KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench, where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site, so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
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A VISION OF VIOLENCE
Audrey Lake Investigations Book 2
BY NICHELLE SEELY
BLURB
The most controversial thing a cop can do is voluntarily work for the defense, but when the public defender calls on private investigator Audrey Lake, she can’t say no.
A police officer’s duty is to collect the evidence and apprehend the criminal. The rest is up to the lawyers. But Audrey isn’t a cop anymore; she’s a private eye with bills to pay, and she can’t afford to turn down a legitimate job. Especially when she’s still trying to come to grips with the intrusive voice in her head and an elusive ‘psychic’ ability. She figures it’ll be a welcome injection of cash for a few days of routine investigation.
She should have known it wouldn’t be that easy.
An itinerant deck hand is in custody for the murder of professional crab fisherman Jack Reynolds. The defense just wants a reasonable doubt, someone else to pin the crime on. But Audrey refuses to implicate another person, not without knowing for sure.
The investigation leads Audrey through the rain-slick streets of Astoria, Oregon, among the mossy piers and boardwalks of the Skipanon Harbor, and the stormy fishing grounds of the Pacific. It’s gotten complicated, but she’s still trying to answer a simple question: who killed Jack Reynolds?
She didn’t know she’d have to risk her own life to find out.
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A VISION OF VIOLENCE
Audrey Lake Investigations Book 2
BY NICHELLE SEELY
Excerpt
My name is Audrey Lake. I’m a former cop, now a private investigator. And sometimes, I can see into the past. But only when it involves violence and death. Except when it’s my own past. That’s got some fuzzy spots. Especially around violence and death.
Yeah, I’m kind of messed up. So what the hell am I doing here, standing on the sidewalk long after sunset, hood pulled up against the rain? The cloud cover makes the night pitch black, except for the murky glow of a halogen street lamp. The puddles tremble under the drizzle, and fallen leaves have turned into a mushy carpet. The smell of damp is so heavy I can taste it. In other words, a typical fall evening on the Oregon coast.
In front of me is a rambling Queen Anne mansion, complete with a corner tower. My mother, the architect, would love it. Me, I see a repair and maintenance nightmare. Several of the windows glow with light, and indistinct silhouettes of people move about on the second floor. A faint snatch of laughter comes from inside. It seems pleasant; people enjoying themselves, sheltered from the weather. I’ve been invited, but haven’t decided whether or not to cross the threshold.
A movement catches the corner of my eye, and my cop instincts kick in. I reach for my weapon, but the Glock in the shoulder holster is absent—I don’t usually bring it to social occasions. I turn to see a dark figure a block away, walking hunched against the rain. I relax. Just another person on their own in the dark.
I must be really desperate. Or really lonely. Or both. Why else would I have left my own house, on a rainy October night, to join a group of strangers who think they have psychic powers? But in our last therapy session, Phoebe urged me to get out and meet more people. She said being social would be good for me, get me out of my head. She said it would help with my PTSI. And I do want to get better. Be normal.
Like that’s ever going to happen.
And here we go with the craziness. Say hello to Zoe, the alternate identity I used when I was working undercover. Only she didn’t depart when the mission was over, after everything went to hell. I didn’t go back to completely being me, Audrey Lake. Some splinter of Zoe remained behind, manifesting as a strident voice intruding on my thoughts.
I resent that remark.
In the law enforcement business, you soon discover that people are the most unfathomable of all the variables—you can do your best to save them, protect them, warn them about their danger, but in the end you can’t control what they do, or who they choose to be. Lovers will love, lawyers will argue, creators will create—
And murderers will murder.
Yeah, that got dark real fast.
I shake my head, and the rasp of my hood fills my ears. You can dress for the weather, you can turn on a light to push back the dark, but dealing with people is never so straightforward. And my mental health issues don’t help. Maybe I should just go back home.
You’re getting awfully good at running away.
I refuse to let Zoe be right, so I make myself walk up to the shelter of the covered porch. The wood smells damp, and a stale whiff of smoke wafts from a potted plant where someone has crushed a cigarette. The big house has been subdivided into apartments, and it takes me a few seconds to find the name of my host on the intercom and press the bell next to it. A staticky, masculine voice comes from the speaker as the entry buzzes open.
