From the acclaimed author of 2020 Independent Press Awards Distinguished Favorites Clifford's Spiral and Preacher Finds a Corpse. Hank Ellis was murdered in his own home for dissing the cops. Cynical personal-injury attorney Eli Wolff rediscovers his idealism for simple justice when he sues the city for the wrongful death of an unarmed African-American man at the hands of two police officers. Ellis was killed in his own home, choked to death, after angry officers stormed in without a warrant, anxious to teach him a lesson for disrespecting them in front of his neighbors.

A preacher known for surprising results faces a test only doubt can solve in this twist-filled, small-town mystery. Four-time winner in 2022, including Silver in both the Independent Press Award and New York City Big Book Award. The Preacher Evan Wycliff series has won 10 awards in mystery. When Ann Shackleton revives after being declared dead, whispers of divine intervention ripple through rural Missouri. But Reverend Evan Wycliff, reluctant miracle man and part-time sleuth, knows he’s no faith healer. When the town’s most controversial figure — investment banker Stuart Shackleton — is released from jail on a technicality after being charged with the murder of a priest, Evan must confront a conspiracy of bad actors once again. As Evan navigates his duties as a preacher, guardian, and makeshift detective, he’s pulled deeper into a dark-money scheme involving an orphanage, corrupt financiers, and an international sex trafficking ring. The only constant is the moral storm threatening to consume everything he loves—including the fragile trust of his found family. Evan’s journey isn’t just about solving a crime — it’s about questioning miracles, facing down past sins, and choosing the kind of man he wants to be. In a town where every believer has secrets and every sinner a past, the difference between truth and deception is never obvious. Praise for Preacher Finds a Corpse (Evan Wycliff #1) – Winner NYC Big Book Gold, IPA Silver, Eric Hoffer Finalist, NABE Pinnacle Best Mystery This is literature masquerading as a mystery. Carefully yet powerfully, Gerald Jones creates a small, stunning world in a tiny midwestern town, infusing each character with not just life but wit, charm, and occasionally menace. This is the kind of writing one expects from John Irving or Jane Smiley. - Marvin J. Wolf, author of the Rabbi Ben Mysteries, including A Scribe Dies in Brooklyn This is an excellent read. Such an engaging storyteller! It really sucked me in. That last page did cause a triple-take, quadruple-take, and whatever comes after, up to about eight. Jones is definitely one of my favorite authors. - John Rachel, author of Blinders Keepers and The Man Who Loved Too Much Jones manages to infuse a deceptively simple story with suspense, angst, and whimsy, as well as surprise. His command of setting, history, and behavior is beyond exceptional. I can’t wait for the next book in the series. - Paula Berinstein,author of the Amanda Lester Detective series and host of “The Writing Show” podcast Praise for Preacher Fakes a Miracle (Evan Wycliff #2) – NYC Big Book Silver As anyone who’s spent time in a small town the American Midwest knows, there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes than you’d expect. Or suspect. And there are plenty of suspects in the latest Evan Wycliff mystery by Gerald Everett Jones. Preacher Fakes a Miracle haunted my dreams as I read it, in the way that a good story about a bad situation should. I’m looking forward to reading the next installment of the Evan Wycliff mystery series. - Pamela Jaye Smith, Mythworks, Award-Winning Writer-Director-Producer A fast-moving mystery with twists and surprises that take you in unexpected directions.  Jones is adept at creating unique and fascinating characters.  His mystery sleuth is a part-timer with lots of heart who splits his time between religion, skip tracing and sometimes the metaphysical. The hero's search for a missing girl and his interactions with various eccentric individuals in the small town make him both sympathetic and compelling. A bit of a shock to learn what's really going on with the abducted young unwed mother... and amazing how it relates to real stories in the news today. - M.J. Richards, Coauthor of Dishonor Thy Father

Intrigue on the white sands of the Indian Ocean. A lonely widower seeks escape in Kenya — what he finds is temptation, truth, and a second chance at life. Harry Gardner, a recently widowed American publisher in his late sixties, sets off on an uncharacteristic adventure to Kenya, lured by a charming travel arranger and the promise of leisure, comfort, and maybe a little illicit fun. With a soul weathered by grief and a life dulled by routine, Harry seeks escape—but what he finds is a world far more complex, colorful, and morally ambiguous than he imagined. In the sultry rhythms of the East African coast and the pulse of Nairobi’s urban sprawl, Harry’s cushioned notions of retirement, romance, and responsibility are soon upended. At the heart of Harry’s transformation is his relationship with Esther, a captivating Kenyan widow whose motives remain as layered as her beauty. Their connection is tangled in cultural assumptions, power imbalances, and economic dependencies—yet it also pulses with a sincere, if uneasy, desire for mutual meaning. Meanwhile, Aldo, the smooth-talking fixer who drew Harry to Kenya in the first place, seems to have an agenda of his own. As the trio’s paths intertwine, Harry must confront uncomfortable questions: Who is exploiting whom? Can any cross-cultural connection be truly equal? And what does it mean to be generous without being taken for a fool? Told with wit, introspection, and a knowing eye for the absurd, Harry Harambee’s Kenyan Sundowner is part travelogue, part moral inquiry, and part late-in-life coming-of-age tale. It traces one man’s attempt to start over in a world that doesn’t play by his old rules, and his awkward, heartfelt quest to matter again—to someone, to himself, or perhaps just to the passing world. Winner of Multiple Awards in Literary Fiction. Included in the Prize-Winning Literary Fiction Series from LaPuerta Books and Media Harry must come to terms with questions at the heart of his character: Is corruption a fact of life everywhere? Is all love transactional? Harry Harambee’s Kenyan Sundowner is an emotional story of expat intrigue in Africa, reminiscent of The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene and The Constant Gardener by John le Carré. Jones writes with clarity and precision, offering a convincing study of a man taking risks and exploring new relationships with an almost childlike view on the world he's thrown into. Readers looking for engaging contemporary fiction with an emotionally available adult male lead will quickly be pulled into Harry's fast-paced adventure, a memorable (literal) vacation read. - BookLife Reviews

