Big Bull Benson, the hotel and bar owner who first appeared in Spurlark's novel GOOD GIRLS DON'T GET MURDERED, returns in a brand-new novella. Mob boss Troy Calini doesn't exactly have the best reputation in Chicago, but when his own daughter suspects him of killing her boyfriend Calini is determined to prove to her that his hands are clean. Enter Big Bull Benson. Although Bull and Calini haven't always seen eye-to-eye, Calini is convinced that Benson can use his skills and connections to find out who really committed the crime. Benson isn't too thrilled at the prospect of investigating the case. He'd much rather be back at the hotel he won in a poker game. Still, it's not a smart idea to say no to a crime boss. Before you can say "whacked," Benson finds himself on the streets and following clues. It isn't long before Benson realizes that this isn't just a typical carjacking (as the police suspect) or even a mob hit. Instead, the case will take him to suburbia where he soon discovers that every family hides a dark secret. And, sometimes, those secrets can be deadly.

I've been a member of the Mystery Writers of America for over 35 years, and a member of the Private eye writers of America since its inception. I've been a published author since 1972, when my story,BLOCK PARTY, appeared in the April issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. Since then I've also been published in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, Woman's World, and several anthologies. Thus far I've had two novels published, GOOD GIRLS DON'T GET MURDERED (Scribner's) and THE GOOD LOOKING DEAD GUY (PublishAmerica). Currently I also have a story, SAMMY SMOOTH IS DEAD, in the anthology, The Wrong Side of the Law (Nightfall Publications). And for you Kindle users, AN UNREFUSABLE REQUEST (Untreed Reads).

Big Bull Benson, the hotel and bar owner who first appeared in Parker's novel GOOD GIRLS DON'T GET MURDERED, returns in a brand-new novella.Mob boss Troy Calini doesn't exactly have the best reputation in Chicago, but when his own daughter suspects him of killing her boyfriend Calini is determined to prove to her that his hands are clean.Enter Big Bull Benson. Although Bull and Calini haven't always seen eye-to-eye, Calini is convinced that Benson can use his skills and connections to find out who really committed the crime.Benson isn't too thrilled at the prospect of investigating the case. He'd much rather be back at the hotel he won in a poker game. Still, it's not a smart idea to say no to a crime boss. Before you can say "e;whacked,"e; Benson finds himself on the streets and following clues.It isn't long before Benson realizes that this isn't just a typical carjacking (as the police suspect) or even a mob hit. Instead, the case will take him to suburbia where he soon discovers that every family hides a dark secret. And, sometimes, those secrets can be deadly.