Tracy Clark

From acclaimed author Tracy Clark comes a page-turning mystery featuring hard-boiled Chicago detective Harriet Foster, who's on the hunt for a serial killer with a deadly affinity for redheads. When a young red-haired woman is found brutally murdered in downtown Chicago, one detail stands out: the red lipstick encircling her wrists and ankles. Detective Harriet Foster is on the case, even though she's still grieving the sudden death of her partner. As a Black woman in a male-dominated department, Foster anticipates a rocky road ahead acclimating to a new team--and building trust with her new partner isn't coming easily. After another victim turns up with the same lipstick markings, Foster suspects she's looking for a serial killer. Through a tip from a psychiatrist, Foster learns about Bodie Morgan: a troubled man with a twisted past and a penchant for pretty young redheads with the bluest eyes. As Foster wades into Morgan's sinister history, the killer continues their gruesome assault on Chicago's streets. In her desperate race to catch the murderer before they strike again, Foster will have to confront the darkest of secrets--including her own.

Hide

Scintillate by Tracy Clark A mighty flame follows a tiny spark Cora Sandoval’s mother disappeared when she was five and they were living in Ireland. Since then, her dad has been more than overprotective, and Cora is beginning to chafe under his confines. But even more troubling is the colorful light she suddenly sees around people. Everyone, that is, except herself—instead, she glows a brilliant, sparkling silver. As she realizes the danger associated with these strange auras, Cora is inexplicably drawn to Finn, a gorgeous Irish exchange student who makes her feel safe. Their attraction is instant, magnetic, and primal—but her father disapproves, and Finn’s mother orders him home to Ireland upon hearing he’s fallen in love. After a fight with her father, Cora flees to Ireland, both to follow Finn and to look for her missing mother. There she meets another silver-haloed person and discovers the meaning of her newfound powers and their role in a conspiracy spanning centuries—one that could change mankind forever…and end her life.

Scintillate

Cops can make mistakes, even when they’re not rookies. If anyone knows that it’s Cass Raines. Cass took a bullet two years ago after an incompetent colleague screwed up a tense confrontation with an armed suspect. Deeply traumatized, Cass resigned from the Chicago PD, leaving one less female African-American on the force. Now she’s the head of a one-woman private investigation agency, taking on just enough work to pay the bills. But when the only father figure she’s ever known, Father Ray Heaton, asks her to look into a recent spate of vandalism at his church, she readily agrees to handle it. Only hours later Cass is horrified to discover Father Ray’s murdered body in the church confessional, a dead gangbanger sprawled out nearby. She knew Pop, as she called him, had ticked off plenty of people, from slumlords to politicians, with his uncompromising defense of the downtrodden. But a late-night random theft doesn’t seem like much of a motive at a cash-strapped parish. The lead detective assigned to the case is all too eager to dismiss it as a burglary gone awry, just another statistic in a violent city. But Cass’s instincts tell her otherwise, and badge or no badge, she intends to see justice done . . . “An exciting new character-driven series.” —Kirkus Reviews

Broken Places

After a brush with death, a thrill-seeking teenager becomes withdrawn and antagonistic. As her relationships crumble, she must fight the person she has become or lose herself forever. "

Mirage

“Exceptional…The action builds to an exciting showdown. Those who like their crime novels with a social conscience will be amply rewarded.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED review Former homicide cop turned private investigator Cass Raines gets the job done in this page-turning Chicago-set novel from award-winning author Tracy Clark. For mystery/suspense fans as well as fans of Laura Lippman. Chicago in the dead of winter can be brutal, especially when you’re scouring the frigid streets for a missing girl. Fifteen-year-old Ramona Titus has run away from her foster home. Her biological mother, Leesa Evans, is a recovering addict who admits she failed Ramona often in the past. But now she’s clean. And she’s determined to make up for her mistakes—if Cass can only help her find her daughter. Cass visits Ramona’s foster mother, Deloris Poole, who is also desperate to bring the girl home. Ramona came to Deloris six months ago, angry and distrustful, but was slowly opening up. The police are on the search, but Cass has sources closer to the streets, and a network of savvy allies. Yet it seems Ramona doesn’t want to be found. And Cass soon begins to understand why. Ramona is holding secrets dark enough to kill for, and anyone who helps her may be fair game. And if Ramona can’t run fast enough and hide well enough to keep the truth safe, she and Cass may both be out of time.

