The Leighton Jones Mysteries Series

As a serial killer targets prostitutes in Southern California, a troubled traffic cop picks up the trail in this thrilling prequel to The Girl on the Bus. When traffic cop Leighton Jones is called to sort out an altercation in a used car lot, he is confronted by a prostitute rambling on about a girl who stole her coat. He thinks nothing of it—until the body of a Jane Doe shows up, matching the prostitute’s description. Could there be a link between the fight in the car lot and the dead woman? Leighton proceeds to gather evidence. But when he brings his findings to the lead Homicide detective, he’s told to back off. A suspect has been arrested. Yet the case is far from closed. And as Leighton keeps digging, he finds himself on the trail of a serial killer . . .

Three hard-hitting crime thrillers in one volume featuring “a protagonist that the reader really gets behind and cares about” (By the Letter Book Reviews). This collection of mysteries following the career of California cop Leighton Jones includes: The Girl on the Bus: Emotionally isolated Vicki Reiner craves the fleeting happiness she experienced prior to her college graduation. To recapture this, she invites an old friend for a break at her deserted beachside home. But despite booking a bus ticket, her friend never shows up. The police dismiss her concerns—but newly retired detective Leighton Jones, haunted by his own devastating loss, finds it hard not to be drawn into Vicki’s search for the truth, and a quest that will take them across the dusty highways of North America . . . Carpenter Road: After traffic officer Leighton Jones is called to an altercation in a used car lot, he is confronted by a prostitute rambling on about a girl who stole her coat. He thinks nothing off it. That is until the body of a Jane Doe shows up, matching the prostitute’s description . . . Toys in the Dust: Two little girls, Tina and Suzy, are playing when a stranger appears and strikes up a conversation. He is sad that he doesn’t have a doll to play with like the girls do, so Suzy hurries home to fetch one. When she returns, Suzy discovers both Tina and the stranger have vanished. Later, Leighton Jones sees a young girl race out in front of his car and vanish into the countryside, but his superiors, increasingly concerned about Leighton’s mental health, doubt the child exists. Meanwhile, in the California countryside, a killer is relentlessly searching for the one who got away . . .

A lonely woman and an emotionally damaged ex-cop join together to solve a case no one else cares about… Vicki Reiner is emotionally isolated and craves the fleeting happiness she experienced in the years prior to her college graduation. In an attempt to recapture this, she invites her old friend, Laurie, for a break at her deserted beachside home in Southern California. However, despite booking an online bus ticket, her friend never shows up. Unable to accept the bizarre circumstances of the disappearance, Vicki approaches the police, who dismiss her concerns before enlisting the reluctant help of Leighton Jones—a newly retired detective who is haunted by the death of his teenage daughter. Despite trying to remain detached from the case, Leighton is drawn to Vicki and her search for justice. The unlikely pair will face numerous obstacles as they track down the answers across the dusty freeways of North America—and find themselves in grave danger along the way.    The content of this book has been updated to address editorial issues raised by some reviewers.

Officer Leighton Jones returns in a gripping and fast-paced serial killer thriller from the author of The Girl on the Bus and Carpenter Road.   Two seven-year-old girls, Tina and Suzy, are playing in a dusty creek when a stranger appears and strikes up a conversation. He is sad that he doesn’t have a doll to play with like the girls do, so Suzy hurries home to fetch one. When she returns, Suzy discovers both Tina and the stranger have vanished.  A short while later, traffic officer Leighton Jones, who is fighting his own demons, is driving home from the scene of a near-fatal accident. When Leighton sees a young girl race out in front of his car and vanish into the countryside, he reports the sighting. Unfortunately, his superiors, who are increasingly concerned about Leighton’s mental health, doubt the child exists.  But after Tina’s mother confirms her daughter’s disappearance, Leighton risks his job by pursuing his own investigation of the case. Meanwhile, in the Californian countryside, a child killer is relentlessly searching for the one who got away . . . “Leighton Jones is one of the best characters I have read about. He sort of reminds me of Harry Bosch in that he is determined to get to the bottom of any wrongdoings, despite the consequences he may face.” —Broadbean’s Books   “A great page turner that I devoured within no time. The author has created a protagonist that the reader really gets behind and cares about.” —By the Letter Book Reviews   “A killer story that kept me on the edge of my seat.” —jbronderbookreviews