Nick Kolakowski's Blog
September 15, 2025
What a six months it's been...
Happy six-month birthday to WHERE THE BONES LIE, this little novel that could, the culmination of everything I’ve absorbed from a couple decades in the basement of mystery/thriller fiction! It’s continuing to churn merrily along, finding new readers and listeners, and I couldn’t be happier with how the adventures of Dash and Madeline turned out…
I’m also 100 pages into writing the sequel and waiting for a green light from my editor, so if you haven’t read it yet, now might be a great time to pick up a copy… those kinds of numbers help make it easier for a publisher to pull the proverbial trigger. :)
I’m also 100 pages into writing the sequel and waiting for a green light from my editor, so if you haven’t read it yet, now might be a great time to pick up a copy… those kinds of numbers help make it easier for a publisher to pull the proverbial trigger. :)
March 12, 2025
WHERE THE BONES LIE Is Out!
WHERE THE BONES LIE, my California detective thriller, is out in the world! This one's been a long time coming, and I'm excited for readers to discover Dash and Madeline as they try to solve one of the country's most infamous missing-persons cases.
The Penguin Random House website has the links to your booksellers of choice. I'm also a huge fan of shopping indie and local, so Bookshop.org is also a great site for your bookbuying needs. If you're an audiobook fiend, of course, Amazon and Audible can likewise give you what you're looking for.
As I broke down in a new CrimeReads column, this book draws quite a bit from my years as an entertainment journalist lurking around L.A. and Vegas; it’s also an homage to the Chandler and Hammett novels I devoured as a kid. There are also a lot of 21st century themes amidst the murder and mayhem—we’re touching on climate change, wildfire, toxic celebrity, and more. I’d love for you to give it a read and let me know what you think!
The Penguin Random House website has the links to your booksellers of choice. I'm also a huge fan of shopping indie and local, so Bookshop.org is also a great site for your bookbuying needs. If you're an audiobook fiend, of course, Amazon and Audible can likewise give you what you're looking for.
As I broke down in a new CrimeReads column, this book draws quite a bit from my years as an entertainment journalist lurking around L.A. and Vegas; it’s also an homage to the Chandler and Hammett novels I devoured as a kid. There are also a lot of 21st century themes amidst the murder and mayhem—we’re touching on climate change, wildfire, toxic celebrity, and more. I’d love for you to give it a read and let me know what you think!
January 13, 2025
WHERE THE BONES LIE excerpt and more
Hey everyone!
I've got some nifty stuff for you as we ramp up to the March release of WHERE THE BONES LIE, my new mystery novel from Datura.
If you want to read an excerpt from the book, especially one featuring illegal guns and spooky skull masks, head on over to Criminal Element for an exclusive chapter peek.
We have some early reviews, too: Steve Stred calls it "a very strong cat-and-mouse game... full of humor, action and clues, the pace was frantic and it wasn’t long before I was fully immersed. Even when things were moving along and I thought for sure that I knew what was going on, a new wrinkle would arrive and I’d have to rethink everything I thought I knew."
Best Thriller Books seemed to like it, too: "A riveting ride through the gritty streets of L.A. with memorable characters involved in numerous twists and turns, which compel you to solve the mystery. Be warned, you will have to dive inside Dash’s mind and wrestle with his pain, suffering and sardonic rage. Noir thrillers have never been better!"
I was also on the Dark Waters Podcast recently, talking not only the book but also crime fiction in general, the best way to judge whether your story will hold the reader's attention (I'm not going to spoil anything, but it involves walking to your nearest, loudest bar), and much more!
I'm grateful for everyone who's taken the time to read, review, and comment on the book, including all the wonderful folks on Goodreads. Thank you so much for making this ramp-up to publication really fun!
I've got some nifty stuff for you as we ramp up to the March release of WHERE THE BONES LIE, my new mystery novel from Datura.
If you want to read an excerpt from the book, especially one featuring illegal guns and spooky skull masks, head on over to Criminal Element for an exclusive chapter peek.
