Canary In The Coal Mine by Charles Salzberg.
“A Terrific Old School Crime Novel With A Machine Gun Pace.”
PI Pete Fortunato, half-Italian, half-Jewish, who suffers from anger management issues and insomnia, wakes up one morning with a bad taste in his mouth. This is never a good sign. Working out of a friend’s downtown real estate office, Fortunato, who spent a mysteriously short, forgettable stint as a cop in a small upstate New York town, lives from paycheck to paycheck. So, when a beautiful woman wants to hire him to find her husband, he doesn’t hesitate to say yes. Within a day, Fortunato finds the husband in the apartment of his client’s young, stud lover. He’s been shot once in the head. Case closed. But when his client’s check bounces, and a couple of Albanian gangsters show up outside his building and kidnap him, hoping he’ll lead them to a large sum of money supposedly stolen by the dead man, he begins to realize there’s a good chance he’s been set up to take the fall for the murder and the theft of the money.
In an attempt to get himself out of a jam, Fortunato winds up on a wild ride that takes him down to Texas where he searches for his client’s lover who he suspects has the money and holds the key to solving the murder.
Praise for Canary in the Coal Mine:
“Salzberg has hit it out of the park. Love the writing style, and the story really draws you in. As with Salzberg’s prior works, he has a knack for making his heroes real, which makes their jeopardy real, too. So, say hello to Pete Fortunato, a modern PI who thinks on his feet and has moves that read like the noir version of Midnight Run.” By Tom Straw, author of the Richard Castle series (from the ABC show) and Buzz Killer
“Salzberg writes hardboiled prose from a gritty stream of conscious. Peter Fortunato is an old school PI to be reckoned with.” By Sam Wiebe, award-winning author of Invisible Dead and Never Going Back
“Charles Salzberg’s Canary in the Coal Mine is everything a reader wants in a great crime novel, and then some. The rat-a-tat cadence of the noir masters, seamlessly blended with the contemporary sensibilities of an author thoroughly in control of his craft. I liked this book so much I read it twice. No kidding. It’s that good.” By Baron R. Birtcher, multi-award winning and Los Angeles Times bestselling author
“Charles Salzberg has created a fantastic literary PI: Pete Fortunato. Rash, blunt and prone to violence, you can’t help but turn the page to see what Fortunato will do next. Canary in the Coal Mine is great!” by James O. Born, New York Times bestselling author
Product Details:
Paperback: 286 Pages
Publisher: Down & Out Books (April 18, 2022)
Language: English
Fiction (Crime Mysteries)
Mysteries (Crime)
Mysteries (Private Investigator)
Thrillers (Heist)
Amazon Print:
https://www.amazon.com/Canary-Coal-Mine-Charles-Salzberg/dp/1643962515/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Henry Swann 5 Book Mystery Series.
Swann’s Last Song by Charles Salzberg.
Henry Swann Mystery Book One
Skip tracer Henry Swann cares little about anything but money, so when a beautiful Upper East Side woman shows up in his office and hires him to find her missing husband, he smiles and takes the cash. But when this seemingly simple missing-person case turns into homicide, Swann finds himself trapped in a complex web of connections and multiple identities that takes him out of New York City and across two continents.
Praise for SWANN’S LAST SONG
“Swann’s got the smarts and hard-boiled cynicism of Sam Spade, but he’s also got a wicked sense of humor that keeps things cool even when the action gets hot.” By Brian Kilmeade, author of New York Times bestseller The Games Do Count
“Salzberg’s a hell of a writer. He delivers thrills, insight and plenty of laughs. Swann is a very cool take on the classic P.I.” by Andrew Klavan, author of True Crime and Don’t Say a Word
“A veritable travelogue of suspense, SWANN’S LAST SONG grabs hold of the reader and doesn’t let go. Salzberg’s anti-hero is a soulful investigator and one of the most paradoxically endearing characters I’ve come across. I hope this isn’t Swann’s last song.” By Joy Behar (co-host of The View)
“Salzberg defies expectations left and right in this subtly subversive, genre-twisting page turner. SWANN’S LAST SONG is where literature meets entertainment” by Mark Goldblatt, author of Africa Speaks
Product Details:
Paperback: 288 Pages
Publisher: Down & Out Books (December 1, 2016)
Language: English
Fiction (Crime Mysteries)
Mysteries (Crime)
Mysteries (Private Investigator)
Thrillers (Heist)
Amazon Print:
https://www.amazon.com/Swanns-Last-Henry-Swann-Mystery/dp/1943402523/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Swann Dives In by Charles Salzberg.
Henry Swann Mystery Book Two.
Swann Dives In is a mystery that goes deep and rarely lets the reader catch a breath.
