Jim Richards Murder Mystery

New edits of this book as of May 3, 2012. Someone is murdering women from the class of '67 and it's up to Jim Richards, who has reluctantly just turned sixty, to stop him. Jim's life is in the dumps and then late one might he receives an email from a childhood sweetheart he hasn't seen in over 40 years, pleading for help but he doesn't get to her in time, she's been murdered. A killer is now stalking and killing his former female classmates for unknown reasons and Jim, along with his only friend Buck, a big, mustachioed biker, go off to track down the killer before he can get to one former classmate, Penny Wickens, a TV talk show host who Jim has just fallen for while protecting her. The killer is also murdering the women right out from under police protection, driving homicide detective Will Trapper crazy, and he slowly depends on Jim to help. There's humor, suspense, wild chases across suburban Detroit with cops, classic cars and motorcycle clubs; murder, mayhem, and a good amount of romance.

This book has been re-edited as of September 9, 2012 Jim Richards, the senior citizen sleuth, has returned from Las Vegas and has opened up his investigation business. His first client is a housewife wanting to find out if her husband is cheating on her, but is there more to their relationship than just cheating? Is her husband a wealthy wife killer and into bondage? Is this wife going to die or will the murder of his personal Dominatrix stop his plans? To add to Jim's workload, he also takes on a murder case for a lawyer, to find a mystery woman who can provide an alibi for a man accused of butchering his wife, also a Dominatrix, an odd coincidence. Are the police or someone in high office trying to sabotage this case and send an innocent man to prison, and killing the witnesses? All in a day's work for Jim along with Penny, Buck and Will Trapper in this 3rd of a series of crime novels by Bob Moats.

This book has been re-edited as of September, 2012 Jim Richards, the senior citizen sleuth, has solved the Dominatrix Murders and is now relaxing when she walks into his office. A gorgeous red-head with a husband problem, she suspects he's cheating on her and maybe getting ready for a divorce. Jim takes the routine case and when he reports his findings to her, does she take it well? To make matters worse, the husband has now been accused of murdering his mistress, but the facts are not straight, is he being set-up? On the side, Jim asks Buck to bodyguard an expensive Australian Terrier whose life is threatened and is about to debut at an AKC dog show, does the dog make it to the show or is it a no-show, or is the dog's owner in danger. This is the fourth novel in the Jim Richards series.

This book has been re-edited October 2012 Wikipedia describes: Bridezilla (a combining of bride and Godzilla) is a term used to describe a difficult, unpleasant, perfectionist bride who leaves aggravated family, friends, and bridal vendors in her wake. A Bridezilla is obsessed with her wedding as her perfect day and will disregard the feelings of the family, bridesmaids, and even her groom in her quest for the perfect wedding. Jim Richards, the senior citizen sleuth, realizing life is short, proposes to Penny and they decide to go back to Las Vegas for the wedding, inviting family and friends. Penny's TV producer provides the corporate jet to fly them all out, but there's a catch, that the whole wedding be taped for Penny's show. Once in Vegas they run into a couple of real Bridezillas, but then one is murdered, is the other one next? Will the film crew tape this murderous adventure and will Trapper and Becker be caught for their pranks around Las Vegas?

When Jim Richards is asked to go back into his past to help an old friend receive a lifetime achievement award for his service to the world of magic, Jim ends up replacing a murdered magician in a contest of wits and magic to find the killer. But there are more reasons for killing off a few magicians to get to the valuable prize, as Jim finds out. A four day convention of magic in the Magic Capital of the World starts Jim and his band of crime solvers, Trapper, Becker, Buck and Penny venturing beyond the boundaries of logic where people disappear and are cut in half, or turn into roaring tigers. Why are the magicians dying, and what is the secret of the amazing box and it's contents. Will Jim reveal the hidden truths and expose the killer before another magician will die, Jim himself.

