Sam McRae Mystery Series

A missing client, a dead body, the FBI, and the Mob. How much can one lawyer handle? A simple domestic abuse case turns deadly when the alleged abuser is killed and Stephanie Ann "Sam" McRae's client disappears. When a friend asks Sam to find Melanie Hayes, the Maryland attorney is drawn into a complex case of murder and identity theft that has her running from the Mob, breaking into a strip club and forming a shaky alliance with an offbeat private investigator to discover the truth about Melanie and her ex-boyfriend. With her career and life on the line, Sam's search takes her from the blue-collar Baltimore suburbs to the mansions of Gibson Island. Along the way, she learns that false identities can hide dark secrets, and those secrets can destroy lives.

From the NY Times bestselling author Debbi Mack: Can Sam defend two clients of murder before becoming the next victim? Stephanie Ann "Sam" McRae's busy, but orderly life as a Maryland lawyer takes a chaotic turn when two clients are accused of murder. A poor, black girl is accused of killing her mother. A young man suspected of embezzlement is accused of murdering his boss. The cases collide in a bizarre way involving girl gangs and computer pornography. Sam ventures into the heart of DC's suburban ghettos to find answers. A maniacal killer who'll do anything to hide them stalks her. After a nearly disastrous confrontation, Sam must do business on the run. As the body count grows, Sam races to learn the truth and clear her clients before she becomes the next victim. REVIEWS AND ENDORSEMENTS "LEAST WANTED is a brave, heartbreaking, and thrilling book with a complex plot that takes attorney Sam McRae on a dizzying tour of several circles of urban hell, against a backdrop of white-collar crime. I loved it, and I admire Mack for writing it without flinching or suggesting easy answers. It's a sequel that outdoes IDENTITY CRISIS and holds the promise of a great series." -- Timothy Hallinan, author of THE QUEEN OF PATPONG and CRASHED "In LEAST WANTED, Debbi Mack serves up a solid mystery plot wired together with high octane suspense. Washington, DC attorney Sam McRae is smart, tough and dedicated, but her latest cases in LEAST WANTED push her to her limits. Defending two clients accused of murder, she finds herself dealing with girl gangs, pornography and crazed killers. For mystery and suspense, it's Laura Lippman's Tess Monaghan in Baltimore and Robert B. Parker's Spenser in Boston, but Sam McRae is the woman to have at your back in Washington." -- Austin S. Camacho, author of the Hannibal Jones mystery series "Sam McRae is back and as brash as ever, with a colorful cast, a relentless plot, and enough twists to leave you breathless. Debbi Mack has carved her own niche in the mystery pantheon." -- Scott Nicholson, author of DISINTEGRATION "LEAST WANTED hooks you from the start and never lets go. A fascinating and absorbing mystery." -- Simon Wood, author of LOWLIFES "Fast-paced and brimming with dark, twisting plot turns, LEAST WANTED will keep crime and mystery buffs off balance and guessing until the very end." -- J.T. Cummins, author of COBBLESTONES "From its clever—and ironic—title to the carefully drawn characters ..., LEAST WANTED is a worthy sequel to Debbi Mack's first crime novel." -- Jeremiah Healy, author of THE ONLY GOOD LAWYER and A STAIN UPON THE ROBE "Sam McRae is not your run of the mill attorney. She is a strong, intelligent, and fiercely committed advocate, who puts her life on the line in the pursuit of justice. Author Debbi Mack brings to the hardboiled genre, a fresh voice and direct writing style that gives this richly layered mystery a feeling of authenticity I found wholly compelling. The multifaceted plot grips the reader like a falcon's talons and never lets go."  --Lawrence Kelter, bestselling author of The Stephanie Chalice Mystery Series