Henry Swann’s last case nearly killed him, emotionally and physically. Now he’s sworn off his old profession and taken on a steady gig. But climbing stairs to hook poor people up to cable is hard on his knees… and not the kind of connections he’s good at making. So, when an opportunity arises to bring order to chaos for a price –his secret pleasure in life –Swann is pulled back in.
The case starts simply, with a call to find a burglary suspect who’s gone on the lam. But Swann is soon on the trail of a wealthy lawyer’s rebellious daughter, who’s disappeared along with her disreputable boyfriend.
Finding the beau leads him into the dangerous midst of cutthroat academics, sexy librarians, and killer book collectors, with a priceless first edition of Tender is the Night the surprising prize along the way.
Product Details:
Hardcover: 292 Pages
Publisher: Five Star (October 19, 2012)
Language: English
Fiction (Crime Mysteries)
Mysteries (Crime)
Mysteries (Private Investigator)
Thrillers (Heist)
Amazon Hardcover:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1432826220/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i8
Ratings:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1432826220/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p2_i3#customerReviews
Swann’s Lake of Despair by Charles Salzberg.
Henry Swann Mystery Book Three.
When rare photos‚ a scandalous diary‚ and a beautiful woman all go missing at once‚ the stage is set for three challenging cases for Henry Swann.
It begins with an offer to partner up with his slovenly‚ unreliable frenemy‚ Goldblatt. The disbarred lawyer-turned- “facilitator” would provide the leads and muscle‚ while Swann would do all the fancy footwork. A lost diary by a free-loving Jazz Age flapper is worth enough to someone that Swann takes a beat down on an abandoned boardwalk.
Pilfered photos of Marilyn Monroe propel him deep into the past of an alcoholic shutterbug‚ his wife; and he’s hired to search for a lonely writer’s runaway girlfriend. The cases converge and collide in a finale that lifts the curtain on crucial‚ deadly facts of life for everyone—including Swann himself.
Praise for Swann’s Lake of Despair: “Smart, satisfying, even profound, this is exactly what every mystery reader is looking for: A terrific story, full of wit and originality, and a master class in voice. Charles Salzberg is a true talent, and his Henry Swann is a classic, complex, hilarious, and completely charming.” By Hank Phillippi Ryan, Mary Higgins Clark award winner for The Other Woman, Agatha winner for The Wrong Girl
Product Details:
Paperback: 300 Pages
Publisher: Down & Out Books (January 24, 2017)
Language: English
Fiction (Crime Mysteries)
Mysteries (Crime)
Mysteries (Private Investigator)
Thrillers (Heist)
Amazon Print:
https://www.amazon.com/Swanns-Despair-Henry-Swann-Mystery/dp/1943402388/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Swann’s Way Out by Charles Salzberg.
Henry Swann Mystery Book Four
A friendly poker game leads Henry Swann out to Hollywood where he tries to find the man, Rusty Jacobs, responsible for embezzling $1,000,000 from his client, and then bring back the dough. Swann finds Jacobs, but the mercurial wannabe film producer is involved in a “surefire” movie project aimed at the growing Christian market. And the money? Well, it seems to have vanished into thin air.
At the same time, thanks to his irrepressible partner, Goldblatt, Swann finds himself knee-deep in the New York City art world, as he tries to get justice for another client who’s possibly been defrauded on the purchase of a valuable painting that may or may not be a fake.
As if this isn’t enough to keep him busy, in the midst of these two troubling cases, Swann finds that the teenage son whom he hasn’t seen in a dozen years has run away from his grandparent’s Minnesota home and, chasing after a girl, has possibly become involved with a cult. And so, a guilt-ridden Swann has to take time out from his paying cases to find his son.
Product Details:
Paperback: 276 Pages
Publisher: Down & Out Books (February 4, 2017)
Language: English
Fiction (Crime Mysteries)
Mysteries (Crime)
Mysteries (Private Investigator)
Thrillers (Heist)
Amazon Print:
https://www.amazon.com/Swanns-Way-Henry-Swann-Mystery/dp/194340254X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Swann’s Down by Charles Salzberg.
Henry Swann Mystery Book Five.
When Henry Swann is asked by his quirky partner, Goldblatt, to find a missing psychic who’s swindled his ex-wife out of a small fortune, he just can’t say no. Although he doesn’t actually expect to get paid, he figures it might give him a chance to finally learn more about his partner’s mysterious past. His search takes him into the controversial, arcane world of psychics, fortunetellers, and charlatans, while raising questions in his own mind about whether or not there is an after-life.
While working his partner’s case, he’s approached by a former employer, attorney Paul Rudder, to track down a missing witness who might be able to provide an alibi for his client, Nicky Diamond, a notorious mob hitman who’s scheduled to go on trial in a week for murder he claims he didn’t commit. Swann’s search for the missing witness, who happens to be the defendant’s girlfriend, takes him from Brooklyn to a small beach town across the bay from Mobile, Alabama. But what does she really know and will she even come back with him to testify for her boyfriend?
