Addie Gorsky Mysteries Series

When Baltimore City homicide detective Addie Gorsky left Charm city to become head of security at Florida's premier retirement village, she was glad to leave the big-city mayhem behind. Tired of dodging bullets, she'd moved to north Florida to be with her father, not tussle with criminals.   But when Mystic Cove's most obnoxious resident is found dead in his tricked-out golf cart, Addie springs into action. While the local cops zero in on the unhappy wife, Addie knows there's a lot more to this tale. Only the deeper Addie digs, the more questions turn up.   Surrounded by secretive residents, Addie finds herself facing off with a killer as cool as midnight. A killer who had no compunction in killing again.

In this swamp of murder and deceit, no one is safe!   When the twentieth century was new, China Rose Fish Camp was a popular vacation spot for folks looking for a place to slow down. But these days the only regular visitors are the mosquitoes and gators–especially the fifteen-foot bull gator the locals call Big Ben.   When the owner of China Rose Harry Pitts is found beaten to death, Florida PI Addie Gorsky takes on the case. Though the cops believe the bloody scene suggests a random act of violence, Addie believes the crime is connected to the disappearance of Harry's daughter eleven years ago at China Rose.   Addie knows that all murders begin in the past, but even she is surprised at how deep the roots of Harry's violent murder go–all the way back to the days of old Florida, to the time of wily pirates and proud conquistadors, and the trove of treasure that legend claims is still buried in this backwater.   Addie dives headfirst into the wild heart of China Rose, surrounded by grinning gators, killer bees and gaping cottonmouths. But these predators pale in comparison to the cunning two-legged killer Addie is hunting…and who soon begins hunting her.

Tender Mercies Psychiatric Hospital is one of the darker places in the Sunshine State, so no one is surprised when young college student Elena Santos dies while under its care. Even though Elena's death appears to result from a severe allergic reaction, the family asks PI Addie Gorsky to investigate. Though still mourning her father's death, Addie takes the case. But soon the inconsistencies surrounding Elena's death start piling up, with the tight-lipped and paranoid staff blocking Addie's investigation at every turn. After discovering that Elena was not the inexperienced college student described by her family, but a woman with a haunted past, Addie takes drastic action to unlock the secrets of the Tender Mercies. Soon Addie is plunged into a deadly chess match with an unseen opponent, a grand master of murder always one step ahead.