Runner

Cass Raines knows the streets of Chicago all too well as a cop turned private investigator. A new case gives a glimpse into how the other half lives – and how they die... Wealth. Power. Celebrity. Vonda Allen’s glossy magazine has taken the Windy City by storm, and she’s well on her way to building a one-woman media empire. Everybody adores her. Except the people who work for her. And the person who’s sending her flowers with death threats. Vonda has employed off-duty cop Ben Mickerson as her bodyguard and when he needs some back-up no one fits the bill better than his ex-partner on the police force, Cass Raines. Cass is reluctant to take the job – she isn’t keen on playing babysitter to a celebrity – but agrees to as a favour to Ben. When two of Vonda’s staff turn up dead, Ben and Cass must find the unknown assailant before someone else dies. Then Ben is taken out of action, Cass is left to find out what secrets Vonda is keeping, and who wants her dead. A task made even harder by enemies in the Chicago Police Department determined to stop Cass... An explosive third novel from thrilling crime novelist, which fans of Ian K. Smith, Sue Grafton and the Cormoran Strike novels will love. Praise for Tracy Clark ‘This street-smart first mystery boasts great characterization and a terrific new protagonist. Get this writer on your radar now.’ Booklist ‘Unforgettable. . . . Distinctive, vividly written characters lift this promising debut. Readers will be eager for the sequel.’ Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW ‘Clark’s kickoff to an exciting new character-driven series explores the dynamics between a black investigator and a white world in a story ripped from the headlines.’ Kirkus Reviews ‘Clark’s compelling, suspenseful, and action-packed debut introduces a dogged, tough African American woman investigator who is complex and courageous and surrounded by a family of fascinating misfits. Fans of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone or Sara Paretsky’s V.I Warshawski will welcome Cass Raines to their ranks.’ Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

A gripping private investigator series

What You Don't See

Fall

Detective Harriet Foster #1

Tormented after a daring escape, Cora Sandoval must find a way to stop the Arrazi from murdering innocent people and from violating, using, and killing the Scintilla for their powers. She must also accept one bitter betrayal: Finn Doyle--the Irish boy who has both a piece of Cora's heart and soul--is Arrazi... On the verge of extinction and sought by those who would either consume or destroy them, Cora and the remaining Scintilla survivors must solve the mystery of The Light Key. If they fail, the truth will stay buried forever and mankind will pay the ultimate price. No longer will she hide. No longer will her loved ones be hunted. And she will have her vengeance...even if she shatters her heart in the process.

Deviate

"Cassandra Raines, the former Chicago cop turned private investigator, looks into a suspicious death as a favor to a friend--and makes some powerful enemies... Tim Ayers, scion of a wealthy Chicago family, has been found dead, floating in Lake Michigan near his luxury boat. Cass reluctantly begins digging only to discover that Tim Ayers was terminally ill. Given the large quantities of alcohol and drugs found in his body, Ayers' death appears to be either an accident or suicide. But there are too many unanswered questions and unexplained coincidences. Why would anyone kill a dying man? Working her connections on both sides of the law, Cass tries to point the police in the right direction. But violence is escalating around her, and Cass's persistence has already attracted unwanted attention, uncovering sinister secrets that Cass may end up taking to her grave"--

Borrowed Time

Illuminate

When Cass Raines, the former Chicago cop turned private investigator, looks into a suspicious death she makes some powerful enemies... Being a PI can be slow work, sitting around in cars on a stakeout, or serving summonses. But once in a while, it leads straight to danger. When Cass hears about the death of Tim Ayers, she agrees to look into the circumstances. A choice she may come to regret. Ayers was from a wealthy Chicago family, and was found dead in Lake Michigan, in the water near his luxury boat. Cass begins digging and is surprised to learn that Tim Ayers was terminally ill. Given the large quantities of alcohol and drugs found in his body, his death appears to be either an accident or suicide. Yet Cass soon realises there are too many unanswered questions and unexplained coincidences. It could be murder. But why would anyone kill a dying man? Cass’s persistence attracts unwanted attention, putting her life in danger and uncovering sinister secrets she may end up taking to her grave. The gripping second instalment of a private investigator crime series, that is perfect for fans of Ian K. Smith, Sue Grafton and the Cormoran Strike novels. Praise for Tracy Clark Runner nominated for the Sue Grafton Memorial Award from the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Award ‘This street-smart first mystery boasts great characterization and a terrific new protagonist. Get this writer on your radar now.’ Booklist ‘Unforgettable. . . . Distinctive, vividly written characters lift this promising debut. Readers will be eager for the sequel.’ Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW ‘Clark’s kickoff to an exciting new character-driven series explores the dynamics between a black investigator and a white world in a story ripped from the headlines.’ Kirkus Reviews ‘Clark’s compelling, suspenseful, and action-packed debut introduces a dogged, tough African American woman investigator who is complex and courageous and surrounded by a family of fascinating misfits. Fans of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone or Sara Paretsky’s V.I Warshawski will welcome Cass Raines to their ranks.’ Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