“Come on upstairs. First door on the left. It’s unlocked.”
I obey instructions and walk through the door. Because sometimes, in order to move forward, we have to do things we don’t want to do.
Because sometimes, the only way out is through.
About Author Nichelle Seely…
Nichelle Seely (she, her) is the author of the Audrey Lake Investigations series as well as multiple serial fiction titles in various genres. She is also an Author Accelerator-certified book coach. As a coach and developmental editor, she is passionate about helping writers of genre fiction and memoir find their voices and get their books into the world. She has a BA in English and attends conferences and workshops to enhance her craft and industry knowledge. Nichelle lives in Colorado with her web designer husband and thousands of books.
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Links to Nichelle’s websites, blogs, books, #ad, etc.:
Amazon Kindle: https://amzn.to/46NRjSn
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/4kQF1Mu
A Memory of Murder (Audrey Lake 1) UBL:
https://books2read.com/u/bw95jY
A Vision of Violence (Audrey Lake 2) UBL:
https://books2read.com/u/4NJLlG
Coaching and editing services:
https://plotandpen.com
To find out more about her books:
https://nichelleseely.com
Happy Reading!
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Thanks, Nichelle, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
Sounds like a really good read looking forward to trying this new author
I hope you enjoy the story when you get a chance to try!
I love finding a new author!!
And I love being found! There’s so many great books out there. Thanks for giving my story a chance.
The blurb just sucked me right in.
Don’t forget, everyone, if you DO read my book, please leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. It really helps with visibility, and I learn from my reviews, even if they aren’t flattering!
Good morning Nichelle, very nice to meet you. Your book sounds and looks very intriguing! I will be adding it to my TBR for sure! Thank you so much for sharing the excerpt. Have a great day and a great week.
Nice to meet you too! I hope you enjoy A Vision of Violence. The ebook is on Kindle Unlimited, and the paperback on Amazon as well. You can also order the paperback from bookshop.org or your local bookstore.
Great set up, Nichelle!
Thanks, Nichelle, and thanks, Karen, for showcasing this book.
Thanks for commenting, and also thanks to Karen for her fantastic blog! What a great way to find new things to read.
Karen, thanks for keeping us up to date on new authors. New to us, voracious readers.
She’s great, isn’t she?
Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench, Nichelle. I’m intrigued by your excerpt and can’t wait to read this book. I love the psychic element. Thanks for sharing your book with us today!
Thank YOU for choosing to feature A Vision of Violence.
Sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Eileen.
Sounds INTRIGUING!
Thanks, I hope you get a chance to read it.
Sounds like a great read, Nichelle! Can’t wait to enjoy it! Congratulations on the new release!
Thanks Margaret! That’s a compliment coming from you.
My kind of read, Nichelle. Fabulous
I hope you like it. As a side note, all the settings in the novel (except one) are actual places on the Oregon coast, including the shipwreck that is featured on the cover.
Is that what’s left of the Peter Airedale? (not sure of the correct spelling)
Yes! The wreck of the Peter Iredale (you were almost right) is the location of a pivotal scene in the book.
Having lived in Astoria for many years when I was younger (my daughter was born there) I am always interested in stories using that area as their setting. I’m looking forward to reading this one. Thank you so much for sharing with us today.
I lived in Astoria for several years myself, and my parents still live in Manzanita (between Cannon Beach and Tillamook). My private detective, Audrey Lake, lives in Astoria in my old house. The first novel in the series took place largely in Astoria, and this one features Warrenton.
I love the Northwest too, Nichelle, and although I live in Wyoming, I have family up there. (Up? Is Oregon up?) Audrey sounds like my kind of gal. Adding it to my “to be ordered at my favorite independent bookstore” list.
Thanks Lynn! You can also order it through bookshop.org and designate your favorite indie store to get part of the profit.
This is wonderful! Huge congratulations, Nichelle!
Thanks Peg! Thinking about Audrey #3…
This sounds really intriguing!
The first book, A Memory of Murder, starts the ball rolling as Audrey tries to come to grips with her psychosis (or is it?) while trying to solve a murder. In A Vision of Violence, she’s a little further along on the journey but is once again distracted by a vicious crime. I hope you give one or both of them a try!