Gideon Detective Series

GIDEON RETURNS – A Damsel in Distress Book 3 Gideon Detective Series A detective with his whodunnit murder mystery or a chemistry professor seeking the structure of a new compound uses little of formal and logical modes of reasoning. It is times they stumble upon the correct explanation from a feeling in their gut and have just the right knack of seizing the opportunity when it comes within their reach. Sidney St. James originally wrote "Rosenthall" in 2016, Book 1 in the Gideon Detective Series. In 2019, his newest release, Gideon Returns – A Damsel in Distress, Vincent Gideon continued his infamous skills at investigation and was in the right place at the right time, twice. Or, at least a young German woman by the name of Abigail Hoffmann would tend to agree. Taking place in a seaside village in Oregon, a small fishing village, Black Rock Cove is the scene for lots of action and intrigue. Gideon hasn't had a case in months and is glad to receive word from the Portland Police Chief that a group of assassins and thieves were about to arrive in the States from Oldenburg, Germany. His job was simple enough. Go and apprehend the criminals and bring them to justice. He was asked to go to the docks to await the arrival of the Johann Dethardt, the large ocean liner that carried the four villains onboard, along with six hundred other passengers.  However, when he went out to meet the ship, all Hell broke loose. Mystery, sex, and hot summer nights ensued for weeks after that. Is Gideon going to let the criminals go free the way he did Rosenthall, or is he going apprehend them with no loose ends to follow? A young and beautiful woman falls overboard and into the dark waters of the Pacific two miles offshore from Black Rock Cove. A knife to the chest probably caused her fall. Was she dead? Vincent Gideon thought so and fell out of his skiff as the body plunged almost hitting him in the small dinghy below. The woman who fell overboard says she is Abigail Hoffmann. Another woman who calls herself Abigail Hoffmann cashes in three hundred and fifty thousand dollars in bonds. Who is the real Abigail Hoffmann? Who is the murderer of Derek Schiller in Oldenburg, Germany? Does Rosenthall have something to do with this overall scheme to drag his nemesis back out of retirement? There are many twists and turns. The question you will ask yourself throughout the entire novel is, "Who is the real Abigail Hoffman?" Or, can Vincent Gideon put aside his romantic feelings for Abigail and focus on the facts before him? Will his desire for this beautiful woman let a resourceful killer off the hook, again? Murder and mystery throughout this novel are peppered with romance and humor in this fast-paced whodunit detective mystery series amidst the spectacular Oregon landscape and the Pacific's seaside sunsets.

A novelette of 95 pages by Sidney St. James. A murder case from the late 1930s takes the entire area south of Oklahoma to the Gulf of Mexico the peoples' attention as a veteran police officer of more than thirty years from Dallas, and a well-known socialite from Fort Worth are murdered on the same night. In both cases, the murder was brutal and not just a killing with a bullet or two. It almost will remind you the day Bonnie and Clyde met their fate. The jurisdiction of the case brings in the Chief of Police in Dallas, Quintin Randle and the Fort Worth Police Department's Chief Sammy Rogers on a case that has both the offices' detectives hot on the case. The investigation got exciting and crossed the boundaries where dignitaries from all over the country were arriving near Plano to watch the landing of a Superfortress B29. The case becomes somewhat sticky with the two detectives stepping on each others' toes, but no matter, they learned to get along and attempt to solve this terrible murder. But do they solve it completely? Murder Will Out! Hitler's name disappeared on the front page for days. His presence was replaced by the murdered socialite, Sonja Bridges Adler and the thirty-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department, Lamar Hampton. A novelette by Sidney St. James. Book 4 in the Gideon Detective Series.

