Sideshow is (Finally) Available on Amazon

It took longer than expected due to reasons I won’t go into – mainly because they’re my fault – but the eighth Nick Forte PI novel, SIDESHOW, is now available in print and e-book formats on Amazon; Kindle Unlimited readers also have access. This is the hardest book I’ve ever tried to write, as I had to think about things I never had when writing any other book and I wanted to get them as close to right as possible.

 

The story opens with Forte’s return to Lake City to meet with Johnny Osgood, a televangelist who preaches what he calls “prosperity gospel,’ assuaging the consciences of those who want more than they need. A young woman employee of Osgood’s Lakeview Church, Elena Morales, stopped coming to work a few days ago. No one can contact her and people are worried.

 

Why this job needs to be under the table pricks Forte’s radar, not enough to turn down the work. Finding Elena is not difficult, but what he learns, and some of what he doesn’t, bothers him enough to leave her with his card and an invitation to call him if she ever needs anything.

 

Of course, she does. (Wouldn’t be much of a book if she didn’t, right?) What she calls him about, and what happens because of it, are what you’ll have to read the book to find out. I can tell you that along the way Forte spends time with

·         His daughter Caroline.

·         His friend and “debt collector” Goose Satterwhite.

·         His cop friend Jan Rusiewicz, now a lieutenant in charge of Area Five Violent Crimes.

·         Bobby Catlett, a detective under Jan’s command.

·         Steve Miller, Osgood’s right-hand man.

·         A therapist.

·         An intersex woman.

·         A gay detective.

·         A transgender woman detective.

·         A bartender who may end up being more than someone who serves draft beer and chicken wings.

SIDESHOW took me longer to write than any other book if we don’t count the time spent researching the Western. I think it was worth the effort. You’ll have to be the judge of whether I’m right. It’s available in both print ($9.99) and e-book ($2.99) formats on Amazon.