Most Recent October 21st Release​

When the Past Calls

Her secret is out. Her town is celebrating her. And now, she’s a murder suspect.

For Linwood “Linny” Crane and Nora Penrose, life has finally found a quiet rhythm. The town of Ebonreach Bay is planning a massive “Seraphine Locke Event” to celebrate their local hero, the once-anonymous blogger who uncovers the secrets of the dead. But just as Nora begins to embrace her new life, a brutal murder at the Salt House Inn shatters the peace.

The victim is a tourist, and the evidence is as shocking as it is damning: Nora’s professional name is carved into the wall above the body, and her fingerprints are on the murder weapon.
The ghosts of Nora’s past become a present-day threat. Vengeful figures from her most dangerous cases descend on the quiet coastal town, each with a motive to see her fall. 

With Sheriff Marshall Pike forced to view her as his prime suspect, Nora and Linny are on their own. They have one week. One week to navigate a maze of old grudges and new threats. One week to unmask a brilliant killer who has crafted the perfect frame-up. If they fail, the Seraphine Locke Event won’t be a celebration of Nora’s career—it will be the day she’s arrested for murder.

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Are You Ready to Solve Ebonreach Bay’s Newest Mystery?

Join Linwood “Linny” Crane and Nora Penrose as they hunt for a “Memory Collector” while a terrifying creature begins its own reign of terror.

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A Word From The Author

Dear Readers,

Welcome to Ebonreach Bay! I am so incredibly thrilled and grateful that you’ve chosen to take the first step into this strange little coastal town with The Handyman’s Deadly Secret and The Memory Collector. When I first started writing, my goal was to create a place that felt both cozy and unsettling—a town where you could grab a great cup of coffee but might also notice the shadows detaching themselves from alley walls.

I wanted to build a world where the supernatural wasn’t just a shocking event, but a part of the local color, a daily weirdness that the residents have simply learned to live with.

At the heart of it all is Linny Crane, a man just trying to run his café and bookstore while reluctantly handling the town’s paranormal odd jobs on the side. His life is complicated forever when Nora Penrose, a brilliant and mysterious newcomer, walks through his door looking for answers about a suspicious death that the town is desperate to call an accident.

Their partnership—and the sparks that fly between them—is the true soul of this story. We had so much fun bringing them, along with the chaotic but well-meaning Burton, the delightfully frustrating Rita, and the ever-insightful Cleo (and her psychic espresso machine), to life. Thank you for joining me on this first adventure. I have a feeling Linny and Nora’s story is just getting started.

Happy reading,

J. L. Koontz

Author

Complete Series​

Linwood Crane Mysteries

Welcome to Ebonreach Bay, a picturesque coastal community where the salty air is thick with charm, fog, and a deep, abiding weirdness. Linny Crane is just trying to run The Curious Case, his cozy cafe and bookstore, while occasionally dealing with the town’s supernatural odd jobs on the side. His life of predictable weirdness is turned upside down when Nora Penrose, a brilliant and logical investigator, arrives in town to look into a cold case that hits a little too close to home.

Together, they form an unlikely partnership, combining Linny’s sarcastic, intuitive approach to the paranormal with Nora’s meticulous, research-based investigation into human secrets. From suspicious deaths to bizarre thefts and threats from Nora’s past, they navigate a world of eccentric townsfolk, loyal friends, and genuine danger. With the help of a quirky ensemble cast—including Linny’s eccentric father Burton, their friend Cleo and her psychic espresso machine, and their giant, lovable dog Grimm—Linny and Nora discover that the greatest defense against the darkness is the strange and wonderful family you build by accident.

Book 4 in the Linwood Crane Mysteries - Coming Soon

What Readers Are Saying​

Authors can talk about thier books forever. It’s what other readers say that matter.

Best book I have read in a long time! Received it today..finished it same day…could not put it down! Great mystery, great story, great writing. Can’t wait for the next one!
Nancy C.​The Handyman’s Deadly Secret
Just finished reading the book. I really enjoyed it and was quite impressed with the book! Can’t wait to read the next one ❤️❤️
Pam C.​The Handyman’s Deadly Secret
The Handyman’s Deadly Secret draws the reader into a picturesque small town inhabited by well-drawn believable characters. This is a compelling who-done-it that mixes in well-placed humor and an unexpected background of benevolent mysticism.
It’s a fun read; hard to put down. Looking forward to more from this author.
Nancy L. ​The Handyman’s Deadly Secret​

Upcoming Book​

She was looking for a new start. She found a town with a deadly secret.

Investigative journalist Grace Carrington’s life is in pieces. After losing her high-profile job in Nashville, she inherits a house in the picturesque, Christmas-obsessed town of Frostwood, Minnesota, from a grandmother she barely knew. Seeing it as a sign, she packs her bags, ready for a quiet life of small-town charm and cozy winters.

But Frostwood’s idyllic facade cracks when the town’s beloved Santa Claus, a man who is the heart of their holiday traditions, vanishes without a trace.

Grace’s journalistic instincts ignite. Teaming up with the handsome, by-the-book local deputy, Jack Manning, she begins to peel back the layers of Frostwood’s cheerful exterior. She soon discovers that her grandmother’s past is deeply entangled in the town’s most cherished secrets, and that a dangerous conspiracy lurks beneath the festive lights.

In a town where everyone knows your name, but no one is telling the truth, Grace must unravel the mystery of the disappearing Santa before the Christmas magic of Frostwood is lost forever. But in a town hiding so many secrets, is there anyone she can truly trust?

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Image of the first two books in the Linwood Crane Mysteries Series