Die Laughing

Natalie Dvorak #12: Who killed the woman whose body was found inside an old shed in the woods? Detective-Sergeant Natalie Dvorak of the Vermont State Police is on the case. Her regular partner is out of the investigation because the murdered woman was one of his ex-girlfriends. Natalie's suspects include a has-been retired movie comedian. His alibi checks out but a blackmailer seems to think the funnyman is guilty. Does a threatening call come from someone who is concealing evidence for personal gain? A confrontation at an amusement park ties up all but the most important loose end. Natalie must race through the back roads of Vermont to catch a dangerous killer before there are any more victims. I was born fifty-seven years ago in the Bible belt but grew up in a Massachusetts college town. I am married and my wife and I have moved frequently since we met. We've lived in Minnesota, Massachusetts, and New Mexico, as well as a brief residency in Berlin, Germany. I have worked peripherally in health care, banking, and insurance. In addition to writing, I have done a bit of amateur acting and comedy performances. I am afraid of heights but public speaking doesn't scare me. My wife and I live in Albuquerque with our chihuahua. Natalie Dvorak is a detective sergeant with the Vermont State Police in the 1980s. She's short but tough, more likely to subdue criminals with Taekwondo than by discharging her service revolver. Mature and experienced, Natalie solves crimes through interviews and observation. She is ethical and incorruptible, tenacious and courageous. As one of the first women recruited to the State Police, Natalie has had to win the respect of her male colleagues, whether or not she outranks them. Wrongdoers who underestimate Sergeant Dvorak put themselves in peril while victims have her commitment to finding justice for them. Natalie's personal life is complicated by her own insecurities and a sometimes difficult personality.