J. J. Cagney

What turns a reverend into an amateur sleuth? Few people have ever experienced a connection like the one Reverend Cici Gurule and her sister had. The women weren't just twins; they were identical. Yes, were. Cici knew the exact moment her sister had died because Cici had passed out in her apartment. She'd swear until the day she died her sister said her name in a soft, broken voice as her own mind had switched off. Now, Cici must learn to live without her sister . . . ...and deal with an unsolved murder and a cold trail. Identical Death is the first book in, A Reverend Cici Gurule Mystery. Although these books are best read in order, as a series, they can be read as a standalone. A Pilgrimage to Death A Heritage of Death An Artifact of Death A Revelation of Death

Identical Death

"Vivid, alluring, and heart-wrenching, A Pilgrimage to Death is every reason I love mystery. A breathtaking tale." ~ Darynda Jones, NY Times Bestselling Author Cici discovers a body in the forest. The victim’s wounds are identical to the ones that killed her sister a year ago... Someone murdered her sister. And shot her dog. The killer won't stop until Cici's dead, too. With her identical twin sister haunting her dreams, Cici and her dogs must dodge arrows, bullets, and even a demon truck. Worse, she must grapple with the knowledge her twin's death was much more sinister than a random act of violence. The chase is on. As Cici and Detective Sam Chastain edge closer to the truth, the murderer circles closer. This time, the criminal plots to stop Cici. Permanently. Additional Praise for A Pilgrimage to Death: "A wholly absorbing gumshoe tale elevated by an extraordinary detective." ~ Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "This winning mystery novel is a breeze to read and Cici's laidback approach as a reverend means that readers certainly don't have to be religious to find her relatable." ~ IndieReader

A Pilgrimage to Death

An unconventional woman. A brutal murder. To solve the case, Cici looks for help from beyond the grave… The second installment in the Kirkus Reviews, National Indie Excellence Awards and Publishers Weekly award-winning series by USA Today Best-Selling Author, J. J. Cagney: Cici Gurule wants to pretend her dream is nothing more than a meaningless nightmare. But she cannot ignore that the bruised and bloodied woman looked alarmingly like her. When a baby turns up on her porch—a baby who was reported missing days before—evidence points to a connection with the woman in Cici’s dream, and she can no longer ignore the nighttime vision. Cici and Detective Sam Chastain struggle to follow the garbled evidence, but the killer scores his victim first. Worse, a message pinned to the victim’s blouse states, “You’re next.” Now, it’s a race against the clock to keep the baby safe and find the murderer before his trail goes cold. Cici’s only chance to solve this mystery, before she becomes the next victim, means choosing between her faith and believing a message left by her ghostly twin. ★ WHY READERS CAN'T PUT DOWN REV. CICI GURULE'S MYSTERIES ★ "A Heritage of Death grabs your attention from the start and will keep you hooked right up until the end holding all its secrets with an ending that I never saw coming." ~ MagickofBooks "A great new character sleuth that I for one is quite happy to follow the adventures of Reverend Cici Gurule with hopefully Sam by her side. I so pleased to find a series that has blown me away, this was just perfect." ~ Cheryl, Goodreads Review "The characters are so well written that I felt a connection with them. The mystery is powerful. I couldn’t stop reading." ~ rmkrejsa42, Bookbub Review "This is a very good mystery that keeps you interested." ~ Kenl, Bookbub Review "Cici is a character that has staying power to keep you in from beginning to end." ~ vp_mom, Bookbub Review "Clearly well researched, this novel is a good read within its genre and one I can definitely recommend to fans of murder mysteries." ~ Grant, Goodreads Review "The author did a great job of feeding us little bits of information, while keeping us on the edge of our seat, and also without giving too much away and ruining the story straight away." ~ Three Degrees of Fiction

A Heritage of Death

Alexa Padgett

The fourth installment in the Kirkus Reviews, National Indie Excellence Awards and Publishers Weekly award-winning series by USA Today Best-selling Author, J. J. Cagney:The first victim rolls out of a rain barrel.Soon, Cici Gurule dreams of other women's attacks, thanks to visions from her dead twin. The victims' watery graves torment Cici, feeding her growing fear of water.The killer targets Cici's congregants and friends, taunting her and her lover, Detective Sam Chastain. Sam partners with the SFPD to investigate the widening web of assault, death, and pain... all while Cici struggles with the choices she made in Chaco Canyon.When the killer lures a teen girl from her family, Cici and Sam's desperation to identify him becomes critical. But the clues, from the disappearance of Sam's ex-lover, to a cat with a chilling message for Cici, are leading them further from the truth, rather than toward saving the kidnapped girl.