Phantom of Black Rock Cove Gideon Detective Series Book 5 - A NOVELLA Introducing Bridget Flynn   Thick icy sheets of rain obscured Bridget's vision. Her flashlight died just inches into the wall of water, bouncing off of millions of raindrops, each one bigger than the lemon drops she had in her pocket. The flash river running down the street gushed over the tops of her high heel shoes.   Even the passage of the light slowed, and the sounds became as if they were muffled from a heavy blanket over someone's face. Aside from the beating of his heart, not one muscle moved. The pounding inside beat a rhythm to the words of his execution, the cold steel from the blunt end of a heavy steel hammer had killed his nephew. Richard Dawson became white as chalk. His eyes and mouth were frozen wide open in an expression of stunned surprise. His mind was sent spinning, unable to comprehend or process the images before him.   The hammer entered three times on the side of the dead man's head, leaving blood everywhere, blasting a cavity in the side of his skull as it burst crimson all about and scattered across the red long-leaf pine floors. The man's face, so handsome and young in life, was frozen, eyes open, mouth slack. When the sheriff came to the crime scene, the body laid like a ghoulish mannequin with blood everywhere. His face was bruised and covered with great blotches. Four of his ribs were no doubt broken as one stuck out the side.   Over a half-dozen detective firms were hired to find out who the killer or killers were. Almost a year passed, and the case grew cold. Richard Dawson sent word to Portland to the famed Detective, Vincent Gideon, to come and do what so many others couldn't. Find the killer of his nephew. It wasn't long after Gideon arrived he realized why other respectful detective agencies were not able to locate the killer. At first, the ghost was no more than a chill in the autumn air, a shimmer of mist. Through it, the trees and boulders along Brushy Creek became slightly out of focus, like a poorly taken photograph. It wasn't until Fred Andreas got out of his car and walked down the edge of the stream did matters become more evident. The apparition wore the same clothes as the man who was killed in the bank several months earlier.   For a moment, all was silent, the spirit's eyes brimming with silver tears that shone brightly in the moonlight. Fred froze, no words came forth. He took a step backward. Then, the ghoul spoke, "Who killed me?" His grin became a snarl, baring teeth like that of a wolf. He came closer without taking a step…In the fifth novel in the Gideon Detective Series, we find the introduction of Bridget Flynn and Casey Brennan as wanna-be detectives in this new suspense thriller!

Descripción de la novela, El transformista   El sexto libro de la serie de detectives Gideon   En esta apasionante novela "The Transformist" de Sidney St. James, incluso los objetos inanimados guardan secretos. El teléfono recuerda a quienes lo llamaron en el pasado, el pomo de la puerta conserva el toque de quienes lo giraron y el revólver dorado lleva los ecos de sus anteriores disparos y quienes lo empuñaron. Ahora, depende de Vincent Gideon desbloquear el lenguaje oculto de estos objetos, para escuchar sus revelaciones susurradas. Vincent Gideon, reconocido como el mejor detective del mundo después de su victoria sobre el famoso asesino en serie Rosenthall en "Rosenthall", el Libro 1 de la Serie de detectives de Gideon, se enfrenta a un nuevo desafío en el Libro 3, "Gideon Returns". El destino se entrelaza con el amor, poniendo a prueba el vínculo entre Gideon y Abigail Hoffman, una inmigrante alemana cuya vida ha salvado en tres ocasiones distintas. Pero es el destino quien finalmente los separa en la emocionante sexta entrega, "The Transformist". Como se muestra en la portada, Abigail Hoffmann rompe abruptamente su compromiso con el estimado detective, dejándolo desconcertado. En cambio, elige casarse con Wolfgang Klein, el próspero hombre de negocios de Portland, Oregón. La curiosidad y la sospecha surgen cuando se descubre una carta de amor rota dirigida a Gideon y se reconstruye de la basura de Klein, aparentemente pegada por las manos de la secretaria de Klein. Poco después, Abigail se enfrenta a Wolfgang y, momentos después, la encuentran sosteniendo un revólver humeante, parada sobre su cuerpo sin vida. Manchas de sangre marcan su pecho, con el pañuelo de Abigail agarrado en su mano. Desesperada, proclama su inocencia al hombre que realmente ama. Abrumado, Gideon busca la ayuda del experimentado detective de ochenta años, Jonathan Kowalski, para ayudar a desentrañar la verdad. Sin embargo, surge una revelación inesperada cuando el mayordomo de confianza de Gideon, con un pasado oculto como ladrón de cajas fuertes, se enreda en la investigación. La intriga se intensifica con la participación de un chino colosal, un suicidio del puente de la calle 51, pasadizos secretos y la desaparición de Ava O'Neill, una figura clave que podría resolver el enigma de "The Transformist". Con el tiempo corriendo antes del juicio de Abigail y la amenaza inminente de la silla eléctrica, los detectives corren contrarreloj. ¿Permitirá Bulldog Dennison, el fiscal de distrito, suficiente libertad de acción para probar la inocencia de Abigail? Mientras tanto, el inspector Joe Givens del Departamento de Policía de Portland se encuentra atrapado en medio de dos detectives experimentados que siguen la pista de un hábil asesino. Una vez más, Sidney St. James demuestra su notable talento para elaborar narraciones fascinantes, impulsando a los lectores a través de las páginas de la sexta entrega de la serie Gideon Detective. Con un ritmo vertiginoso, "The Transformist" ofrece una experiencia de lectura apasionante que deja a los lectores sin aliento.

