“Somebody make this a TV Series”

STAFF PICK, BOOKPEOPLE, AUSTIN, TEXAS

DAUGHTERS OF BAD MEN 

Private Investigator Jamie Rush vowed never to mix business and family.

Her chaotic childhood as the daughter of con artists provided a master class worth of insight—experience she uses to work her own cases.  Jamie’s making ends meet working with her partner, Cookie Hinojosa, in the coastal town of Port Alene, Texas. 

But old demons return with her latest missing person’s case—finding her own niece. 

When Jamie’s estranged brother calls to report his daughter is missing, Jamie has reservations. Her niece, Kristen, has always been a bit wild, frequently dropping off the grid then showing up a few days later. But he swears this time is different, and even though Jamie vowed years ago to keep her conniving sibling at arm’s length, she can’t walk away if Kristen could be in real trouble.

As Jamie digs into Kristen’s life, she uncovers her niece’s most guarded—and disturbing—secrets, forcing Jamie to confront a family legacy she’d fought hard to escape. But each new clue pulls her deeper down a dangerous path. With her partner Cookie by her side, Jamie must confront a truth that puts a target on her back and endangers the lives of those she loves.

AGATHA NOMINEE FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL

KILLER NASHVILLE CLAYMORE FINALIST

WRITERS’ LEAGUE OF TEXAS AWARD FINALIST

Book Reviews

“For her first foray into full-length fiction, Laura Oles has demonstrated that her fictional eye is every bit as accurate as her camera lens. Well deserving of earning a place as a Killer Nashville Claymore Award finalist, Daughters of Bad Men is a solid tale, well told, and a promise of more to come from Jamie Rush.”

KILLER NASHVILLE

“A debut that is sharp, funny, containing characters that pop.  Somebody make this a TV series.”

STAFF PICK, BOOKPEOPLE, AUSTIN, TEXAS

“Compelling and deeply moving, DAUGHTERS OF BAD MEN is a study of the tangled family ties that bind. An absolute page-turner.”

GRETCHEN ARCHER, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE DAVIS WAY CRIME CAPERS

“In Daughters of Bad Men, Laura Oles gives us PI Jamie Rush, a hero whose conscience is as strong her ability to con. With nonstop action, complex characters, and a fresh voice, Daughters of Bad Men is a gripping debut.”

WENDY TYSON, AUTHOR OF BITTER HARVEST

“A gritty and suspenseful tale of murder and betrayal, Daughters of Bad Men introduces PI Jamie Rush, a streetwise survivor who has walked on both sides of the law. When Jamie goes looking for her missing niece, she finds herself in the middle of a brutal turf-war that will test the bonds of friendship, family, and sisterhood. A five-star debut from Laura Oles!”

ELIZABETH BUHMANN, AUTHOR OF LAY DEATH AT HER DOOR

“A story you’ll pick up for the vibrant scenery and keep reading for the gripping drama”

INDIES TODAY

DEPTHS OF DECEIT

Awarded Best Mystery by Indies Today

Two sisters.
One deadly secret.
No time to lose. 

PI Jamie Rush has her hands full with small-time skip-tracing and surveillance jobs in Port Alene, Texas. The work is steady, though she still struggles to make ends meet. But when her partner, Cookie, brings in a low-paying and potentially time-consuming case, Jamie takes it on out of loyalty.

Cookie’s childhood friend, Renata, needs to find her younger sister, Leah. As Jamie digs into Leah’s past, it becomes clear that the missing woman’s life was shrouded in secrets, the kind that could jeopardize those involved in the case.

To complicate matters, PI Alastair Finn has returned, and he’s willing to reclaim his town by any means necessary. Jamie has never been one to retreat, and Alastair enjoys a good fight. Sparks will fly.

A missing woman. Felonies. Finn’s return. Every twist reminds Jamie that she’s still an outsider in this town. Jamie must prove herself all over again, and the stakes have never been higher.

Book Reviews

"If you can't make it to the Texas coast, just crack open the latest Jamie Rush novel and visit Port Alene. You'll be hooked from the start...and just like a trip to the beach, you won't want it to end."

BEN REHDER, AUTHOR OF THE BLANCO COUNTY AND ROY BALLARD MYSTERY SERIES

"Laura Oles gets everything right in DEPTHS OF DECEIT, from a mystery spiked with enough hairpin turns to leave readers dizzy to a deeper understanding of the intensely likable Jamie Rush. I love a crime story with brains and heart, and I devoured this one—I dare you to try to put it down."

LYNDEE WALKER, AMAZON CHARTS BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF NOWHERE TO HIDE

“With its engaging characters and fast-moving plot, this is an excellent follow-up to the series’ debut.”

KAREN SIDDALL READS

ANTHOLOGIES

 
 

The Great Filling Station Holdup 

In The Great Filling Station Holdup, editor Josh Pachter presents sixteen short crime stories by sixteen popular and up-and-coming crime writers, each story based on a song from one of the twenty-nine studio albums Jimmy has released over the last half century. If you love Jimmy’s music or crime fiction or both, you’ll love The Great Filling Station Holdup. Mix yourself a boat drink, ask Alexa to put on a buffet of Buffett tunes, kick back, and enjoy!