This book re-edited July 2013 - Jim Richards is relaxing in his office one day when he receives a phone call from a past Las Vegas mob connection, Angelo, who's cousin in Detroit owns a strip club and has a problem, a missing dancer and also his girlfriend. Jim starts his investigation and along with Buck, going into the world of stripping, prostitution, slavery and human trafficking extending from Detroit to New York. They are aided by a Detroit homicide cop with a mysterious government past, and the three men end up in New York seeking the missing girl in the slime of the Rex Erotica, a legitimate corporation that may harbor dangerous secrets. Strippers, murder, fast cars and the Mob are just part of the story in this seventh book of the series.

Hollywood has come and gone for Jim and Penny, the TV movie about the Classmate Murders has been filmed and shown on TV and their lives are back to normal now. A woman comes into Jim's office one day from a mystery writer's organization requesting Jim to join them on a luxury cruise of the Pacific Ocean to give a speech about his book, movie and his adventures being a P. I. but once Jim and Penny have sailed port the fun begins. It seems mystery writers are a murderous bunch of people and someone doesn't like a few of the writers and a booking agent, so people are turning up dead. The Captain of the liner decides to enlist Jim in the hunt for the killer before the cruise goes south. Jim and Penny are joined by Buck and Maria as they try to solve the crime and give the mystery writers something to write about in this ninth book of the Jim Richards murder novels.

Someone is murdering guests on Penny Wickens' daytime talk show and it's now becoming a problem scheduling new guests. Who wants to be next? Penny and Jim have returned from their mystery writers cruise and Penny has settled back into her duties as America's favorite talk show host. When the first guest turns up dead that's not good, but then the next two end up dead, that's cause for concern. Penny turns to Jim for help since the police aren't getting anywhere on the case. Jim must find the killer before the network pulls the plug on Penny's show, even though her ratings are going through the roof, America wants to see who will die next. Jim, along with Buck, goes on a quest to find the killer but they don't realize that when he runs out of guests to kill, will he go after the hostess? On the side, Earl Daws has quit his job as a homicide detective for the Detroit police and has gotten his private investigator's license then convinces Jim to let him join Jim's firm. Jim agrees and sends Earl on a case of a missing wife. Did the husband do away with her and is asking for help to cover the crime, that's for Earl to find out. Action and murder in this tenth novel of the Jim Richards series of murder novels.

A woman walks into Jim Richards’s office with a story of how her husband died due to his participation in the stage show of a local hypnotist. The man later walked into a casino and shot a few people before he was taken down by security, and the woman blames the hypnotist for his actions. Jim takes the case and goes on a quest to find the truth. Was his death part of a plot by the hypnotist and his shady business associates or acting on his own. What was the motive for sending an innocent man to kill using simple hypnotic suggestions. Will there be more murders by other innocents? On the side, Jim's mafia friend, Angelo appears at his door and announces he is moving to Vegas from New York. Jim puts him to work as a celebrity protection bodyguard and Angelo's first assignment is to protect a young female porn actress coming to Vegas for a convention. Angelo takes on the job with his past expertise as a leg breaker for the mob. Unfortunately, the girl is kidnapped and Angelo isn't happy. Will he bring in his mob connections to find the kidnappers?

"Something Wicked This Way Comes" by the author Ray Bradbury was brought to mind by Jim Richards as a carnival has arrived in Las Vegas and is now the center of his attention for possible criminal activities. Children are starting to vanish and there's a number of jewelry store thefts involving most mysterious circumstances and expensive goods. Jim is asked by the parents of two missing boys to find them. The only clue he has is the handbill announcing the arrival of "Jacob S. Dark's Traveling Carnival and Wonder Show". To help, Buck and Mac go undercover in the carnival. Who is the mysterious Mr. Dark? Did he jump from the pages of Bradbury's book to claim souls in Vegas or is he evil of another form. Jim must hold on to his soul as he enters the world of the dark carnival. On the side, Angelo uses his mob connections to help find out who the mysterious Lucius Cole is and what his real connection is to the carnival people. All things are not as they seem in this twentieth novel featuring the senior citizen sleuth, Jim Richards along with Penny and his crime-fighting friends.

