Earlier Books in Rocky Bluff P.D. Series Being Re-Released

As you can probably guess by the cover, when I began the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, the plots were much darker than they are now. I'm not sure why, except I was much younger when I wrote the first four. When I began with the first one, I thought it was a stand-alone, but I wanted to know what happened next to the characters I created.

This series has had three publishers--and now Oak Tree Press is bringing out the earlier books.

Fringe Benefits began when I asked my police officer son-in-law if he were to kill off his wife, how would he do it so he wouldn't get caught. He gave me a wonderful idea. The major story is about a very bad policeman, and is kind of about one I used to know--though he didn't kill off his wife. Officer Gordon Butler makes his debut in this book. He's a minor character in other books in the series until he became a favorite with fans of this series.

In No Bells, the latest in the series, Officer Gordon Butler has a starring role. I had a lot of fun with this book  And though it's a mystery with a murder, it isn't as dark as the other two I'm telling you about today. I like to call it a cozy police procedural.

The other book in the RBPD series that Oak Tree Press recently put out is also darker and it's about a missing child. I feel obligated to give that warning because so many don't like to read a book where a child is harmed.

In Smell of Death, Officer Stacey Wlbur is the first on the scene of a grisly murder. In this book, she and Detective Doug Milligan really notice one another as he asks for her help with his investigations.

The idea for this one also came from my son-in-law who said books, TV shows and movies often ignore the fact that dead bodies really smell badly. (I think some have gotten better about showing that since he mentioned that to me many years ago.)

No Sanctuary was the first in the series published by Oak Tree Press. My blurb for this books is: Two churches, two preachers, two wives and one murder.

The romance heats up between Detective Milligan and Stacey Wilbur. And Stacey is threatened. Gordon Butler makes some minor appearances.

Following that one is An Axe to Grind and despite the title, it has some funny spots in it. And yes, the romance continues--and this time it's Detective Milligan who is in danger. Oh yes, Gordon Butler turns up too.

Next come Angel Lost and Stacey is so caught up in marriage plans that she doesn't pay attention to what is going on around her.

This is not a series that has to be read in order--each one is complete though most of the characters pop up in each of the books. All but the first two are now available in the usual places.

Besides going to family weddings and baby showers, I have been busy writing.

Marilyn, who writes this series as F. M. Meredith.

And the Promotion Begins for Angel Lost

Angel Lost is now available on Amazon as a trade paperback--and can be ordered by any local bookstore.

As thrilling as it is to have a new book out, now my real work begins. (Not easy since I'm also working on another book in my other series.)

I'm beginning a book tour starting here today

I'll also be headed that day to give a talk to the Ridgewriters at Ridgecrest CA--the home of China Lake Naval Air Station. I love this group and I'm thrilled to be seeing and visiting with them again.

My official in-person book launch isn't until the last Saturday of the month at a small used book store--Books Off Main--in Porterville.

I loved writing this book. One of the plot lines was suggested by a police officer friend I met through PSWA and another came from something that actually happened in the next town from mine--the appearance of an angel in a store window.

So off I go on another wild ride.

Marilyn

My Police Department

When I first started writing about the Rocky Bluff P.D., I had no idea it would turn into a series. My intention was to show how what is happening on the job affects the police officer's family and what's happening with his family affects the job.

Years ago, we lived in a neighborhood filled with police officers and their families. I coffeed with the wives, our daughter babysat the kids, and on weekend, we all partied together, giving me quite an insight into what went on.

Years later, one of my daughter's married a police officer. After his night shift he loved to come over and tell me what he'd done the night before. He even took me on a department sanctioned ride-along--though I had to promise not to tell anyone I was his mother-in-law. His stories about what went on behind the scenes with his fellow officers and his criticisms of what TV shows get wrong gave me lots of ideas for more stories about the Rocky Bluff P.D.

I chose to make the RBPD a small department in a beach community with scant funds to upgrade the department with either men or modern equipment. This means that the major part of the investigative work the characters in my books do is the old-fashioned kind. Anything else has to be sent out to larger departments.

Though the investigation of crimes is always important in every story, even more important is what is going on in the officers' private lives.

In the next RBPD crime novel, Angel Lost, Stacey Wilbur is busily preparing for her wedding to Detective Doug Milligan. In fact that's all she can think about when she ought to be paying attention to what is going on around her.

I had a great time writing this story, besides Stacey's plight and the danger she finds herself in, there's a man who is exposing himself to women jogging on the beach, Sergeant Navarro's mother shows signs of Alzheimer's, an officer who transferred from LAPD is battling demons, and a mysterious angel appears on the front window of a furniture store every night.

Angel Lost is scheduled to make it's appearance in March. I'm anxious to see how it will be received. So far I've received nothing but glowing reviews.

One thing I always like to say about anyone who might criticize how RBPD operates is that it's my police department and it can do whatever I want it to do.

You can read the first chapters of the other Rocky Bluff P.D. series on my webpage at