The Baby Blue Rip-Off

Vietnam vet Mallory has been everywhere and done everythingfrom hippie life to construction work, from covering a reporters beat to walking a copsbefore finally returning to small-town Iowa to try his hand at writing. In between crafting whodunits, he does his part for the community by ferrying hot meals to little old ladies. But then his worlds unexpectedly collide: home invaders murder one of his clients and leave Mallory black-and-blue when he catches them red-handed.

The elderly victim is the first fatality in an organized burglary spree sweeping the town, but Mallory fears she may not be the last. And despite the painful cracks in his ribs, nothing can stop him from looking into the killingnot even the local sheriff, or the little blonde from high school days who got awayor even a beating courtesy of the ruthless goon squad that warns Mallory to steer clear.

Armed with his ex-cops instincts, soldiers survival skills, and mystery writers savvy, Mallory bucks the local law and the love of his life to stop this brutal burglary ring. But writing a mystery can pay well, whereas solving one can pay dearly