All that Johnny Graphic ever wanted was to be a star news photographer. But the story that puts the twelve-year-old on the front page could well come with a horrible headline: BOY LENSMAN MURDERED BY GHOSTS! The year is 1935 and in Johnny’s world, spooks are very, very real. Most wraiths are friendly to the living. Some of them even have jobs. But a few ancient ghost assassins are on the warpath, out to kill Johnny’s sister Melanie—for reasons that the siblings don’t even begin to understand.

On assignment from the Zenith Clarion newspaper, Johnny journeys half-way around the world on a flying boat—along with best friend Nina Bain, Uncle Louie, and Melanie. Along the way, he has to unravel a deadly ghost conspiracy that threatens the lives of millions. Or die trying! An action-filled, 1930s ghost adventure for middle grade readers. (And anyone else who enjoys a spirited yarn!)

“Johnny Graphic and the Etheric Bomb is a novel drawing from the classic pulpy style of the 1930s, following Johnny Graphic, aspiring photographer, as he discovers ghosts covering every level of his desired career path. Finding ghosts friendly and hostile, he rushes to protect his sister from the latter, a task more difficult than he knows. Johnny Graphic and the Etheric Bomb is a strong pick for young adult readers, highly recommended.” —Children’s Bookwatch, a publication of the Midwest Book Review

“The nonstop action and off-kilter but still familiar world make for an engaging read. Although I get a slightly ‘boy book’ vibe from it, it’s full of proactive female characters, too. The plight of the ghosts adds depth to it—I hope that most readers will go from finding them spooky and sometimes funny to feeling sympathy for the difficult situation they’re in.” —Reads 4 Tweens

Buy Johnny Graphic and the Etheric Bomb at Amazon (Kindle or paperback) or Barnes & Noble (paperback).

Fresh from saving the lives of millions of people in Johnny Graphic and the Etheric Bomb, Johnny  and his friends are drawn into another rip-roaring ghost adventure… This time an army of monstrous bog zombies has appeared out of nowhere to ravage the northern counties of the Royal Kingdom. They’re rampaging, burning, and smashing everything in sight. And they’re capturing kids for reasons too horrible to even contemplate. Johnny, his best friend Nina Bain, and his sister Mel are summoned to help defeat the evil genius thought to be behind this nefarious plot–Percy Rathbone! The very same ghost who created the etheric bomb. Who nearly destroyed Johnny’s hometown. And who was the last person to see Johnny’s parents before they disappeared.

Cut off from all help in the grim, foggy northern wilderness, the young news photographer and his companions must fight for their very survival while they try to rescue the kids who have been taken. But Percy has something much more dangerous in mind. And Johnny has to stop him before it’s too late. The fate of the Royal Kingdom depends on it.

Buy Johnny Graphic and the Attack of the Zombies at Amazon (Kindle or paperback) or Barnes & Noble (paperback).

Be sure to visit Johnny’s website, right here.

When springtime arrives in picturesque New Bergen, so do the tourists and antiquers. This year, though, there are some unwelcome visitors. Extortion. Arson. And murder.

After his business tanks and his wife leaves him for a Pilates coach, Andy Skyberg flees the big city for the peace and quiet of his hometown. All he wants is a decent job, a steady girlfriend, a plasma screen TV with a hundred-plus channels, and one loyal dog. But fate has something else in store for Andy, when his big mutt King Harald starts sniffing out crime.

It’s clear that someone has it in for the town’s New Age retailer, Trudi Bock. And it’s also clear that Trudi wants to rekindle the steamy romance she and Andy enjoyed back in college. Andy has to fend her off, while placating his fiery girlfriend, Deputy Sheriff Cass Conlin.

Meanwhile, Harald keeps digging up more mayhem. And it falls to Andy to channel his inner sleuth and make sense of it all.

Throw into this mix one legendary (but lost) ebelskiver recipe…a gimlet-eyed church lady…a van full of federal agents…a crusty socialist…a beloved iguana…and an overabundance of rosemaling…

And you have all the makings for The Karma of King Harald.

“Lake Wobegon fans, rush to a new canine cozy mystery with a fresh smalltown setting! New Bergen is packed with tourists and Nordic crafts, characters and food, not to mention murders. Andy Skyberg, returning native, is drawn into solving the crimes, but his large loveable mutt, King Harald, is the expert at sniffing out murders. This mystery is amusing and charming, with complex passions and plot at its core.”  —Carole Nelson Douglas, author of the Midnight Louie mysteries

 

“The Karma of King Harald was a really fun, light hearted cozy mystery. For fans of canines in cozy mysteries this is definitely one you won’t want to miss.” —Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

“Cozy mysteries are fun, but there’s nothing more fun than a cozy mystery with a dog who helps solve the crime. Richard Audry’s The Karma of King Harald is just such a mystery.” —Ariel Wulff, National Animal Books Examiner

“This series is as much about small-town life as it is about crime. The human characters are likable, and Harald is a big, happy dude who doesn’t know he’s a crime sniffer. He just does his doggie thing — rambling around town, worrying about The Boss, chasing squirrels and following his nose wherever it takes him. Which usually means trouble for Andy.” —Mary Ann Grossmann, St. Paul Pioneer Press

Buy The Karma of King Harald at Amazon (Kindle or paperback), Barnes & Noble (Nook or paperback), or Smashwords (various e-book formats).