We have some early reviews, too: Steve Stred calls it "a very strong cat-and-mouse game... full of humor, action and clues, the pace was frantic and it wasn’t long before I was fully immersed. Even when things were moving along and I thought for sure that I knew what was going on, a new wrinkle would arrive and I’d have to rethink everything I thought I knew."
Best Thriller Books seemed to like it, too: "A riveting ride through the gritty streets of L.A. with memorable characters involved in numerous twists and turns, which compel you to solve the mystery. Be warned, you will have to dive inside Dash’s mind and wrestle with his pain, suffering and sardonic rage. Noir thrillers have never been better!"
I was also on the Dark Waters Podcast recently, talking not only the book but also crime fiction in general, the best way to judge whether your story will hold the reader's attention (I'm not going to spoil anything, but it involves walking to your nearest, loudest bar), and much more!
I'm grateful for everyone who's taken the time to read, review, and comment on the book, including all the wonderful folks on Goodreads. Thank you so much for making this ramp-up to publication really fun!
August 21, 2024
WHERE THE BONES LIE
A quick but weighty update: my next novel, a California detective thriller titled WHERE THE BONES LIE, is coming out March 2025 via new crime imprint Datura. Pre-orders are up on the Penguin Random House website, with the links of your choice (Amazon, Bookshop.org, etc.). I’d love it if you pre-ordered, as that has an impact on the size of the eventual print run!
What’s the book about? Glad you asked! Here’s the official publisher description:
TL;DR version: Spooky clues! Existential dread! Wildfires! A mysterious figure in a skull mask!
If you're a book reviewer, Datura is also providing a handy form you can use to quickly and easily sign up for ARCs, if you feel so inclined! (Please feel so inclined... the more reviews, the merrier. :))
What’s the book about? Glad you asked! Here’s the official publisher description:
For Dash Fuller, Hollywood’s underbelly is home sweet home. He’s spent years helping disappear the film industry’s worst secrets, and it’s left him a cynical burnout who loves bourbon a little too much. But when a young woman named Madeline Ironwood comes to him with a peculiar quest, Dash sees a chance at redemption.
Madeline is the daughter of Ken Ironwood, a notorious smuggler and murderer who disappeared 20 years ago. Ken’s skeleton was recently discovered in a barrel at the bottom of a dried-up lake, and Madeline wants to know who killed him. Dash agrees to help, and as this desperate daughter and jaded cynic claw their way through a world of sun-bleached secrets, crooked cops, and Hollywood thugs, they soon uncover a massive conspiracy involving some of L.A’s most powerful people…
TL;DR version: Spooky clues! Existential dread! Wildfires! A mysterious figure in a skull mask!
If you're a book reviewer, Datura is also providing a handy form you can use to quickly and easily sign up for ARCs, if you feel so inclined! (Please feel so inclined... the more reviews, the merrier. :))
January 1, 2023
MADAM TOMAHAWK is here!
Happy New Year, everyone! We're starting 2023 off with a bang with MADAM TOMAHAWK, the next book in the long-running "Grifter's Song" series from Down & Out Books. In this episode, our fabulous con artists, Sam and Rachel, accidentally end up giving a master class in how to hide a gruesomely dispatched body.
They've barely managed to clean off the blood when they're quickly embroiled in a power struggle with the shadowy elite of the nation’s capital. Can Sam and Rachel match wits with these hidden movers and shakers? Or will they find themselves crushed underfoot? MADAM TOMAHAWK is available on Kindle and KindleUnlimited, with a paperback edition (complete with other episodes) dropping later this year!
They've barely managed to clean off the blood when they're quickly embroiled in a power struggle with the shadowy elite of the nation’s capital. Can Sam and Rachel match wits with these hidden movers and shakers? Or will they find themselves crushed underfoot? MADAM TOMAHAWK is available on Kindle and KindleUnlimited, with a paperback edition (complete with other episodes) dropping later this year!
December 13, 2022
GROUNDHOG SLAY is loose!