Cass Raines – a former cop turned private investigator. But has she got what it takes to catch a murderer...? When Cass Raines took a bullet in the line of duty, it wasn’t injury that saw her quit the police but the cover up for an incompetent colleague that followed. Now, the Chicago PD has one less African-American woman on the force and Cass is the head of a one-woman private investigation agency. When her close friend Father Ray asks Cass to look into a recent spate of vandalism at his church, she readily agrees. But only hours later she’s horrified to discover his murdered body in the church confessional, and another dead man nearby. The lead detective assigned to the case is all too ready to dismiss it as an interrupted burglary gone awry – just another statistic in a violent city. But Cass’s instincts tell her otherwise, and badge or no badge, she intends to see justice done... The first in a series of compulsive crime novels featuring an unforgettable lead character. Perfect for fans of Ian K. Smith, Sue Grafton and the Cormoran Strike novels. Praise for Tracy Clark 'Clark writes with purpose, her sense of social justice never venturing into dogma but remaining fully rooted in Raines’s actions and personality. She saves, but is no savior, because she operates in a world where survival is the benchmark, and pain remains in the aftermath.' The New York Times on Runner, part of the Cass Raines Mystery series Runner nominated for the Sue Grafton Memorial Award from the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Award ‘This street-smart first mystery boasts great characterization and a terrific new protagonist. Get this writer on your radar now.’ Booklist ‘Unforgettable. . . . Distinctive, vividly written characters lift this promising debut. Readers will be eager for the sequel.’ Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW ‘Clark’s kickoff to an exciting new character-driven series explores the dynamics between a black investigator and a white world in a story ripped from the headlines.’ Kirkus Reviews ‘Clark’s compelling, suspenseful, and action-packed debut introduces a dogged, tough African American woman investigator who is complex and courageous and surrounded by a family of fascinating misfits. Fans of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone or Sara Paretsky’s V.I Warshawski will welcome Cass Raines to their ranks.’ Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

"Lapel-grabbing and provocative...Clark writes with purpose, her sense of social justice never venturing into dogma but remaining fully rooted in Raines’s actions and personality." – The New York Times Book Review "Clark has a unique voice in the P.I. genre, one that us articulate, daring, and ultimately hopeful." - The Washington Post With a hard-charging, ripped from the headlines plot, Chicago-based journalist and award-winning author Tracy Clark explores timely issues around race, class, and addiction, as Black homicide cop-turned P.I. Cass Raines searches for a runaway teen—and unearths a twisted world of misdirection and lies... Chicago in the dead of winter can be brutal, especially when you're scouring the frigid streets for a missing girl. Fifteen-year-old Ramona Titus has run away from her foster home. Her biological mother, Leesa Evans, is a recovering addict who admits she failed Ramona often in the past. But now she's clean. And she's determined to make up for her mistakes--if Cass can only help her find her daughter. Cass visits Ramona's foster mother, Deloris Poole, who is also desperate to bring the girl home. Ramona came to Deloris six months ago, angry and distrustful, but was slowly opening up. The police are on the search, but Cass has sources closer to the streets, and a network of savvy allies. Yet it seems Ramona doesn't want to be found. And Cass soon begins to understand why. Ramona is holding secrets dark enough to kill for, and anyone who helps her may be fair game. And if Ramona can't run fast enough and hide well enough to keep the truth safe, she and Cass may both be out of time.

In Tracy Clark’s electrifying new mystery featuring Cassandra Raines, the former Chicago cop turned private investigator looks into a suspicious death as a favor to a friend—and makes some powerful enemies . . . Sitting in cold cars for hours, serving lowlifes with summonses . . . being a P.I. means riding out a lot of slow patches. But sometimes the most familiar paths can lead straight to danger—like at Cass’s go-to diner, where new delivery guy Jung Byson wants to enlist her expertise. Jung’s friend, Tim Ayers, scion of a wealthy Chicago family, has been found dead, floating in Lake Michigan near his luxury boat. And Jung is convinced there’s a murderer on the loose . . . Cass reluctantly begins digging only to discover that Jung neglected to mention one crucial fact: Tim Ayers was terminally ill. Given the large quantities of alcohol and drugs found in his body, Ayers’ death appears to be either an accident or suicide. Yet as much as Cass would like to dismiss Jung’s suspicions, there are too many unanswered questions and unexplained coincidences. Why would anyone kill a dying man? Working her connections on both sides of the law, Cass tries to point the police in the right direction. But violence is escalating around her, and Cass’s persistence has already attracted unwanted attention, uncovering sinister secrets that Cass may end up taking to her grave.