Praise for SWANN’S DOWN:
“From Manhattan to Coney Island to the steamy shores of Alabama, Charles Salzberg delivers a top-flight mystery with his latest Henry Swann outing. Highly recommended.” By Tom Straw, New York Times bestselling author as Richard Castle
“Psychics, double-crosses, missing persons–Charles Salzberg’s latest Henry Swann book has it all. Swann’s Down is a gritty, no-frills PI novel that brings to mind greats like Reed Farrel Coleman’s Moe Prager and Michael Harvey’s Michael Kelly. Whether this is your first Swann adventure or the latest, you won’t want to miss the brass-knuckle punch that is Swann’s Down. Trust me.” By Alex Segura, author of Blackout and Dangerous Ends
“Swann’s Down gives readers two intriguing mysteries for the price of one, as skip tracer Henry Swann pursues a woman who might alibi a murderer and a psychic who swindled the ex-wife of Swann’s partner. Swann’s wry wit, quotes from authors and philosophers, genius for questioning suspects, and dark past make him a character reader will follow anywhere as he seeks his quarry. This is another thrilling addition to this excellent series.” By Rich Zahradnik, Shamus Award-winning author of Lights Out Summer
“Henry Swann dives in where others fear to tread in Swann’s Down. Fast. Funny. And smart. This time out, Swann crosses paths with a psycho hitman, a phony psychic and Swann’s mysterious partner, a disbarred lawyer. Who could ask for more? I hope we’ll see a lot more of Swann in the future and that this isn’t Swann’s swan song.” By Paul D. Marks, Shamus Award-winning author of White Heat and Broken Windows
Product Details:
Paperback: 264 Pages
Publisher: Down & Out Books (May 17, 2019)
Language: English
Fiction (Crime Mysteries)
Mysteries (Crime)
Mysteries (Private Investigator)
Thrillers (Heist)
Amazon Print:
https://www.amazon.com/Swanns-Down-Henry-Swann-Mystery/dp/1643960113/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Stand Alone Books.
Second Story Man by Charles Salzberg.
Winner of The Beverly Hills Book Award.
Nominated For A David Award and Shamus Award.
Francis Hoyt, arrogant, athletic, brilliant, manipulative and ruthless, is a master burglar. He specializes in stealing high-end silver, breaking into homes that seem impenetrable. He’s never been caught in the act, although he has spent some time in prison on a related charge, time he used to hone his craft and make valuable connections. (Hoyt is based on two real-life master burglars: the so-called Dinnertime Bandit, who only stole when his victims were home, and The Silver Thief, who was only interested in high-end silver). Hoyt follows the money. In the winter, he works down south, primarily in southern Florida and Georgia, around the Atlanta area. Summers, he moves back up north, where he plies his trade in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
One day, Charlie Floyd, brilliant, stubborn, an experienced investigator, who has recently retired from his job with the attorney general’s department for the state of Connecticut, receives a phone call from Manny Perez, a Cuban-American Miami police detective. Perez, who’s worked with Floyd previously, wants to enlist the former investigator in his efforts to put an end to Francis Hoyt’s criminal career. Floyd accepts the offer and they team up to bring Hoyt to justice.
Second Story Man, told in alternating chapters, representing Hoyt’s, Floyd’s and Perez’s points-of-view, develops into a cat-and-mouse contest between the two lawmen and this master burglar. As Floyd and Perez get closer to their prey, Hoyt finds out they are after him and rather than backing down, he taunts them, daring them to bring him in. As the story develops, the stakes get higher and higher, and Hoyt, who is always concerned about proving he’s the best at what he does, even resorts to murder. Eventually, the story climaxes in a confrontation between the three men.
Product Details:
Paperback: 288 Pages
Publisher: Down & Out Books (November 12, 2017)
Language: English
Fiction (Crime Mysteries)
Thrillers (Heist)
Amazon Print:
https://www.amazon.com/Second-Story-Man-Charles-Salzberg/dp/1946502553/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Devil In The Hole by Charles Salzberg.
In the ballroom of a sparsely furnished Connecticut mansion, police find a shocking sight: four bodies lined up next to each other, three teenagers and a middle-aged woman, each lying on a blanket, each shot once in the head. In an upstairs bedroom: an elderly woman and the family dog, both of them shot as well. The only person missing is the husband, father, son, and prime suspect, John Hartman, who’s got a three-week jump on the police.
