Andy Straka's Blog
July 25, 2020
First In A New Series
SPLIT CITY
by Andy Straka
https://www.amazon.com/Split-City-Jes...
Murder sees double in the Catskills when former pro bowler Billy Gills finds himself summoned to the Partridgeberry County morgue to identify the body of his identical twin brother Bo. Billy is the proprietor of Split City Lanes, a classic hometown bowling alley, located in the charmingly rundown, lakeside town of Twin Strikes. Partridgeberry and Twin Strikes are peopled by a hearty band of upstaters and oddball characters—an unlikely setting for murder. But Bo is the founder of TreadBo, a successful specialty bowling shoe manufacturer; he is famous for his quirky sense of fashion, fitness fanaticism, and unusual hobbies, which may have gotten him into trouble. Not to mention, Billy has some demons of his own to slay. Fortunately, Split City Lanes is also home to "Jesus Spares", a church service, bowling, and social gathering where almost anything can happen. Billy may need every ounce of faith he has to discover the truth about himself and his eccentric twin brother.
"An enjoyable, fast read, with great characters and an enticing overall plot." -- bambooreading
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PRAISE FOR THE NOVELS OF ANDY STRAKA
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"Atmosphere, vivid setting...intriguing plot and characters you feel in your bones [make for] a compulsively readable, gripping thriller." -Julia Spencer-Fleming
"Highly recommended." -Michael Connelly
"Storytelling as strong as talons. Once [Straka's] got you, he never lets go." -Rick Riordan
"Fast-paced, twisty, and complex." -Booklist
"A first-rate thriller." -MysteryScene
"A great read." -Library Journal
"A rising star in crime fiction." -Publisher's Weekly
"As an avid reader of mystery and suspense, this is a series I will visit again and again. [The] writing is in the moment, real and draws the reader in...a highly enjoyable reading experience!" --Cozy Cat Reviews
"Witty, sharp, and flesh-and-blood real." -Jeffery Deaver
"A book this good, and this original, helps remind me why I started reading mysteries in the first place..." -Steve Hamilton
by Andy Straka
https://www.amazon.com/Split-City-Jes...
Murder sees double in the Catskills when former pro bowler Billy Gills finds himself summoned to the Partridgeberry County morgue to identify the body of his identical twin brother Bo. Billy is the proprietor of Split City Lanes, a classic hometown bowling alley, located in the charmingly rundown, lakeside town of Twin Strikes. Partridgeberry and Twin Strikes are peopled by a hearty band of upstaters and oddball characters—an unlikely setting for murder. But Bo is the founder of TreadBo, a successful specialty bowling shoe manufacturer; he is famous for his quirky sense of fashion, fitness fanaticism, and unusual hobbies, which may have gotten him into trouble. Not to mention, Billy has some demons of his own to slay. Fortunately, Split City Lanes is also home to "Jesus Spares", a church service, bowling, and social gathering where almost anything can happen. Billy may need every ounce of faith he has to discover the truth about himself and his eccentric twin brother.
"An enjoyable, fast read, with great characters and an enticing overall plot." -- bambooreading
-------------------------------------------------
PRAISE FOR THE NOVELS OF ANDY STRAKA
-------------------------------------------------
"Atmosphere, vivid setting...intriguing plot and characters you feel in your bones [make for] a compulsively readable, gripping thriller." -Julia Spencer-Fleming
"Highly recommended." -Michael Connelly
"Storytelling as strong as talons. Once [Straka's] got you, he never lets go." -Rick Riordan
"Fast-paced, twisty, and complex." -Booklist
"A first-rate thriller." -MysteryScene
"A great read." -Library Journal
"A rising star in crime fiction." -Publisher's Weekly
"As an avid reader of mystery and suspense, this is a series I will visit again and again. [The] writing is in the moment, real and draws the reader in...a highly enjoyable reading experience!" --Cozy Cat Reviews
"Witty, sharp, and flesh-and-blood real." -Jeffery Deaver
"A book this good, and this original, helps remind me why I started reading mysteries in the first place..." -Steve Hamilton
May 24, 2017
On Cancer, Vulnerability, and Action Heroes
As some of you may have heard by now, earlier this year I was diagnosed with stage III prostate cancer. I began hormone treatment seven weeks ago, and a week from tomorrow I will undergo a high dose brachytherapy (internal radiation)procedure at the University of Virginia Emily Couric Cancer Center followed by five weeks of external beam radiation.I'm told my prognosis is good. While the tumor is aggressive and locally advanced, scans have revealed no evidence of metastatic disease, and the c...
December 9, 2016
August 20, 2015
Trump With Eagle
Okay, so all politics aside, this has got to be one of my favorite photos of all time from Time Magazine.I burst out laughing when I saw it. Photoshopped? Maybe. Maybe not. Trump is holding the eagle on his left hand, as a falconer would, and he appears to be using a genuine falconer's glove, although it has a shorter cuff than the eagle gauntlet most falconers handling such a large raptor would wear. The Donald appears to be doing his best to look comfortable while stifling a grimace,
May 29, 2015
A Witness Above
4 days only $0.99-Brash Books is running an ebook
sale on my first novel, #1 bestselling PI novel A Witness Above, first in Shamus Award-Winning series from Brash Books. http://www.amazon.com/Witness-Above-F... …
sale on my first novel, #1 bestselling PI novel A Witness Above, first in Shamus Award-Winning series from Brash Books. http://www.amazon.com/Witness-Above-F... …
March 24, 2015
March 18, 2015
March 16, 2015
New Publisher For Pavlicek Novels
With all the discussion and disagreement in writing circles these days, one thing remains clear. The book publishing landscape continues to change. It’s my good fortune to have first been published by a large New York house. Since then, many of my books have continued to be published by some fantastic smaller presses. But I was alsofortunate to reacquire the rights to my award-winning Frank Pavlicek private eye novels before ebooks began to take over a sizeable percentage of the crime
