Dead Even

Description

Perfect for fans of Patricia Cornwell, USA Today bestselling author Annelise Ryan's twelfth mystery featuring Mattie Ryan finds the Wisconsin nurse-turned-medicolegal investigator balancing a high-profile investigation with her hectic home life after a local realtor is found with a pool cue through the heart... In her previous career as a nurse, Mattie Winston's job was to keep death at bay. Now, as a medicolegal investigator, she's required to study death intimately-to figure out causes and timing, and help deduce whether it was natural or suspicious. In the case of Montgomery "Monty" Dixon, a well-to-do realtor, there can be little doubt- broken pool cues do not embed themselves. Monty's body is found in the game room of his lavish house, the walls adorned with photos of Monty and various celebrities. But as Mattie and her husband, homicide detective Steve Hurley, both know, money and connections can't protect anyone from a killer. The first suspect is Monty's wife, Summer, who claims to have been at a cooking class at the time. When that alibi is served up as a fake, Summer moves to the top of the suspects list, but is soon joined by Monty's ne'er-do-well son, Sawyer, who has racked up gambling debts he hoped his dad would pay off. Monty's twin brother is engaging in shady financial deals. An affair, a Ponzi scheme, a disputed inheritance...there are as many motives as suspects, and soon Mattie and Hurley have turned up other, possibly related deaths. Balancing a high-profile case with the demands of their increasingly stressful household isn't easy. It'll take all of Mattie's skill-along with a lucky break or two-to stop a killer from racking up another victim...

Annelise Ryan is the author of the Mattie Winston Mysteries, the Helping Hands Mysteries, and the Mac's Bar Mysteries (written as Allyson K. Abbott). Honored by the Wisconsin Library Association as a Notable Wisconsin Author, she has written more than 200 published articles, worked as a book reviewer for Barnes & Noble, and is an active member of Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. She worked for many years as a registered nurse in an ER. Please visit her online at MattieWinston.com

Praise for the Mattie Winston Mystery Series "Rich and multilayered...[Ryan] has a real gift for creating memorable characters and storylines, and not letting the several satellite stories overwhelm her central one. I also found following a death investigator, a job I'd never heard of, to be interesting. There's plenty to enjoy in this novel, and I imagine, plenty to enjoy in this long series." -Mystery Scene on Dead of Winter "The freezing weather and the ominous scenarios Mattie encounters make this a chilling tale of twists and unforeseen happenings, as well as the unrelenting duties Mattie faces while dealing with a normal life. An independent, stubborn, yet feisty protagonist, Maggie is a character others can relate to and acknowledge a kinship with." -New York Journal of Books on Dead of Winter "The indomitable heroine overcomes a crazy quilt of stories and threads to tackle the problems of everyday practical living along with the high-profile crimes she's trying to solve." -Kirkus Reviews on Dead of Winter "Fast-paced...Series fans won't be disappointed." -Publishers Weekly on Dead of Winter "Delightful...Ryan has created an appealing and oh-so-human protagonist. Anyone who has ever raised a child, had a relationship, or juggled a job and a complicated personal life will relate." -Publishers Weekly on Dead in the Water "The forensic details will interest Patricia Cornwell readers...while the often slapstick humor and the blossoming romance between Mattie and Hurley will draw Evanovich fans." -Booklist on Scared Stiff "An entertaining read." -Mystery Scene on Dead in the Water "While blood and guts certainly play a part in [Ryan's] mysteries, her wry writing style also manages to tickle the funny bone for readers." -Wisconsin State Journal "Has it all: suspense, laughter, a spicy dash of romance." -Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author on Annelise Ryan's Mattie Winston series "Gripping...Ryan's flawed characters have enough personal baggage and quirks to make them distinctive. The killer's identity is truly unexpected. This regional series deserves a long run." -Publishers Weekly on Dead Ringer