Texas mystery author Kaye George describes Oles’ story, “Everybody’s on the Run,” as, “truly one of the best mystery stories I’ve read.”

Denim, Diamonds & Death: A Bouchercon Anthology

Denim, Diamonds and Death offers a fine collection from authors supporting the 50th Anniversary of the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention in Dallas, Texas.

Here are fifteen stories that run the gamut from heists to revenge, intricate plots to secrets uncovered, and more than a few tales that defy easy classification.

Proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the 2019 Bouchercon’s official charity, Literary Instruction for Texas (LIFT).

Edited by Rick Ollerman with stories by Carole Nelson Douglas, John M. Floyd, Dana Haynes, Thomas Luka, Michael Allan Mallory, Angela Crider Neary, Laura Oles, Josh Pachter, John Shepphird, Debra Luttanzi Shutika, Julie Tollefson, Tim P. Walker, Robb White, Kenneth Wishnia, and Mark Wisniewski.

Mystery Most Geographical

The Malice Domestic anthology series returns with a new take on mysteries in the Agatha Christie tradition -- 30 original tales set around the globe! Also features a new Foreword by Nancy Pickard.

Laura’s story, “Island Time,” was chosen to be included in this collection of stories set in different locales all over the world.

FOR EVERY EVIL UNDER THE SUN: STORIES

“With her firm sense of setting and a storytelling pitch others would kill for, Laura Oles explores the dynamics of seriously dysfunctional families. Her sibling and parental relationships show the conditions of unconditional love.”

SCOTT MONTGOMERY, EDITOR OF “AUSTIN NOIR”

Three distinct voices. One shared truth: nothing stays buried forever.

In this gripping collection of nine literary suspense stories, three women writers explore the fragile boundary between ordinary life and the darkness that lurks just beneath it. Taut, lyrical, and quietly unsettling, For Every Evil Under The Sun is a testament to how women carry grief, danger, and desire—and what happens when those forces break through.

From a crumbling childhood home and a silent beach stalked by an unseen presence, to a dusty Texas ranch soaked in blood and betrayal—each tale peels back the surface of ordinary lives to reveal the darkness pulsing underneath. A Vegas showgirl with one last score. A dream shattered in a city of stars. Two women lost in a maze of suburban perfection. A family secret buried beneath generations of silence.

Together, these authors weave a tapestry of suspense that spans continents and generations, proving that no matter where you are or who you are, the darkest corners of the human experience are never far away. They ask: What do we do when the past won't stay dead? When safety is just an illusion? And what happens when women step out of the roles the world has written for them? Lyrical, bold, and deeply atmospheric, For Every Evil Under The Sun lingers long after the final page.

DaY of the DaRK: Stories of Eclipse

A collection of short stories edited by award-winning mystery author Kaye George. In Laura’s short story, Ocean’s Fifty, a man leaves corporate life behind for a simple life in the idyllic island town of Port Aransas, Texas. His world is turned upside down when one simple act of kindness brings a chilling cascade of unintended consequences.

Reviews

“This anthology of 24 mysteries offers a mix of settings, themes and characters, all of them linked to the solar eclipse. I enjoyed every minute of the book, and kept reading long after “lights out”.
Each story reveals what’s hidden in the dark, either darkness in the mind and heart or the simple darkening of the sky as the eclipse progresses. The authors explore myths and madness connected to the eclipse as it sweeps across the country. The Day of the Dark brings strange creatures and murderous intent out of the shadows - you never know if you’re reading a story told by a madman, a murderer or just some poor soul swept up into the craziness…
You can’t go wrong with this book – buy it already!”

K.M. ENGLISH

DaRK of the DaY: Stories of Eclipse

An anthology of stories to celebrate the April 2024 eclipse in North America. These stories are located in various places and are even of various genres and themes. What they have in common, besides featuring eclipses, are that they are all written by brilliant authors and will all entertain you. Read them before the eclipse, to get into the mood, or after, to nostalgically remember it.

During the darkness, all manner of things can happen. When people are distracted by this spectacular celestial event, criminals can operate unimpeded, they can also be caught.

Trips to see the event can lead to disaster, or they can save the day. And the science of looking at the sun becomes important when a partner strays.

The event can mean many different things to a disaster cult, to drug-dealing Russians, to an artist striving for his grand opus.

It spreads across the country to, maybe, give confirmation to a program to analyze the universe, to give a gift to a mermaid in an abandoned water park, to show what the crazy guy at the fast food place is really like, to help a young girl find her way.

As a not-so-clever crime goes awry, a hike to view the spectacle is interrupted.

  • Laura Oles has a short story in Kaye George’s new anthology, DARK OF THE DAY: Eclipse Stories. Oles’ story, Echoes of Aquarena Springs, features San Marcos as its setting and includes a nod to the town’s history. The anthology (Down & Out Books, April 1) is being released in time to celebrate the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.