A Revelation of Death

"An exhilarating entry in a thoroughly enjoyable series." ~ Kirkus Reviews A botched execution. A reverend on the run. Can she solve the mystery before she's caught in the crosshairs? The third installment in the Kirkus Reviews, National Indie Excellence Awards and Publishers Weekly award-winning series by USA Today Best-Selling Author, J. J. Cagney: Reverend Cici Gurule went to the sacred Chaco Canyon in search of a sign. She's been offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in a megachurch, but taking the position would mean abandoning her Southwestern home and the man she's grown to love as much more than a friend. She's so caught up in her thoughts that she doesn't realize when she stumbles upon a group of heavily armed operatives on the verge of an execution. Soon, Cici's dodging bullets and scaling mesas with the mysterious man she saved from certain death. With a little help from her twin sister's ghost and restless ancestral spirits, they venture deeper into the maze-like rocky terrain. But her new companion's deadly aim makes her wonder if she can afford to trust his side of the story. To make it out of the canyon alive, Cici must unearth the true story behind the man and a sacred Navajo artifact before the next blood shed on sacred ground is hers. ★ WHY READERS CAN'T PUT DOWN REV. CICI GURULE'S MYSTERIES ★ A 2019 Publishers Weekly BookLife Prize finalist. "Written in a clear, distinct style, Padgett uses the prose to elicit tension and emotion and creates a tense, fast-paced story." ~ The BookLife Prize "Hold on to your hat, this story is fast paced and really gets your blood moving." ~ Joanne Hampton, Goodreads Review "This story is filled with what makes the dessert Southwest so beautiful and terrifying. Truly one of the best books in the series." ~ Suzy Sims, Goodreads Review

An Artifact of Death

"An exciting mix of murder, mayhem and romance featuring a heroine who is one tough cookie in a book that packs a powerful punch–emotionally and action-wise–right through to the climactic ending."- IndieReader The fourth installment in the Kirkus Reviews, National Indie Excellence Awards and Publishers Weekly award-winning series by USA Today Best-selling Author, J. J. Cagney: The first victim rolls out of a rain barrel. Soon, Cici Gurule dreams of other women's attacks, thanks to visions from her dead twin. The victims' watery graves torment Cici, feeding her growing fear of water. The killer targets Cici's congregants and friends, taunting her and her lover, Detective Sam Chastain. Sam partners with the SFPD to investigate the widening web of assault, death, and pain... all while Cici struggles with the choices she made in Chaco Canyon. When the killer lures a teen girl from her family, Cici and Sam's desperation to identify him becomes critical. But the clues, from the disappearance of Sam's ex-lover, to a cat with a chilling message for Cici, are leading them further from the truth, rather than toward saving the kidnapped girl. ★ WHY READERS CAN'T PUT DOWN THE REV. CICI GURULE'S MYSTERIES★ "The prose is...sublimely concise. An exhilarating entry in a thoroughly enjoyable series." -- Kirkus Reviews "Written in a clear, distinct style, Padgett (J. J. Cagney) uses the prose to elicit tension and emotion and creates a tense, fast-paced story. -- The BookLife Prize "Vivid, alluring, and heart-wrenching, Alexa Padgett's A Pilgrimage to Death is every reason I love mystery. A breathtaking tale." - Darynda Jones, New York Times Bestselling Author "You're not going to find this kind of absorbing, engaging, enticing suspense anywhere else, so grab this one today!" - BookAddict

J. J. Cagney

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