New Release​

The Handyman’s Deadly Secret

Linny Crane runs Ebonreach Bay’s coziest cafe and bookstore…and its discreet paranormal service. When a handyman’s ghost insists she was murdered, Linny partners with sharp journalist Nora Penrose. Together, they unravel a decades-old bank robbery and navigate their own undeniable spark. Can Linny trust the intriguing newcomer a ghost warned him about before this peculiar past buries them both?

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

Join Linwood “Linny” Crane and Nora Penrose as they try to unravel a decades-old bank robbery and catch a murderer before the murderer catches them first.

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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. 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 2 in the Linwood Crane Mysteries - Coming Soon
Book 3 in the Linwood Crane Mysteries - Coming Soon
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​

In Ebonreach Bay, some things are expected: the morning fog, the salty air, and a baseline level of supernatural weirdness. But when cherished items begin to vanish from the homes of longtime residents — a garden statue , a sentimental thimble , a prized box of petunias — it’s more than just simple theft. The victims aren’t just losing their possessions; they’re losing the memories associated with them.

As Linny Crane and Nora Penrose begin to investigate, they uncover whispers of a chilling local legend: a paranormal entity known as the Memory Collector, that feeds on the emotional resonance of objects, leaving behind a void of forgotten moments. Faced with a mystery that seems to erase itself and a town on edge, Linny and Nora must race to uncover the truth behind the disappearances before the residents of Ebonreach Bay lose more than just their keepsakes—they risk losing themselves

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