Prequel to two-book series Volume 1 Sequel continues in Volume 2, Gideon - The Final Chapter   "Ace of Spades" marks a thrilling addition to the Gideon Detective Series, plunging readers into the heart of an enigmatic murder mystery in the shadowed streets of Black Rock Cove. Vincent James Gideon, the storied detective long since retired, is drawn back into a world of intrigue and deception, where every clue leads to more questions, and trust is as elusive as the killer he seeks. The novel opens with Gideon discovering an unmarked envelope, containing only a dark green, intricately serrated leaf. This peculiar clue is quickly overshadowed by an urgent call from the Chief of Police, catapulting Gideon into a new case that seems ordinary at first glance. However, the streets of Black Rock Cove are never what they seem. Simultaneously, a chilling scene unfolds across town. A skilled assassin, caught in a dangerous game of survival, administers poison to a beautiful woman. As he watches her demise, he battles an unexpected surge of guilt and doubt. The assassination is marked by a haunting signature - an Ace of Spades card impaled by an ivory-handled dagger. In a dramatic turn of events, Gideon finds himself wrongly accused of not only this mysterious murder but also the killing of a prominent local pharmacist. As he navigates the labyrinthine twists and turns of the case, Gideon confronts a web of deceit and corruption that tests his legendary detective skills. "Ace of Spades" masterfully combines suspense, intrigue, and rich characterization to create a complex puzzle. The novel's vivid detail immerses readers in a world where every character harbors secrets, and the truth is always just out of reach. With each chapter, the stakes grow higher, and the line between hunter and hunted becomes increasingly blurred. In this gripping tale, Gideon must unravel the twisted threads of the case, confront his past, and face the ultimate question: in the murky waters of murder and deception, who is the real predator, and who is the prey? This novel is a must-read for fans of intricate mysteries, where the truth is as elusive and dangerous as the Ace of Spades.  

Sidney St. James wrote "The Final Curtain Call," a renowned detective novel that exemplifies the locked-room mystery subgenre in detective fiction. In these stories, a crime, typically a murder, occurs under seemingly impossible circumstances. The story unfolds in the gloomy, fog-laden Oak Hill area of Austin's West End. It begins with the shocking discovery of Ronald D. Parks' gruesome murder. Someone has cut his throat in his room, which was locked from the inside, and secured the windows, creating the perfect 'locked room' scenario. The absence of minimal struggle signs and a missing murder weapon only deepen the mystery. Detectives Vincent James Gideon and Eddie Fisher lead the investigation. Gideon, a retired detective known for his unorthodox methods and deep criminal mind insights, contrasts with Fisher, his more conventional rival. Their different investigative approaches bring an intriguing dynamic to the story. The real Sidney St. James, not his novel's character, explores the lives of various characters linked to Ronnie Parks. These include his landlady, Mrs. Jenkins, and Morton Parker, an aspiring political candidate for Governor in Texas, who once found himself in a love triangle with Parks and a woman named Kathy Scott. The narrative delves into themes of social injustice, political activism, and the intricacies of human relationships. James uses wit and a satirical tone to critique his era's societal issues. He also parodies the detective genre, primarily through the competitive and contrasting styles of Gideon and Fisher. The novel's unexpected and ingenious resolution features a clever twist that challenges readers' assumptions and showcases Sidney St. James' mastery of the genre. "The Final Curtain Call" is a pivotal work in detective fiction and provides insightful commentary on Austin, Texas's political landscape. The novel stands out for its innovative plot, memorable characters, and significant contribution to detective fiction.

