LJ HOLMES PRESENTS DEAD MAN'S GAMBIT

Today I want to welcome Frank Scully again to my Daily Cover Blog and his SECOND Muse It Up Publishing Cover...this one done by Annie Melton, a truly rare and genuinely talented lady. The first time I saw this cover I decided I was really glad I never got smart enough to understand the strategies behind chess. I mean if your gonna have a bleeding bishop across your chessboard, would you wanna become proficient at it? But then I had a little bit of a sit down with Frank and he gave me a bird's eye view of why Annie chose such a graphically gory game stance for the cover of Frank's Second A DECADE SERIES MYSTERY aptly entitled: DEAD MAN'S GAMBIT. Come along while I share my journey of discovery.


This is a very young Mike Johnson at the beginning of his long life in the law enforcement field, a rookie cop, new to the field with a fire for justice clawing in his belly, like a tiger held by a scarcely controlling hand. Rampant crime is offensive to the newly crowned officer, who wants nothing more than to serve and protect.

His diligence, dedication and hard work bring him up through the ranks. Detective Mike Johnson faces danger and the worst the world produces as part of his every day job. Cops work hard to nail the criminals...only to have their hard work stomped on and cast out the window by tenacious defence attorneys.

This is Mike today. He's survived twenty plus years as a cop, and now he's an Assistant District Attorney...and a good one, who has found a comfortable rut for him to kick back and glide from sleazeball to sleazeball, happily putting them away, making the streets safe.

But all of that is about to make a drastic about face. A man he once put away, but oddly, considers a friend, is killed in prison. It was Mike himself, who'd gathered the evidence seven years ago that convicted Warren Rogga of the brutal killing of his lover and their child.

Warren's death gnaws at Mike like a toothache that won't go away and pulls him back into the crime he thought he'd put to rest back then. It does not take him long to question Warren's guilt, or more to the point, his innocence, but the Justice system while blind is also very stubborn about admitting the possibility it may be fallible.

The rookie, the detective and the ADA cannot let it go, even though the powers that be want him to close his eyes and go back to his comfortable rut. What is he up against?

A baron of the business world...

...or two...

...a congressman with power and a pen that can sign laws to make and break the backs of those he is supposed to serve...

...and a former district attorney, himself now a congressman as well.

Forced to resign and fight the system he has served honorably all these years, Mike's life is placed on the line as he digs into places that do not want the truth to come to light and are willing to cross every line to keep their secrets buried.

Will Mike survive?

Join Frank Scully and Muse It Up Publishing for the answers to these and many other questions. Dead Man's gambit will be released by The Muse It Up Publishing House on June 1, 2011

~BUILDING THE TEACH TO ACHIEVE THE DREAM~