Before 2020, I didn’t watch many horror movies. I had a few favorites (“The Shining,” of course, along with “Repulsion” and “Psycho”), but I wasn’t an aficionado by any stretch of the imagination.
That changed during the COVID-19 lockdowns, when my interest in the genre suddenly intensified. Maybe it was an outlet for the very real-life fears of an invisible killer in the air. Whatever the root of it, I found myself watching a lot of horror flicks—and writing horror stories. From the outset, I noticed a lot of the movies, particularly those in the slasher genre, were extremely rigid in their structure and plot beats; when I sat down to write, I did whatever I could to subvert those tropes (with mixed effect, I have to admit).
One of my works, a novella titled “Absolute Unit,” came out last year via Crystal Lake Publishing, which is a small press that manages to punch far above its weight when it comes to awards and readership. Another lengthy novella, titled “Groundhog Slay,” is dropping today as part of a mega-sized collection of novellas, titled “MONSTERS.”
As the description reads:
It’s the summer of 1987. Around Lake Legionnaire, locals whisper tales of an unstoppable monster rampaging through the night, killing everyone in its way. But what if the monster’s just trying to stop something far worse—a threat that could destroy all existence? “Groundhog Slay” shows that not all heroes wear capes: sometimes they wear creepy masks, and they’re a little bit too skilled with a chainsaw…
It's an existential horror-comedy... and the most hopeful novella I've ever written. I hope you dig it!
That changed during the COVID-19 lockdowns, when my interest in the genre suddenly intensified. Maybe it was an outlet for the very real-life fears of an invisible killer in the air. Whatever the root of it, I found myself watching a lot of horror flicks—and writing horror stories. From the outset, I noticed a lot of the movies, particularly those in the slasher genre, were extremely rigid in their structure and plot beats; when I sat down to write, I did whatever I could to subvert those tropes (with mixed effect, I have to admit).
One of my works, a novella titled “Absolute Unit,” came out last year via Crystal Lake Publishing, which is a small press that manages to punch far above its weight when it comes to awards and readership. Another lengthy novella, titled “Groundhog Slay,” is dropping today as part of a mega-sized collection of novellas, titled “MONSTERS.”
As the description reads:
It’s the summer of 1987. Around Lake Legionnaire, locals whisper tales of an unstoppable monster rampaging through the night, killing everyone in its way. But what if the monster’s just trying to stop something far worse—a threat that could destroy all existence? “Groundhog Slay” shows that not all heroes wear capes: sometimes they wear creepy masks, and they’re a little bit too skilled with a chainsaw…
It's an existential horror-comedy... and the most hopeful novella I've ever written. I hope you dig it!
December 1, 2022
GROUNDHOG SLAY and MADAM TOMAHAWK
Hey everybody!
So December and January are going to be extra-busy, with two (!!) new releases coming up. I hope you'll add these to your respective Goodreads lists, as they feature a mega-dose of horror and crime fiction goodness to help see you through the beginning of 2023...
MADAM TOMAHAWK is my "episode" in the long-running Grifter's Song series from Down & Out Books. If you've never heard of the adventures of Sam and Rachel, you should totally check them out -- the series has been graced with some amazing authors, including Shawn Cosby, Hilary Davidson, Paul Garth, and more. In my entry, our lovable con artists go to Washington, DC, where they promptly find themselves in over their heads... the Goodreads page is here and Amazon Kindle preorders are up! The book comes out Jan. 1.
Meanwhile, my novella GROUNDHOG SLAY is appearing in the new anthology MONSTERS from Crystal Lake Publishing, due to drop Dec. 15. Here's the summary: "Around Lake Legionnaire, locals whisper tales of an unstoppable monster rampaging through the night, killing everyone in its way. But what if the monster’s just trying to stop something far worse—a threat that could destroy all existence?"
One early reviewer described GROUNDHOG SLAY as "a highly intriguing, oftentimes batshit crazy, story that serves as a sort of meta examination of why horror movie slashers never stay dead and return for sequel after sequel after sequel." Sound intriguing? The Goodreads page is up, along with the pre-order page on Amazon; paperback and hardcover editions are coming in addition to the Kindle version.