Join King Harald and Andy Skyberg on their second adventure!

As the leaves begin to change color in New Bergen, Andy Skyberg wants to turn his full attention to his sister’s new café and art gallery—and to the beautiful Finnish architect who’s managing the project.

But the good-natured, go-to guy can’t seem to catch a moment’s peace.

His next-door neighbors—two elderly sisters—want him to fend off a pushy historian who thinks they had a scandalous past. His parents enlist him to entertain a narcissistic, boring couple they would like to ditch. And his ever-scheming Aunt Bev tricks Andy into seeking an improbable new gig that could land him in the hot seat.

Even Andy’s big ol’ mutt King Harald has a kennel full of trouble in store for him, beginning with a pilfered thousand-dollar bill and a naughty garden gnome. Before long, New Bergen’s favorite crime-sniffing pooch finds even more deep doo-doo to toss his boss into.

Havoc and hilarity ensue, as Andy and his happy hound get to the bottom of King Harald’s Heist.

Buy King Harald’s Heist at Amazon as a Kindle or paperback, at Barnes & Noble (Nook or paperback), at Kobo, or at Smashwords (various e-book formats).

The first Mary MacDougall mystery novella…

For 18-year-old Mary MacDougall, the highlight of her 1901 summer vacation is the painting class taught by the darkly handsome Edmond Roy. But when Mr. Roy is accused of kidnapping two of his own pupils, it falls to Mary to dig up the truth.

Is Mr. Roy merely an innocent painter of landscapes and still lifes? Or a devilishly clever criminal? Should Mary defend him? Or fear him?

As she feels her way through her very first investigation, Mary not only learns the hidden facts of the case. She discovers the real secrets are those that she finds deep in her own heart. The imperious young heiress is not as immune to feelings of attraction as she thought. Mr. Roy has awakened a longing within her.

Will Mary MacDougall help to exonerate the man? Or condemn him to years in prison?

“The author paints a grand little mystery with his words. He brings history to life with a fresh voice.” —Escape with Dollycas

Buy the novella A Pretty Little Plot at Amazon (Kindle).

The second Mary MacDougall mystery novella…

For neophyte sleuth Mary MacDougall, the holiday season is a flurry of activities—including the 1901 Gala Christmas Musicale, starring opera diva Josie Borrell. But when the celebrated sapphire that Josie wears for her performance goes missing, Mary is drawn into the hunt for the purloined gem.

Did a master thief swoop into town to nick the Star of the North? Was it the lovelorn maid? The manager with money troubles? The foul-tempered chef? The pianist with the scandalous past? Or was it the famous singer herself?

In the middle of all this tumult Mary has to cope with the unexpected appearance of the only man who has ever aroused her longing—and the lovely woman who seems to have captivated him.

As she unpeels the layers of deceit and duplicity behind the Star’s disappearance, Mary juggles affairs of the head and of the heart, driving her practically mad. In the end, the matter of the stolen Star comes down to the simplest of clues. While the matter of the man she loves couldn’t possibly be more complex.

“In the spirit of Nancy Drew and the Corner House Girls… It’s an old-fashioned series in the best sense of the word. Audry captures the turn-of-the-century period perfectly…” —Mary Ann Grossmann, St. Paul Pioneer Press

Buy the novella The Stolen Star at Amazon (Kindle).

The third Mary MacDougall mystery…

Mary MacDougall’s first case of 1902 seems simple enough.

Just before the 19-year-old heiress leaves for a summer holiday on Mackinac Island with her Aunt Christena, she’s hired to stop in a little town along the way and make inquiries. Did Agnes Olcott really die there of cholera? Or were there darker doings in Dillmont? Mary’s mentor, Detective Sauer, thinks it’s merely a case of bad luck for the dead woman. But Mrs. Olcott’s daughter suspects her detested stepfather played a hand in her mother’s untimely death.

With the reluctant help of her aunt and her dear friend Edmond Roy, the young detective struggles to reveal the true fate of Agnes Olcott. As she digs ever deeper, the enemy Mary provokes could spell disaster for her and the people she loves. But in the end, it’s the only way to banish a daughter’s doubt.