    “This is my first short story project to feature San Marcos, and I loved writing this particular tale,” Oles said. Oles also has a short story in George’s first Eclipse anthology (Ocean’s Fifty, DAY OF THE DARK, Wildside Press, 2017). “I’d like to offer a special thanks to the San Marcos Library team for their assistance while I was researching the history of Aquarena Springs for this project. Their archives are a treasure trove of fascinating history.”

    DARK OF THE DAY is available for order at independent bookstores, including Green Heron Bookshop in San Marcos, Texas. It is also available for order from Bookshop.org (to support indie bookstores), Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. 

Sleuths Just Wanna Have Fun: Private Eyes in the Materialistic Eighties

In Laura’s story, “The Queen of Mean,” PI Frankie Mendez comes to his cousin’s aid when she’s accused of stealing from one of Leona Helmsley’s hotels.

he 1980s saw the first space shuttle lift off, the end of the Cold War, Live Aid, Chernobyl, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the release of the first personal computer, the rise of Reaganomics, the Tiananmen Square protests, and creation of the first designer babies.

At the same time, Cyndi Lauper was “The Voice of the MTV generation,” and girls weren’t the only people who wanted to have fun.

In this rapidly changing environment, private eyes provided clients with legal and extra-legal services, and the stories included here explore the lighter side of sleuthing during the 1980s.

READ A REVIEW >

Private Dicks and Disco Balls: Private Eyes in the Dyn-O-Mite Seventies

In Laura Oles’s short story, Agency, a young female PI catches her first case in Corpus Christi, Texas. 

The Sixties were a time of great cultural upheaval, and that upheaval continued into the 1970s. In the midst of all this, private eyes worked with clients across the generations, from those still clinging to the social mores of Nixon’s “silent majority” to those who embraced the rapid societal changes that began in the 1960s.

From old-school private eyes to the Baby Boomers coming of age and entering the trade, these private eyes will take readers on a funky frolic through the Dyn-O-Mite Seventies.

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Lone Star Lawless: 14 Tales of Texas

Presented by Austin Mystery Writers (AMW), this anthology features some of crime fiction’s top talents along with up-and-coming writers in the genre. This collection of short stories includes a diverse selection of crime fiction, blending historical mystery with gritty noir. There’s something for every mystery lover in Lone Star Lawless.


LAST CALL: A NOVELLA

Jackie Rome is pulled into darkness when she inherits from her estranged father a bar in Colorado Springs called The Rabbit Hole. When she arrives to assess her bequest, Jackie finds herself entangled with an organized crime family and learns she is burdened with a dangerous debt.

Can Jackie save her father’s legacy? Can she save herself? Or… will she disappear down the rabbit hole forever? 

LAST CALL was named a Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Finalist!

READ A REVIEW >

Murder on Wheels, Edited by Ramona DeFelice Long

WINNER OF THE KILLER NASHVILLE SILVER FALCHION AWARD!

This collection of short stories in Murder on Wheels put the pedal to the floor and never let up! Whether by bus, car, tractor, or bike, you'll be carried along at a breakneck pace by the talented Austin Mystery Writers. These eight authors transport you from an eighteenth-century sailing ship to the open roads of modern Texas, from Alice's Wonderland to a schoolbus yard in the suburbs of Dallas. Grab your book, hold on to your hat, and come along for the ride!
Included are:

A NICE SET OF WHEELS, by Kathy Waller
FAMILY BUSINESS, by Reavis Z. Wortham
ROTA FORTUNAE, by V. P. Chandler
MOME RATH, MY SWEET, by Gale Albright
THE WHEELS ON THE BUS GO ROUND AND ROUND, by Kaye George
BUON VIAGGIO, by Laura Oles
APORKALYPSE NOW, by Gale Albright
HAVE A NICE TRIP, by Kaye George
DEAD MAN ON A SCHOOL BUS, by Earl Staggs
HELL ON WHEELS, by Kathy Waller
RED’S WHITE F-150 BLUES, by Scott Montgomery

Reviews

“When you have this many high quality authors spinning tales, you are in for a great time. Each story was unique, and I didn't find a bad one in the bunch. On the contrary, I liked them all. Reading enjoyment doesn't get better than that in a single book! Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.”

BILLY KRING, AUTHOR OF THE HUNTER KINCAID MYSTERY SERIES

“This is a light-hearted (and occasionally black-hearted) collection of short stories built around a theme. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Start at the beginning, with Waller’s evocative piece, "A Fine Set of Wheels." From there, take your choice--historical, humorous, dark and light. Good reading for mystery fans.”

ELZABETH BUHMANN, AUTHOR OF LAY DEATH AT HER DOOR

“A bevy of Austin writers with crime-laden imaginations strut their stuff in a series of varied and delightful stories. A great chance to discover new talents in mystery-writing!”

NANCY G. WEST, AWARD-WINNING MYSTERY AUTHOR