I'm excited for you to read these two new novellas!
So December and January are going to be extra-busy, with two (!!) new releases coming up. I hope you'll add these to your respective Goodreads lists, as they feature a mega-dose of horror and crime fiction goodness to help see you through the beginning of 2023...
MADAM TOMAHAWK is my "episode" in the long-running Grifter's Song series from Down & Out Books. If you've never heard of the adventures of Sam and Rachel, you should totally check them out -- the series has been graced with some amazing authors, including Shawn Cosby, Hilary Davidson, Paul Garth, and more. In my entry, our lovable con artists go to Washington, DC, where they promptly find themselves in over their heads... the Goodreads page is here and Amazon Kindle preorders are up! The book comes out Jan. 1.
Meanwhile, my novella GROUNDHOG SLAY is appearing in the new anthology MONSTERS from Crystal Lake Publishing, due to drop Dec. 15. Here's the summary: "Around Lake Legionnaire, locals whisper tales of an unstoppable monster rampaging through the night, killing everyone in its way. But what if the monster’s just trying to stop something far worse—a threat that could destroy all existence?"
One early reviewer described GROUNDHOG SLAY as "a highly intriguing, oftentimes batshit crazy, story that serves as a sort of meta examination of why horror movie slashers never stay dead and return for sequel after sequel after sequel." Sound intriguing? The Goodreads page is up, along with the pre-order page on Amazon; paperback and hardcover editions are coming in addition to the Kindle version.
I'm excited for you to read these two new novellas!
October 31, 2022
Just in time for Halloween: BEACH BODIES out today!
Hi all!
Earlier this year, I started work on a horror novella with a single directive: It had to shock. It had to be so weird, wild, and out-of-control that no conventional publisher would even touch it.
I found the idea compelling, and the end result, BEACH BODIES, is out today on paperback and Kindle. It's about two twentysomething caretakers charged with maintaining a billionaire's secret doomsday bunker on a deserted stretch of beautiful beach. When three weirdos invade the facility, things get really strange... and messy. One early reader described it as a "Steve Jobs fever dream with 'The Strangers' mixed in," which fits perfectly.
If you're a horror buff, you'll dig two of the sequences in here, which feature gory and inventive kills. If you're not a horror buff, those sections might not be for you, but there are a number of suspenseful sequences I'm proud of, as well as some deep dives into genetics, deep history, and the nature of morality that might make you think.
So, if you're in the mood for some prime Halloween reading, here it is! I dearly hope you enjoy it.
Earlier this year, I started work on a horror novella with a single directive: It had to shock. It had to be so weird, wild, and out-of-control that no conventional publisher would even touch it.
I found the idea compelling, and the end result, BEACH BODIES, is out today on paperback and Kindle. It's about two twentysomething caretakers charged with maintaining a billionaire's secret doomsday bunker on a deserted stretch of beautiful beach. When three weirdos invade the facility, things get really strange... and messy. One early reader described it as a "Steve Jobs fever dream with 'The Strangers' mixed in," which fits perfectly.
If you're a horror buff, you'll dig two of the sequences in here, which feature gory and inventive kills. If you're not a horror buff, those sections might not be for you, but there are a number of suspenseful sequences I'm proud of, as well as some deep dives into genetics, deep history, and the nature of morality that might make you think.
So, if you're in the mood for some prime Halloween reading, here it is! I dearly hope you enjoy it.
August 26, 2022
'Hell of a Mess' is Out Today!
They'll make a lot of money... if they don't drown first!
Hello everyone!
“Hell of a Mess,” releasing today from Shotgun Honey, is the fourth book in the “Love & Bullets” series. This time around, lovable scamps/thieves Bill and Fiona aren’t just battling a bunch of crooks and crooked cops—they’re also fighting the elements, namely a massive hurricane sweeping over New York City.