This book is a crossover between the Jim Richards Murder Novels and the Fatal Series of books, both by Bob Moats. While on vacation, Jim manages to miss the turn to Seattle and they end up in the small town of Brinnon, Washington. While camping in their van they meet Sheriff Dave Chandler and his wife Sarah. Jim's curse strikes again, and there is a murder in the campground. But there is more when another man is kidnapped by the killer. Why was this man taken and what does it have to do with drugs? Are the murdered man and the kidnapped man part of a plot to manufacture a new drug to sell on the streets? The story takes a fatal turn when Penny and Sarah are also kidnapped and taken back to Las Vegas for a big demonstration of the drug's potential to the mob. Will Penny will be the victim for the test. This is the 25th book of the Jim Richard series combined as the 5th book of the Fatal series.

Late night raids on two dog kennels results in stolen, expensive show dogs and a murder. Jim Richards is asked by one kennel owner to help find the dogs, but Jim is out of commission by a broken leg. He puts Buck on the case and then Penny gets involved with a big dog show at a hotel arena. Two more dogs are stolen at the dog show and Lynn gets involved on the case. Lynn and Penny end up tracking down more dog thefts, could this be a crime wave? Deacon is assigned the murder of the kennel employee and another murder of one of the dog snatchers. Everyone but poor Jim is running around Las Vegas hunting missing dogs now being ransomed. Plenty of fur raising fun in this 29th Jim Richards book.

This book is a novella. Jim Richards is a thirty-one year old bachelor who doesn't realize that he's on his way to a marriage that he isn't ready for. He also doesn't know about his fiancé's crazy parents who make Jim's life miserable, as hard as he tries to adapt to married life. Plagued by oddball neighbors and friends that make his already shaky marriage even more unstable, Jim struggles to keep the peace in his two-room flat in the suburbs of Detroit. This is an early look at the life of Jim Richards from the murder novel series, before he became a private investigator and finally married the woman of his dreams. The story has been adapted by Bob Moats from a stage play he wrote in 1985, turning the script into this book to give readers a private look at the senior citizen sleuth when he was a young man, and not very wise when it came to women. This book is a novella.

Jim Richards' dream of building a shelter for the homeless of Las Vegas has come true. The shelter is finally open and operating well, but Buck and Mac find something that may mar the good intentions. They find a murdered man in one of the rooms. Deacon comes in to investigate and Jim discovers the victim is a cousin of one of his friends. Why was the man murdered and what did the warning that was left mean. The mob is suddenly everywhere as a search for one man starts rolling and more bodies are found. Will the mob get involved or just wait patiently for Jim and Deacon to solve the mystery before they do something rash. Angelo and Jim visit an old school Mob boss who may be the key and find more than they planned. More wiseguys enter into the picture confusing the issue and finally the case comes to a head, but at what expense when Deacon is shot.

Trapper's girlfriend Samantha has a problem. One of her female employees is in the hospital with a mysterious skin poisoning and she asks Trapper to help. She doesn't want to bring in the police, she runs an illegal bookie operation. Jim gets involved but has problems of his own. His friends Dave and Sarah from up by Seattle are coming into town to renew their wedding vows and Penny is totally excited to help arrange the wedding. Things got worse for the skin poisoning case as it turns out to be Tetraethyl Lead injected into sunblock and more women are dying now. The whole crew joins in to catch the criminals lacing lotions with the poison. Penny starts the ball rolling for the wedding while Jim helps hunt for the killers. Making matters worse one of Las Vegas police detectives is being charged with murdering one of the poisoners. Will all the criminals be sorted out before the wedding? All fun and murder in this 33rd book of the Jim Richards Murder Novels.

