to another world where you will find yourself making assumptions right along with detective Quinn and his investigative columnist partner, Harrison Reed. If you enjoy reading intelligently written thrillers in the mold of Sherlock Holmes, you will definitely enjoy unraveling the mysterious circumstances of Scandal on Nob Hill.
Read all the Sterling Quinn detective mysteries as soon as they come out!!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Steacy Publishing
• Release date: Jul 14, 2014
• ISBN: 9781501458613

Robert Steacy

Robert Steacy As a writer of fictional work, Robert Steacy has challenged himself to produce wildly fun adventures in an intelligent and picturesque manner. No matter the project, Robert utilizes his extensive skills as a creative communicator and analytical thinker to lead the reader though their own emotional discoveries. Robert has written artistic storylines as well as edited technical works for many publications including his own advertising and literary company.?Writing is a passion that he is compelled to do while working in varied genres. In addition to fiction novels, he is the author of poetry, short stories and film scripts, as he enjoys diversifying his talents through various writing experiences. Robert understands how incredibly important the nature of information is and the resultant inspiration that comes from a good story or well thought out project. He achieves his imagination from his many years traveling the world for work and sport, as well as his time coaching, mentoring and partnering through artistic expression.?? Robert has published many articles and ebooks throughout his professional life, including technical writing projects involving business plans, contracts and proposals, in addition to his many adventurous novels and comical short stories. Robert has also involved himself as an actor on stage and in films for much of his life. His acting experience has included the role of Drosselmeyer in San Jose Dance Theatre's Nutcracker, Lord Capulet in "Romeo and Juliet" and Dr. Coppelius in "Coppelia", as well as performing off-Broadway in "Mr. Male America" as Mr. California. Robert was also a guest "Leader of the Gang" Mouseketeer for TV's "Mickey Mouse Club". Since then, he studied stage and film performance extensively to hone acting skills. He has had appearances in various television shows such as "I Almost Got Away with it", and recent films such as "Moneyball". He is currently shooting and co-starring in an independent film "The First Day of Spring", scheduled to be released in 2015. Robert has always been inspired by the many great artists he has had the fortune to work with that allow him to push the boundaries of performance and literary achievement.

Book preview

Scandal on Nob Hill

Insanity! A state of mind, cleverly disguised as genius. Sharply separated, yet one and the same. For this Detective, reasoning of behavioral wits became his true genius, all at once provoked by his eccentric insistence to know the truth. A truth explored at all costs and all designs. That is the way of the mind; that is the way of his insanity.

To Sterling Quinn, the world he once knew, what he thought to understand, shifted ever so slightly after their encounter. She was the woman that captivated him; she was the woman that changed him. A precise creature of feminine strength that remained etched in memory. I have seldom heard him mention her by given name, only by which he knew her to exist in his thoughts. Whether foolish or by rational beliefs, in his eyes, she eclipsed her own sexuality. It was not that he felt an emotional connection akin to deep love for Anna Mercer. All emotions, especially something so obviously apparent and heart felt were abhorrent to his intellectual taciturn mind. A mind that was consistently precise yet balanced and determined. He always elicited perfect reasoning and observed the world in a machine-like quality, constantly sensing what the casual observer would not. But his passions were misplaced when it came to the deep reasoning of love, never understanding the fine points of a meaningful relationship. He rarely spoke of the softer cravings of life. Instead he was normally quite simplistic in his approach. His strong emotionless appearances were admirable things for the casual observer... important for drawing the veil from most men's motives and direct actions.

But for the trained observer, it became obvious that he would never admit to such intrusions into his own delicate and finely adjusted temperament. That gift of normality could not be introduced as a distracting factor, something that may illicit doubts upon all his mental stability. Grit in a sensitive instrument such as his, or a crack in the lens of his own high-powered telescopic mind would be too disturbing. Strong emotion was considered a weakness and never to be part of a nature such as his. And yet there was but one woman to him. That woman was the incomparable Anna Mercer, rendered from uncertain and questionable recall, motivated by deeply intentioned desire and respect.

I had seen little of Quinn lately. My marriage had partially caused us to drift away from one another. My brother, my friend had become no more than a casual acquaintance with little contact between us. My own sustained happiness, and the self-centered interests which identified themselves early on around the man who was seamlessly the master of his own world, were sufficient enough to gain my complete attention and admiration. Yet Quinn, who despite his fine upbringing in the Hamptons as an annoying young child, would always draw in the most average of unsuspecting persons that found his enigmatic personality a unique resolve of clarity and fascination.

It was at Harvard where I first encountered my close friend. It became the perfect educational playground to mold his methodically efficient mind, while despising most forms of society with his whole disobedient soul. Still, he thrived, perfecting what would later be described as a cold and calculating disposition, eventually honed into the master of manipulation that he now holds as his moniker.

It was not until the brutal death of his parents, did he finally decide to join the police force, rising to detective faster than any in the local Boston precinct. It was not as if he felt at ease within the law enforcement confines of his home town. He actually thought himself to be far above their station. What it did give him was a foundation from which to work, hoping to discover the truth about their demise so as to wreak retribution upon the wicked souls that caused a precise ending to the people he loved most. Unfortunately for the man that formed his life around such intense deduction,