Tormented after a daring escape, Cora Sandoval must find a way to stop the Arrazi from murdering innocent people and from violating, using, and killing the Scintilla for their powers. She must also accept one bitter betrayal: Finn Doyle—the Irish boy who has both a piece of Cora's heart and soul—is Arrazi... On the verge of extinction and sought by those who would either consume or destroy them, Cora and the remaining Scintilla survivors must solve the mystery of The Light Key. If they fail, the truth will stay buried forever and mankind will pay the ultimate price. No longer will she hide. No longer will her loved ones be hunted. And she will have her vengeance...even if she shatters her heart in the process.

Seventeen-year-old Ryan Poitier Sharpe is a gutsy, outgoing girl who spends her summer days hurling herself out of planes at her parents’ skydiving center in the Mojave Desert. Fiercely independent and willing to take risks, she challenges those around her to live life fully. But after a brush with death, Ryan is severely altered—she’s not the same thrill-seeking girl she once was and seems to be teetering on the edge of psychosis. As her relationships crumble and her life unravels, Ryan must fight the girl she’s become—or lose herself forever—in this eerie and atmospheric thriller.

ABOUT THE BOOK I've tried to shed some light on a few of the biases that plague our decisions across many different domains, from the workplace to personal happiness.” The Upside of Irrationality is Dan Ariely’s follow up book to his bestselling, Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions. His first book explored the downside of our inherent biases and irrational behavior. The Upside of Irrationality builds on the tenets of the first book, primarily how our reasoning abilities are often usurped by illogical forces. In The Upside of Irrationality, Ariely allows us to be a fly on the wall for his very interesting, hands-on experiments, which reveal how our behaviors and decisions are influenced, leading us to act in irrational ways. The positive spin is Ariely’s belief that if we learn how we really operate, we can then create business models, policies, and personal relationships that are based on that knowledge. The social experiments are well-explained, easily understood, and often reveal surprising truths about how we function. Seriously, we do some things that defy logic! But he shows why we do so; that our behaviors are based on a soup of varying factors. Dan Ariely makes the experiments the “hero” of the book, in that they are a huge focal point of each chapter. The experiments instruct and inform but are never dry, or too “academic” to understand. Nor are they ever boring. Overall, the book provides commentary on irrationality yet remains hopeful. Perhaps someday, our actions, decisions, and business models will be based on an understanding of how we operate rather than ideas that are implemented without any verifiable data. Cases in point: large bonuses and online dating. Both are examples of irrational models that don’t jive with the research that shows what truly motivates a person to work hard on the job nor with how they make a complicated decision, such as who they choose as a mate. Ariely also goes much deeper into his personal experience from a devastating burn accident in his late teens, and how that trauma gave him unique insight to human behavior. Essentially, it was that accident and his observations about pain management and his own behaviors as a recovering patient that led to his deep interest in the subject of behavioral science. There is an upside to being irrational and any rational person would have to agree with Ariely’s conclusion that understanding how we operate, and devising strategies based on that knowledge, will vastly improve our professional and personal lives. EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK “From a rational perspective, we should make only decisions that are in our best interest (“should” is the operative word here). We should be able to discern among all the options facing us and accurately compute their value-not just in the short term but also in the long term-and choose the option that maximizes our best interests.” Yet, we don’t. That’s exactly what makes The Upside of Irrationality such an entertaining read. In a gentle but no-nonsense tone, Mr. Ariely shows, citing his own clever, controlled research experiments, just how irrational humans can be. And most surprising, that it’s not always a bad thing to be that way. From online dating to revenge, from how hard we work at our jobs to how we choose our charitable donations, we learn how our choices and DECISIONS are often influenced by many factors. Ariely capitalizes ‘decisions’ to emphasize the emotional weight imbued in many of our decisions. We do not make decisions as a computer would, taking into account the facts and the most rational course of action. ...buy the book to continue reading!

Tracy Clark

About

Books

Join the club