Gideon – The Final Chapter Case of the Ace of Spades – Volume 2 Book 8 in the Gideon Detective Series By the time the world's greatest detective figures out whodunnit… his own son could die in the electric chair in this murder and mystery suspense novel. There was only one case out of hundreds of cold cases that Vincent James Gideon never wholly solved, Rosenthall. (Read about it in Book 1 of the Gideon Detective Series.) If that should happen in Volume 2 of the Case of the Ace of Spades, his son could walk down that lonely hallway to the electric chair. Watching her take a sip, it took the assassin every urge not to swat the glass away, but he knew it was the only way to save his life. He stared at the beautiful woman and wondered how long it would take to go into effect. He questioned how much time it would be before she became dizzy and forgot where she was. Everything seemed to switch into slow motion. For a moment, the killer doubted himself and wondered if, in fact, he poisoned the wrong glass? Guilt began to creep into his gut. It took all his strength to withhold the tears that started to glisten in his eyes. Why? She began to cough and cough. The wine glass fell to the side, and her body collapsed to the floor. The assassin wasted no time. With an ivory-handled dagger, he stuck the Ace of Spades across the point of the blade and pierced her in the chest. From the many trunks in the hallway packed for a long journey, he placed her body inside the largest one available. Then, the killer called on an accomplice to carry the trunk to an unknown destination. But, the blundering detectives with the Black Rock Cove Police Department who were assigned to the case got all the facts twisted. The wrong man was accused. He was known as Billy Bob Tanner, Gideon's son. By the time the victim was found, her flesh was as cold as the wintry night. Her ivory skin was splattered with blood. Gideon dug into his pocket for a lemon drop only to find the plastic bag empty. His face fell a little, not a good omen for such a critical case. Then, suddenly, his fingers grasped onto one which had fallen from the bag. He pulled it out and held it up, thinking to himself that his luck had changed. He popped it in his mouth and went back to thinking over the evidence before him. Vincent James Gideon, the famed detective who went into retirement eight years earlier tried to avoid the case when the Black Rock Cove Police Department requested his services. He recommended his sidekick of many years, Bridget Flynn, take over. One thing after another happened to where he could not avoid coming out of retirement. Then he was blamed for the murder of not only the woman found in the trunk but also a reputable pharmacist.

Part One and Two of the Gideon's Case of the Ace of Spades. This novel includes both books 7 and 8 in the Gideon Detective Series   In the stack of envelopes on top of Gideon's desk, one was curiously unlabeled, the same as any random piece of junk. He slid it open nonetheless. All the envelope contained was a simple leaf… dark green with serrated edges, finely divided and lacy. It was almost triangular, broad at the base with the tip tapering to an almost point. No sooner did he lay the envelope down on his desk, his phone rang. It was the Chief of Police requesting his service on another case. Across town, another event was happening.   Watching her take a sip, it took the assassin every urge not to swat the glass away, but he knew it was the only way to save his life. He stared at the beautiful woman and wondered how long it would take to go into effect. He questioned how much time it would be before she became dizzy and forgot where she was. Everything seemed to switch into slow motion. For a moment, the killer doubted himself and wondered if, in fact, he poisoned the wrong glass? Guilt began to creep into his gut. It took all his strength to withhold the tears that started to glisten in his eyes. Why?   She began to cough and cough. The wine glass fell to the side, and her body collapsed to the floor. The killer wasted no time. With an ivory-handled dagger, he stuck the Ace of Spades across the point of the blade and pierced her in the chest. He then placed her body inside the largest trunk among the many in the hallway packed earlier for a long journey.   Then, he called on a deaf-mute to carry the trunk to an unknown destination. But, the blundering detectives assigned to the case get all the facts twisted, and the wrong man was accused… or, was it the wrong man?   Vincent James Gideon, the famed detective who went into retirement eight years earlier tried to avoid the case when the Black Rock Cove Police Department requested his services. Events occurred that forced the famed detective out of retirement. Then, he was blamed for the murder of not just the woman, but a reputable pharmacist downtown on Pacific Avenue.