Marriage, corruption, and rubber babes — Rollo Hemphill’s life just went from awkward to illegal.Rollo Hemphill thought he’d won the jackpot — married to the woman of his dreams and newly minted director of a suspiciously generous charity. But bliss turns to blunder when his assistant proves both too beautiful and too helpful, and his “philanthropic” work at the Keppelhoffer Foundation turns out to be a front for a baffling international scam involving erectile dysfunction, Big Pharma, and dirty politics.As Rollo fumbles through marital meltdowns and seductive office encounters, he also begins to uncover a dark corporate secret that could land him in prison — or worse, in therapy. His growing paranoia is justified, especially when he realizes he's the fall guy for a billion-euro money-laundering scheme disguised as medical research.With his signature blend of clueless charm and accidental brilliance, Rollo stumbles, gropes, and hacks his way through a mess of sex, lies, and scandal. Rubber Babes is a biting comic romp through the absurdities of modern masculinity, marriage, and nonprofit corruption. Fans of Woody Allen, Nick Hornby, or Larry David will laugh, cringe, and maybe even cheer as Rollo tries to stay out of jail and in someone’s good graces.In the end, it’s not about whether Rollo will win. It’s about how he will cope with continuing to fail ever upward!This is the hilarious sequel to My Inflatable Friend and the warm-up to the disastrous Farnsworth's Revenge.“Gerald Jones takes puerile to new levels. Just when you thought Rollo was deepening into a rich and thoughtful character, he reminds us exactly what he's made of. "Rubber Babes" is a clever, hysterical, and fun romp which you can read fast, and enjoy secretly. Just don't tell your feminist friends.”-- Magdalena Ball, The Compulsive Reader http://www.compulsivereader.com“Rollicking Rollo is back in action! He's a walking, talking warning about the pitfalls of being a genius. As you follow his merry way into and out of absurdity, you will find yourself looking in a mirror. Learn from Rollo--the only fun teacher of life lessons you will ever meet.”-- Thomas Page, author of The Hephaestus Plague“This is a very funny book by a skilled and confident author. The further adventures of Rollo Hemphill are a welcome respite from the real world but one definitely gets the impression that Jones is making a lot of it up.” -- Morrie Ruvinsky, novelist/screenwriter/film director“Woody Allen meets Nick Hornby in this hilarious beach read. Gerald Everett Jones, who is every bit as clever as Larry David (and has more hair!), has created a witty, literate George Costanza for us to savor. NBC, are you paying attention?” -- Paula Berinstein, producer and host of The Writing Show podcast, http://www.writingshow.com

In the heart of rural Missouri, former physicist-turned-preacher Evan Wycliff is no stranger to mystery—or pain. 2020 New York City Big Book Award – Distinguished Favorite (Silver) in MysteryStill grieving the death of his fiancée and navigating the spiritual minefield of small-town faith, he’s trying to live a quiet life. But when Melissa Benton, a troubled teen mother with epilepsy, is forcibly taken from her sister’s trailer by child welfare officers—and separated from her newborn—Evan’s life of uneasy peace is shattered. He quickly learns Melissa isn’t just another runaway. Her baby may be the illegitimate son of Luke Shackleton, a wealthy banker’s schizophrenic teen heir, now locked away in a questionable mental clinic. Evan’s mission to find Melissa becomes more urgent as he uncovers a chilling web of corruption: a manipulative psychiatrist, complicit clergy, human trafficking masked as adoption, and a mysterious Eastern European syndicate with secrets to keep. Evan’s investigation pits him against power players who consider people like Melissa disposable. His only ally may be Luke, whose psychic connection to Melissa might be real—or madness. To protect them both, Evan must do something he’s never done before—fake a miracle so convincing, it just might save a life. But the deeper he digs, the higher the stakes—and the more Evan questions whether justice can ever come without sacrifice. Blending spiritual suspense, gritty noir, and sharp-witted dialogue, Preacher Fakes a Miracle is a soulful mystery of love, faith, and the lengths one man will go to uncover the truth. Fans of Louise Penny, Julia Spencer-Fleming, and James Lee Burke will find a new hero to root for in Evan Wycliff.“This is literature masquerading as a mystery. Carefully yet powerfully, Gerald Jones creates a small, stunning world in a tiny midwestern town, infusing each character with not just life but wit, charm and occasionally menace. This is the kind of writing one expects from John Irving or Jane Smiley.” - Marvin J. Wolf, author of the Rabbi Ben Mysteries, including A Scribe Dies in Brooklyn