Through the eyes of almost two dozen characters, including the neighbor who reports the crime, Hartman’s mistress, a dogged state investigator, the family minister, and some of the characters Hartman meets on his escape route, we piece together not only what happened and how these shocking murders affect the community, but how John Hartman evades capture, where he’s headed, and maybe even why he committed this gruesome crime in the first place.
Based on the notorious John List murders and already compared to works by Norman Mailer and Russell Banks, DEVIL IN THE HOLE is gripping, literate, and haunting.
Praise for DEVIL IN THE HOLE
“DEVIL IN THE HOLE is powerful stuff. Drawing on real events, Salzberg has crafted a mesmerizing tale in many voices. He masterfully drip-feeds the compelling story, funneling moments from disparate, scattered lives to define the personality of a madman. The overall effect is like slowly opening a beautifully wrapped box of poisoned chocolates.” By Tim McLoughlin, editor Brooklyn Noir.
“Salzberg masterfully weaves together dozens of voices, including the killer’s, in an effort to find out why a man would murder his entire family and then disappear. DEVIL IN THE HOLE is a haunting meditation on the thin, wavering line between sense and senselessness.” By Kaylie Jones, author Lies My Mother Never Told Me: A Memoir, and Speak Now
“The devil isn’t in the details, but in a tony Connecticut town. Charles Salzberg’s DEVIL IN THE HOLE is a fine piece of crime writing and a hell of a fun read.” By Reed Farrel Coleman, three-time Shamus Award-winning author of Gun Church
In this smartly constructed crime novel, Salzberg uses multiple viewpoints to portray an unlikely killer who methodically slaughters his family … an intriguing collage of impressions and personal perspectives for the reader to ponder. By Publishers Weekly
“Salzberg does an ingenious job of weaving together the various voices — each distinct in its own right — and giving us the story as told by the people who experienced it. It paints a psychological picture of a murderer, while also telling the story of those left in the aftermath and how they were affected as well. Brilliant and captivating storytelling.” By Erica Ruth Neubauer, Crimespree magazine
“Salzberg has taken a true crime tale and made it into a compelling work of fiction that attempts to imagine the mind of a killer, not only through his own mind, but through the minds of many others. This is a novel which few readers will want to put down, turning pages mostly, I think, to find out how in the world the author pulls it off. ‘How,’ I kept asking myself, ‘how can he finish this story?’ The buildup becomes more and more absorbing because Charles Salzberg has a lot to say about human nature that is thought-provokingly wise and penetrating.” By Duff Brenna, South Carolina Review
“I am typically not a fan of books written in this manner but Salzberg masterfully uses this technique to create a novel that is different in an extremely good way. The author effortlessly blends the different perspectives, viewpoints, and impressions of each character into a brilliant tapestry that envelops the reader, while peeking interest, and the desire for more information about the crime. DEVIL IN THE HOLE is one of the best books that I have read this year and I most highly recommend it.” By Robin Thomas, New Mystery Review
Product Details:
Paperback: 298 Pages
Publisher: Down & Out Books (November 8, 2016)
Language: English
Thrillers and Suspense
Amazon Print:
https://www.amazon.com/Devil-Hole-Charles-Salzberg/dp/194340237X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Man On The Run Is Coming In April 2023!
About The Author: Charles Salzberg is a novelist, a journalist, and an acclaimed writing instructor.
His new novel, Devil in the Hole, a gripping work of literary crime fiction based on the notorious John List murders, is on shelves now.
He is the author of the Henry Swann detective series: Swann Dives In; Swann’s Last Song, which was nominated for a Shamus Award for Best First PI Novel; and the upcoming Swann’s Lake of Despair.
His non-fiction books include: On A Clear Day They Could See Seventh Place: Baseball’s 10 Worst Teams of the Century; From Set Shot to Slam Dunk, An Oral History of the NBA; and co-author of My Zany Life and Times, by Soupy Sales; Catch Them Being Good; and The Mad Fisherman.
He has been a Visiting Professor at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, and has taught writing at Sarah Lawrence College, Hunter College, the Writer’s Voice, and the New York Writers Workshop, where he is a Founding Member. He is a consulting editor at the webzine Ducts.org and co-host, with Jonathan Kravetz, of the reading series, Trumpet Fiction, at KGB in New York City.
His freelance work has appeared in such publications as Esquire, New York Magazine, GQ, Elle, Redbook, Ladies Home Journal, The New York Times Arts and Leisure section, The New York Times Book Review and the Los Angeles Times Book Review.
Amazon Author’s Page:
https://www.amazon.com/Charles-Salzberg/e/B001IXO1TE?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1554230546&sr=8-1
Professional Website:
http://www.Charlessalzberg.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/charles.salzberg.3
Author’s Page At Book Marketing Global Network:
https://bookmarketingglobalnetwork.com/book-marketing-global-network/charles-salzbergs-books/