If you enjoy Jim Richards, Arthur Doyle, and Gus Mackie, each from their own books, then this is the crossover book for you. A convention of private investigators draws Jim and his Vegas team of investigators back to Detroit, Michigan where they meet Art Doyle and Gus Mackie. The three men end up investigating two murders in the Detroit MGM Grand Hotel where the convention is being held. Detroit Police Detective Bernie Longmire, Gus' friend, is in charge of the case but he let's the three investigators run loose to help solve who murdered the two men. Lots of questions and an introduction to a new character, Stoney Hawk, a female private eye who will be featured in her own series.

Jim Richards' daughter, Carol, comes to Jim with a problem. A friend and co-worker are missing and Carol asks Jim to find her. Along with his wife, Penny, Jim goes to the missing woman's apartment where they run into Detective Greg Warren. Greg tells them that the girl was found dead. Jim makes it his goal to find the killer and now working with Will Trapper and Deacon DeAngelo, the three sort through clues and investigate the crime. While waiting for word from the LVPD on their investigation, a woman shows up in Jim's office claiming to be a bounty hunter searching for a killer on the run from Missouri. They discover the similarities in the killings this man has committed and figure he's the killer of their victim. Jim finally enlists the help of his friend and former mob wiseguy, Angelo, who has started his own network of mob guys in Vegas. They now find another possible killer who met the dead woman through a dating service and maybe a new suspect. Will lonely hearts lead to death? Will the mob find the killers? A lot of major changes in the LVPD precinct and in Jim's life are revealed. This is the 35th book of the series.

Jim Richards has retired from being a P. I. but he can't seem to stay out of trouble. After sending his wife, Penny, and the female staff of his investigating firm on an ocean cruise, and the men are turned loose in Vegas, Jim is relaxing until she shows up. Once again murder rears its ugly head. This is the thirty-sixth in a series of books about Jim Richards and his friends.

A sudden death in the family takes Jim and Penny back to their roots in Michigan. Jim invites Trapper, Earl, and Buck to go along to visit with their families. Jim and Penny prepare for the funeral and while they are there, Jim finds an old acquaintance from his early days working as a private investigator. Barry Becker, now a police detective and he's in Jim's town to investigate a murder. Seems someone wanted to reveal damaging evidence about corrupt dealings within a mob-run construction company. The owner recently died and the man who was going to tell all is set to do the eulogy but is murdered before he can squeal on his former partner. Who murdered the man and will Penny murder Jim if he gets involved in the case. All in a day's work for Jim and his crime-fighting crew in this 37th book of the series.

Jim and Penny have retired from their respective jobs and are getting bored. Penny is even wanting a good murder case right now, much to Jim's surprise. A trip to the office results in two missing person cases, which they take. Investigating, they find a third missing person, and all three are connected to a local casino. After talking to Angelo, they find there is a possible heist going to happen at the casino. They bring in Trapper, Earl, Buck, and Detective Greg Warren to help stop the attack and possibly find the missing men. Trapper and Earl go undercover at the casino to watch a two million dollar display that Jim feels will be the target. Penny has applied and received her P. I. license and is now part of the team, but Jim doesn't want her to get hurt in the heist. Will they stop the robbery and find the missing men?

This new e-book box set contains the first six e-books of the Jim Richards Murder Novels series. Starting with the book that introduces the main characters, "Classmate Murders. " The next is "Vegas Showgirl Murders" - "Dominatrix Murders - "Mistress Murders" - "Bridezilla Murders" and "Magic Murders. " Follow Jim and Penny through all their adventures along with Buck, Trapper, Deacon, Lynn, and Becker. They go twice to Las Vegas to help fight crime and find excitement along the way.

This book contains the first five novels of the Jim Richards 33 book series of murder novels. Included are Classmate Murders, Vegas Showgirl Murders, Dominatrix Murders, Mistress Murders and Bridezilla Murders.