In this ninth and final novel in the Gideon Detective Series, Vincent James Gideon, after retiring five years earlier to spend his senior years fly fishing on the Portland River, elects to take on one more case for the Black Rock Cove Police Department. Little did he know it would be the most unusual case the veteran detective has ever agreed to unravel. Sebastian Westfield, the grandson of Connor Westfield, is living life in style with the hefty allowance given to him monthly by his grandfather. The problem is, one night started like all the rest, with his arrival at Sid's Cabaret in Portland, the home of famed theater star, Valentina Clemente. When the evening first started, he could remember everything. However, the next instant, his mind goes blank. He can't remember what happened the rest of the night when an assassin took his grandfather's life in Black Rock Cove, or how he ended up on the floor of an abandoned farmhouse a few hundred yards away from his grandfather's house the next morning. As he awoke, he sensed a chill in the air, a shimmer of mist.  The trees of the forest by the lake became slightly out of focus, like that of a poorly taken photograph. It wasn't until Sebastian got closer, it congealed into a form… a woman dressed in red with silver skin and a predator's smile. All became silent while he watched the woman skirt along the edges of the stagnant lake. Then, without warning, he found himself on his back, looking up at a person wearing a red and black ski mask. He shook his head back and forth and heard the words from what he thought was the woman in red, but the words were said in a man's voice with a rasping tone of a one-pack a day smoker. "Have you come to play, Sebastian?" Sebastian couldn't find words to say and only opened his mouth to scream. Then without warning, he found himself back on the dilapidated and deserted farmhouse floor. Abruptly, a chill rose up his spine making him shiver. Something was here with him. He could feel it! A voice, hoarse and faint echoed around him, coming from the adjacent room in the farmhouse.  Sebastian slowly turned his head over his shoulder, and the whispering came to a stop. The air chilled to ice and his labored breathing was the only sound he could hear. It was hanging down from the ceiling, crawling ever so slowly, closer and closer… dark and brooding. Crick. Creakkkk. Screechhhhh. "Stop it! You're not real. Leave me alone!" Sebastian had played in the old farmhouse as a child and knew it was but a few hundred yards to his grandfather's house. Without hesitation, he rushed out the door and hurried down the pathway, his heart pounding the entire way.  The sun already climbed into the morning sky. On reaching the courtyard, he stopped and vividly pictured the old place during his childhood. The walls didn't seem so gray when he was a young boy, nor did they look so small. In his mind, he pictured the place as though it were a castle where his cousin and he were the prince and princess of the home. The door opened. Mister Albert was there with the bad news. "Mister Sebastian, where have you been? Your grandfather has been murdered!"

Books Included: The Case of the Ace of Spades (Part I) Gideon - The Final Chapter (Part II) The Lady in Red Book 7: The Case of the Ace of Spades Part I In the stack of envelopes on top of Gideon's desk, one was curiously unlabeled, the same as any random piece of junk. He slid it open nonetheless. All the envelope contained was a simple leaf… dark green with serrated edges, finely divided and lacy. It was almost triangular, broad at the base with the tip tapering to an almost point. No sooner did he lay the envelope down on his desk, his phone rang. It was the Chief of Police requesting his service on another case. Across town, another event was happening. Watching her take a sip, it took the assassin every urge not to swat the glass away, but he knew it was the only way to save his life. He stared at the beautiful woman and wondered how long it would take to go into effect. He questioned how much time it would be before she became dizzy and forgot where she was. Everything seemed to switch into slow motion. For a moment, the killer doubted himself and wondered if, in fact, he poisoned the wrong glass? Guilt began to creep into his gut. It took all his strength to withhold the tears that started to glisten in his eyes. Why? Book 8: Gideon – The Final Chapter Part II Everything seemed to switch into slow motion. For a moment, the killer doubted himself and wondered if, in fact, he poisoned the wrong glass? Guilt began to creep into his gut. It took all his strength to withhold the tears that started to glisten in his eyes. Why? She began to cough and cough. The wine glass fell to the side, and her body collapsed to the floor. The assassin wasted no time. With an ivory-handled dagger, he stuck the Ace of Spades across the point of the blade and pierced her in the chest. From the many trunks in the hallway packed for a long journey, he placed her body inside the largest one available. Then, the killer called on an accomplice to carry the trunk to an unknown destination. But, the blundering detectives with the Black Rock Cove Police Department who were assigned to the case got all the facts twisted. The wrong man was accused. He was known as Billy Bob Tanner, Gideon's son. By the time the victim was found, her flesh was as cold as the wintry night. Her ivory skin was splattered with blood. Book 9: The Lady in Red In this ninth and final novel in the Gideon Detective Series, Vincent James Gideon, after retiring five years earlier to spend his senior years fly fishing on the Portland River, elects to take on one more case for the Black Rock Cove Police Department. Little did he know it would be the most unusual case the veteran detective has ever agreed to unravel. Sebastian Westfield, the grandson of Connor Westfield, is living life in style with the hefty allowance given to him monthly by his grandfather. The problem is, one night started like all the rest, with his arrival at Sid's Cabaret in Portland, the home of famed theater star, Valentina Clemente. When the evening first started, he could remember everything. However, the next instant, his mind goes blank. He can't remember what happened the rest of the night when an assassin took his grandfather's life in Black Rock Cove, or how he ended up on the floor of an abandoned farmhouse a few hundred yards away from his grandfather's house the next morning. As he awoke, he sensed a chill in the air, a shimmer of mist.  The trees of the forest by the lake became slightly out of focus, like that of a poorly taken photograph. It wasn't until Sebastian got closer, it congealed into a form… a woman dressed in red with silver skin and a predator's smile.