The Paul Manziuk & Jacquie Ryan Mysteries

Three classic mysteries set in contemporary Toronto and featuring a dynamic new police duo.  Each book is more than 125,000 words/ roughly 400 print pages.

“Paul Manziuk and his new partner, Jacqueline Ryan, make an odd team—he’s white, an abrupt, patronizing veteran, while she’s a recently promoted, vivacious black woman.... The two rub elbows and tempers to captivating effect.” Publishers Weekly

Shaded Light: The Case of the Tactless Trophy Wife – Book 1 of the Paul Manziuk & Jacquie Ryan Mystery series

With matchmaking on her mind, Ellen Brodie wants a quiet long weekend with her husband, son, and potential daughter-in-law. But after her husband invites his law partners and their wives, her son brings his devastatingly handsome best friend, and a black sheep nephew drops in, Ellen knows her weekend is going to be anything but enjoyable. When a dead body shatters the serenity of the Japanese garden, it’s time to call 911 and bring in Detective Inspector Paul Manziuk and his head-strong rookie partner, Jacquie Ryan.

“Reminiscent of the best Agatha Christie had to offer.” Midwest Book Review

Glitter of Diamonds: The Case of the Reckless Radio Host – Book 2 of the Paul Manziuk & Jacquie Ryan Mystery series

It’s Toronto in July. There’s an out-of-control baseball player, a frenzied sports media, and a talk-show host who enjoys playing devil’s advocate. The field is set—for murder. After radio talk-show host Stasey Simon asks for a volunteer to knock some sense into the home team’s temperamental new Cuban pitcher, homicide detectives Paul Manziuk and Jacquie Ryan hustle to catch a murderer swinging a lethal bat before the case escalates into an international incident.

“A finely drawn police procedural written in the style of Georgette Heyer, long considered queen of the British mystery genre... appealing characters, creative plot and classic Agatha Christie style writing.”  The Suspense Zone

Shadow of a Butterfly: The Case of the Harmless Old Woman – Book 3 of the Paul Manziuk & Jacquie Ryan Mystery series

Serenity Suites, a luxury Toronto high-rise that caters to seniors who’ve been involved in the arts, seems like a dream retirement residence. But when an elderly woman is murdered in the common room, residents and staff suspect a deluded mercy-killer. As homicide detectives Paul Manziuk and Jacqueline Ryan follow rabbit trails, sorting through half-truths, they begin to suspect that the seeds of this murder were sown sixty years earlier.

“The characters are well etched and the vivid description of the settings gave me a feeling of actually being in the Serenity Suites where the story unfolds. I loved this book and would recommend it to all the mystery lovers.” Femme Time