From the acclaimed author of 2020 Independent Press Awards Distinguished Favorites Clifford's Spiral and Preacher Finds a Corpse. In 1945, Milton Reynolds introduced the ballpoint pen to the United States and triggered the biggest single-day shopping riot in history. Reynolds, an exuberant huckster who had already made and lost several fortunes, again became an overnight millionaire and then bragged that he “stole it fair and square.” Milton was a man ideally suited to his time – the post-war boom when the salesman was king and all of the rules had yet to be written. He was an old-fashioned silver-tongued American peddler who would do almost anything – ethical or otherwise – to close a deal. His son Jim was a quiet Boy Scout who couldn't tell a lie – even when he needed to. Mr. Ballpoint is a humorous father-son relationship story, told from Jim's point of view, about coping with Milton’s outrageous schemes, then their sudden success. The conflicts between these two fundamentally different characters drive the comedy of the story.

When your ex-boss’s sex doll goes missing, and you’re the prime suspect, what could possibly go wrong? Rollo Hemphill’s life has never been simple, but now it’s downright surreal. Fleeing Paris after a dubious charity scandal, he’s pulled back into chaos when Hugo Farnsworth’s most prized possession — a lifelike doll who’s been mistaken for a real celebrity — vanishes from his boat in the South of France. Armed with nothing but disguises, bad codewords, and Felicia’s occasional financial lifeline, Rollo must navigate spy games, shady art collectors, and painfully introspective nights in laundromats. Oh, and the doll’s severed ear might just hold the key to international leverage. From the Riviera to the Bosphorus, Rollo chases answers, avoids jail, and maybe—just maybe—learns to grow up.In this outrageous comic caper, Gerald Everett Jones serves up farce, philosophy, and flat-out fun. Farnsworth’s Revenge is a sendup of modern love, scandal, and the wild things we do when the truth is stranger than fiction.Here's how some close observers describe Rollo's improbable misadventures: “On the lam in Paris, computer geek-turned-shamus Rollo Hemphill is on the prowl for a kidnapped blonde. A rich old man’s plaything, this doll has a famous face, legs up to here, and all the right equipment. A soft-boiled dick if ever there was one, Rollo learns too late that as usual, the yolk is on him.”- Marvin J. Wolf, author of For Whom The Shofar Blows and other Rabbi Ben Mysteries“The first requirement to be a fan of Farnsworth's Revenge is an ability to suspend belief. While the scenario of a kidnapped life-size replica inviting international espionage seems far-fetched, the story succeeds in painting a satisfying blend of possibility and madness in a manner designed to attract male readers with an interest in fast-paced espionage stories that hold a healthy dose of angst, witty mishaps and misadventure... Blend all this zaniness with emotional reflections as Rollo strives to reconcile differences between many different factions (not the least of which is his girlfriends) and you have a blend of action, drama, humor, and laugh-out-loud reflections revolving around the male ego and its responses... Don't expect a book that's easily 'pegged': Farnsworth's Revenge provides a read that's out of the ordinary and excels in unexpected twists and turns of plot; all spiced by comedy and hilarious encounters between Rollo and forces that pull him in different emotional and intellectual directions. It's recommended for mature teens (ages 16 and older) as well as adult audiences.” - D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

From the acclaimed author of 2020 Independent Press Awards Distinguished Favorites Clifford's Spiral and Preacher Finds a Corpse. Christmas Karma is author Gerald Everett Jones's homage to Anne Tyler, whom he regards as his literary mother. It's about the travails of a dysfunctional family around the holidays, narrated by an angel who has a wicked sense of humor. Main character Willa Nawicki is bewildered by a series of curious karmic events that literally ring her doorbell during the frantic season, awakening years-old resentments and stimulating ever-more-intense personal confrontations. These bizarre visitations include a grizzled old man claiming to be her father, who has been missing for some thirty years but now says the title to the family home is in his name - and now he wants the place back. As the angel observes, "The surest way to invoke the laughter of the universe is to make plans, particularly devious ones."

In 1892 Paris, Julius Stewart painted The Baptism, a Vanderbilt family scene that contains an embarrassing secret. In the present day, art historian Grace Atwood becomes obsessed with the painting and its hidden clues for reasons that have more to do with her personal ghosts. Either her doting husband is trying to make her think she’s crazy, or she really is in the early stages of dementia. The author says, "Since this book was released, my whitepaper, "Deconstructing the Scandalous Narrative of The Baptism" was featured in the Fall 2016 issue of the prestigious Journal of Art Crime. Readers are curious (as am I), and art curators are not telling, what will happen next in the real-world mystery behind this painting."