Cliff Saint James Series

Critically-acclaimed author Ed Kovacs presents Book One in his thrilling Cliff Saint James series of murder mystery crime novels set in New Orleans. Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, Kirkus, the Associated Press, and many other major reviewers have given great reviews to this series of private detective cop thrillers. New York Times Bestselling Author Jonathan Maberry said “Kovacs comes out of the gate with a bang.” And Steve Berry called Kovacs a “vivid addition to the thriller genre.” In STORM DAMAGE, Cliff Saint James, who’s practically homeless and on the verge of bankruptcy due to the killer Storm, tenaciously navigates the gritty aftermath of a broken city that’s barely functioning. He's a mixed-martial arts coach and bare-knuckled former cop who takes on a cold case murder as a private investigator because he desperately needs the money. The case is a tough one: the last homicide before a Category 5 hurricane wiped out New Orleans. With no forensic evidence, a destroyed crime scene, and no corpse, the task looks to be impossible. But the cold trail quickly heats up, propelling him into a battle of wits and brawn with the deadliest killers operating in the apocalyptic, post-hurricane ruins of the city. The more layers of deceit Saint James peels away surrounding the case, the grander is the conspiracy that comes into focus, placing him squarely in the cross-hairs of those who specialize in remaining unknown. This revised, Second Edition of STORM DAMAGE is in the time-honored tradition of works by Michael Connelly, Lee Child, James Patterson, James Ellroy, Raymond Chandler, Dennis Lehane, and Dashiel Hammet.

Critically-acclaimed author Ed Kovacs presents Book Two in his thrilling Cliff Saint James series of murder mystery crime novels set in New Orleans. Publisher’s Weekly gave Good Junk the rare honor of a starred, boxed review, calling it “outstanding,” and saying that “powerful prose elevates this above most other contemporary PI novels.” The New York Times Book Review said, “The scenes of New Orleans are rich and real.” And Steve Berry called Kovacs a “vivid addition to the thriller genre.” Cliff Saint James, like the city of New Orleans, has taken his share of hard knocks. First there was the killer Hurricane that destroyed his hometown, ruined his mixed-martial-arts dojo, and nearly bankrupted him. A former cop, he narrowly escaped assassination at the hands of ruthless gangs while solving his first murder case as a private eye. Now after rebuilding his life, trouble has found him again. While wrestling with guilt over having accidentally killed a mixed-martial-arts opponent in a sparring session, Saint James finds himself assisting a police investigation into the apparent suicide of a U.S. government “black projects” engineer. He and his good friend Honey, now a homicide detective, quickly realize they have murder, not suicide on their hands, and that the victim was much more than just an engineer.  As they track the killer through the brackish, steamy under belly of New Orleans, their allies become few, and their many opponents emerge as powerful international forces intent on doing anything—including killing Saint James—to maintain the status quo of a shocking conspiracy. This revised and updated edition of Good Junk is in the time-honored tradition of works by Michael Connelly, James Patterson, Lee Child, Raymond Chandler, Dashiel Hammet, James Ellroy, and Dennis Lehane.

Critically-acclaimed author Ed Kovacs presents Book Three in his thrilling Cliff Saint James series of murder mystery crime novels set in New Orleans. Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, Kirkus, the Associated Press, and many other major reviewers have given great reviews to this series of private detective cop thrillers. New York Times Bestselling Author Jonathan Maberry said “Kovacs comes out of the gate with a bang.” And Steve Berry called Kovacs a “vivid addition to the thriller genre.” In BURNT BLACK, Cliff St. James #3, the detective returns along with his partner Honey to investigate a baffling series of ritualistic deaths that may be connected to a bizarre secret society.  The 74,000 word novel  "has more twists and turns than the streets and back alleys of New Orleans," according to a review in Criminal Element. New Orleans Homicide Detective Cliff St. James and his partner Honey are still trying to piece their lives together a year and a half after a killer storm decimated the city. St. James is in top fighting form, but physical ability plays little importance in the bizarre case he and Honey are now ensnared in--a succession of baffling deaths tied to a secretive occult group.  The investigation not only proves frustrating, but also drives a wedge between St.James and Honey, putting tremendous pressure on their relationship. As they probe the puzzling, ritualistic deaths, they uncover high strangeness in the freakish New Orleans netherworld of alternative spiritual beliefs.  Pushing forward an investigation fraught with strange occurrences and brutal death, St.James and Honey catch nothing but bad breaks as they struggle to determine which of their suspects is the killer, or perhaps the next victim. This revised, Second Edition of BURNT BLACK is in the time-honored tradition of works by Michael Connelly, James Patterson, Lee Child, Raymond Chandler, Dashiel Hammet, James Ellroy, and Dennis Lehane.