Don’t miss Mary MacDougall’s toughest case yet—and her first novel-length mystery adventure.

“I really don’t want to give anything away but if you like historical mysteries, you will love this story. No motor cars, no cell phones, just horse, buggies, trains, and the brains God gave her Mary does everything she can to expel ‘A Daughter’s Doubt’ and it was a perfect escape for me!” — Escape with Dollycas

“In the spirit of Nancy Drew and the Corner House Girls… Likable Mary is a bright, inquisitive young woman, although she’s sometimes too headstrong. It’s an old-fashioned series in the best sense of the word. Audry captures the turn-of-the-century period perfectly, when young women like Mary were trying to burst out of Victorian expectations to become their own person.” —Mary Ann Grossmann, St. Paul Pioneer Press

“I love great historical fiction and this book delivers. From the descriptions of the tableaux vivants in the beginning of the book to details of travel, dress, and healthcare, this book is written with a deep understanding of the time period that pulls the reader in. You can feel and commiserate with Mary and her confusion of how she fits into her society, when what she wants seems to be at odds.” — I Read What You Write Blog

“This historical cozy mystery was an enjoyable read that I didn’t want to put down until Mary found out ‘whodunit’… This is a series I want to continue reading, and I hope we have many more Mary MacDougall mysteries to look forward to.” —Brooke Blogs

Buy the Kindle e-book at Amazon. Buy the paperback at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Both Mary MacDougall mystery novellas are now available in paperback. You can order your copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or any other bookseller who offers print-on-demand editions.

A PI ON THE EDGE OF BURNOUT… A TERRORIST PLOT IN THE DEAD OF WINTER…Minneapolis PI Marta Hjelm failed to prevent a preventable murder. Her guilt has brought her right to the edge of burnout and dropout. But a prize specimen from her ancient past-her cheating ex-husband-appears out of nowhere with a gig too good to turn down. One last job, Marta figures, can’t hurt.

But hurt it does, as Marta tries to make sense of a terrorist plot at a major ad agency. In the dead of a long, bitter Minnesota winter, Marta struggles to survive attempts on her life. To understand her conflicted feelings toward an ex who wants her back and toward the man who healed her when everything was dark. To make peace with the ghost of a victim she should have saved. And to crack open multiple conspiracies that lead to murder and smoking ruin.

“A tale of blackmail, greed, vendetta, and murder… A wonderful new mystery from a wonderful new author.” —Carole Nelson Douglas, author of the Midnight Louie and Irene Adler series

“A taut murder mystery with a great heroine… [The author] has the most vivid imagination and he puts it to use in this story.  The secondary characters are fabulous.  I never guessed the who-done-it until it’s revealed…. I highly recommend Smoking Ruin for the rich characters, the setting, and the mystery that kept this reader glued to the pages.” —Harlie’s Books

Buy Smoking Ruin at Amazon (Kindle or paperback), Barnes & Noble (Nook or paperback), or Smashwords (various e-book formats).

By the time he published his first Travis McGee paperback half a century ago, John D. MacDonald had written dozens of novels and scores of short stories. He populated them with ordinary people who found themselves in terrible binds—ensnared by their own weaknesses or the traps that others had set for them. Sex, power, greed, corruption, venality, egotism, hatred, heroism, selflessness, stupidity, nobility, and evil itself course powerfully through MacDonald’s tales.

With philosopher/knight-errant Travis McGee, MacDonald undertook an ongoing series devoted to the adventures and musings of one very tough, very smart guy. For McGee, every case was personal. Whether he sortied out from the Busted Flush (his houseboat home) to defend or avenge a friend, or to undertake a salvage project for his fifty percent cut, he brought with him his sense of justice. Righting the balance of things was always important to him.

McGee had the complete toolkit. Crafty, muscular fighting skills. A sort of rough-hewn charm and sexiness. Sharp instincts and reflexes. An intellect capable of untangling thorny problems. A sound understanding of human psychology. The classic hard-boiled PI conscience. The deceptiveness of a good con man. Knowledge of the ways of commerce and politics. And an ability to recruit good people to the cause.

The twenty-one McGee novels have been continuously in print since their original publications. Not only have they been tremendously popular with readers. They have inspired generations of crime fiction writers.

Travis McGee & Me is my book-by-book personal take on the boat bum hero. These essays are partly book reports, and partly my analyses of McGee and his adventures. They originally appeared—sometimes in slightly different versions—in the blog Travis McGee & Me.

Buy Travis McGee & Me at Amazon (Kindle), Barnes & Noble (Nook), or Smashwords (various e-book formats). The book is also available as a paperback at Amazon.