Shallow Water

Natalie Dvorak #17:On a special assignment out of state, Detective-Sergeant Natalie Dvorak of the Vermont State Police is reunited with her former partner, now a US Marshal. Together, they travel to Minnesota's Lake Country to interview a man in the Federal Witness Protection Program. A murder disrupts their assignment and the case is worked by the local police. When the prime suspect turns up dead as an apparent suicide, Police Chief Kate Petrovic is not satisfied but the case is closed. She is soon subjected to pressure from the mayor, whose reelection is jeopardized by the murder-suicide, and is forced to reopen the investigation. Kate's personal life becomes more complicated and is soon tainted by tragedy. A family friend's dark past is uncovered just as Kate finds the strength to overcome adversity. Natalie returns to Minnesota for a celebration, but she becomes involved in the final act of a dangerous killer. 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.