From a flooded downtown Manhattan to a very spooky island off the coast of the Bronx, our thievin’ twosome will need to use all of their highly questionable skills if they want to survive. However, they’ll have help from an unexpected source…
“Hell of a Mess” is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and wherever else fine books are sold. If you haven’t caught up with the “Love & Bullets” series so far, they’re also giving the Megabomb Edition (the first three books combined into one massive volume) away for a limited time!
Hello everyone!
“Hell of a Mess,” releasing today from Shotgun Honey, is the fourth book in the “Love & Bullets” series. This time around, lovable scamps/thieves Bill and Fiona aren’t just battling a bunch of crooks and crooked cops—they’re also fighting the elements, namely a massive hurricane sweeping over New York City.
From a flooded downtown Manhattan to a very spooky island off the coast of the Bronx, our thievin’ twosome will need to use all of their highly questionable skills if they want to survive. However, they’ll have help from an unexpected source…
“Hell of a Mess” is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and wherever else fine books are sold. If you haven’t caught up with the “Love & Bullets” series so far, they’re also giving the Megabomb Edition (the first three books combined into one massive volume) away for a limited time!
July 22, 2022
Two Books Coming Up!
I never intended to write a fourth book in the "Love & Bullets" series, which I thought ended well. Then I got an idea and, well, the idea really stuck with me.
Not all ideas become books, of course, but this one seemed particularly good for a thriller: A heist during the largest hurricane to hit New York City in years. And who better to carry off that heist than my two favorite fictional lovebirds, Bill and Fiona?
Several months of writing and a bunch of editing rounds later, here we are: "Hell of a Mess," coming from Shotgun Honey on August 26th. Pre-orders are available on Amazon and other platforms, of course. I'm proud of this one; I think you'll dig it.
A couple months back, I also wrote a short horror novella titled "Beach Bodies." This one was produced under somewhat odd circumstances; I was noodling on Twitter when I saw an incredible cover created by AA Medina. I bought the cover on a lark... and then I needed a story to back it.
The result was pretty disturbing. I'm serious. There's a trend in horror these days toward the ultra-extreme, and I thought I'd try my hand at it. An early reader described the result as "The Strangers" (a good, creepy movie) mixed with a "Steve Jobs fever dream," which is a pretty good summation. There's a load of humor in it, and I tried to mine some deeper themes around gender dynamics, but, again, it's not for the faint of heart.
You can pre-order it via Amazon; because it's self-published, I'll move it to the usual channels at some point. In the meantime, it's due to drop on Halloween.
If you'd like to add either book to your Goodreads pages, I'd also be indebted! Goodreads encourages other people to pick up a book and spread the word. And in this case, I have two books to promote so, uh, expect a lot of promotion through the rest of the year.
Not all ideas become books, of course, but this one seemed particularly good for a thriller: A heist during the largest hurricane to hit New York City in years. And who better to carry off that heist than my two favorite fictional lovebirds, Bill and Fiona?
Several months of writing and a bunch of editing rounds later, here we are: "Hell of a Mess," coming from Shotgun Honey on August 26th. Pre-orders are available on Amazon and other platforms, of course. I'm proud of this one; I think you'll dig it.
A couple months back, I also wrote a short horror novella titled "Beach Bodies." This one was produced under somewhat odd circumstances; I was noodling on Twitter when I saw an incredible cover created by AA Medina. I bought the cover on a lark... and then I needed a story to back it.
The result was pretty disturbing. I'm serious. There's a trend in horror these days toward the ultra-extreme, and I thought I'd try my hand at it. An early reader described the result as "The Strangers" (a good, creepy movie) mixed with a "Steve Jobs fever dream," which is a pretty good summation. There's a load of humor in it, and I tried to mine some deeper themes around gender dynamics, but, again, it's not for the faint of heart.
You can pre-order it via Amazon; because it's self-published, I'll move it to the usual channels at some point. In the meantime, it's due to drop on Halloween.
If you'd like to add either book to your Goodreads pages, I'd also be indebted! Goodreads encourages other people to pick up a book and spread the word. And in this case, I have two books to promote so, uh, expect a lot of promotion through the rest of the year.
