The Wrong Combination

Natalie Dvorak Mystery #7One Saturday morning, the youngest son of a rural crime family pays a surprise visit to his boyhood home. When the new owner lodges a complaint, the case is escalated to Detective-Sergeant Natalie Dvorak of the Vermont State Police. Natalie is on the verge of discovering the family's secret when a mysterious stranger comes down from Canada with revenge on his mind. A desperate deal among criminals leads to violence and death with Natalie leading the effort to track a killer and his kidnap victim. The authorities struggle to find him before he either escapes or adds to the body count. (105) 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.