A week at the beach could kill you. Stephanie Ann "Sam" McRae's stay in Ocean City for the annual Maryland bar association convention becomes a busman's holiday when her best friend Jamila is arrested for murder. All signs point to a frame, but Jamila's local counsel advises her to plea bargain. This would permanently stain the ambitious attorney's spotless record, unless Sam and a private investigator can find evidence to clear her. Sam has her work cut out for her, since the victim is the stepson of a local wealthy entrepreneur and poultry producer and no one will talk to her, including the lawyer's investigator. Even Jamila seems to be withholding information. Meanwhile, Sam's running from mysterious pursuers and comes under police scrutiny when another murder takes place. With the clock ticking down to the convention and preliminary hearing, Sam must uncover secrets, lies, and fraud to find the real killer. At what cost will that knowledge come for Sam? WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT THE BOOK "The plot was tight and author Debbi Mack kept me guessing whodunnit to the very end." -- Karen Cantwell, bestselling author of the Barbara Marr Mystery Series "The final scene, Sam delivers just desserts to an annoying fellow attorney in a manner that made me chuckle aloud. But don't skip ahead to see what happens. Start at the beginning. Riptide will pull you right along." -- Suzanne Adair, award-winning author of the Mysteries of the American Revolution and the Michael Stoddard American Revolution Mysteries "Full of tension and suspense from cover-to-cover, Riptide is a cracking good read." -- Leighton Gage, author of the Chief Inspector Mario Silva Series "Sam McRae is a nosy, brassy, sarcastic pain in the ass. Which is why you'll love her." -- Frank Zafiro, author of the River City Crime Novels "Get dragged under by Riptide. If you're not already a fan of the Sam McRae series, you will be after this read." -- Benjamin Sobieck, author of Cleansing Eden and The Glass Eye. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Debbi Mack is the New York Times bestselling author of the Sam McRae mystery series. She's also published two standalone books--a young adult novel Invisible Me and a thriller called The Planck Factor. Debbi's also published Five Uneasy Pieces, a short story collection that includes her Derringer Award–nominated story "The Right to Remain Silent." Her short stories have appeared in various anthologies and publications, including Shaken: Stories for Japan and three of the Chesapeake Crimes anthologies. Debbi also hosts a podcast called the Crime Cafe, which features interview with crime, suspense, and thriller authors, and more. A retired attorney, Debbi has also worked as a journalist, librarian, and freelance writer/researcher. She enjoys walking, cats, travel, movies, and espresso--not necessarily in that order.

Would you risk your life seeking justice for a friend? Maryland lawyer, Stephanie Ann "Sam" McRae, is strapped for cash, when an old college friend asks her to help a citizens group fight a controversial development. Though loathe to take a zoning case, Sam is persuaded by the unusually high retainer, but the matter becomes personal when Sam finds Linda murdered. Because the citizens group is sharply divided, Sam investigates, needing to keep the client but not sure who to trust. When her investigation reveals a tangled web of lies, political corruption, and double-dealing, the search for Linda's killer puts Sam's own life in danger. REVIEWS AND ENDORSEMENTS "Hooray! Sassy, savvy Sam McRae is back and as determined as ever to see justice done. Deep6  opens with a gripping hook and delivers a carefully paced legal procedural leading to a satisfying, thought-provoking ending. A read you won't want to miss."      -- Donna Fletcher Crow, author of A Newly Crimsoned Reliquary, The Monastery Murders "When a simple zoning case escalates to betrayal and murder, Sam's back is to the wall as she wonders who to trust. When people start dying, she must quickly uncover the truth before becoming one more victim. With long odds against her, Sam desperately navigates a complex web of deceit in this tense action tale." -- Dale T. Phillips, author of A Shadow on the Wall "Debbi Mack is back with another installment of her Sam McRae series. One thing you can always count on from Mack is sharp, realistic dialogue, and in Deep Six, she once again delivers. Sam McRae is a tough lady, but an everywoman, as well. ... From the opening line of this novel to its satisfying ending, Mack delivers a great, gritty, gorgeous mystery." -- Frank Zafiro, author of the River City series "Peppered with snappy, noir-tinted dialogue and Sam's sardonic narration, Deep Six is a perfect whodunit for a cozy night's reading in any season." -- W.D. Gagliani, author of the Nick Lupo series, including the Bram Stoker Award finalist Wolf's Trap