With A Bullet

by Jacki Moss

Cafton Merriepennie is smart, compassionate, loyal, eccentric, and reclusive. He is also the preeminent songwriter in Nashville in the late 1960s. His childhood in a small Alabama town was tumultuous at best, treacherous at worst. When his mama was electrocuted on a honky-tonk stage, fifteen-year-old Cafton was on his own.

Due to his grit and wits, he overcomes all odds and lands in Nashville, determined to fulfill his mama’s dream of becoming famous.

And his plans are successful — until the bodies of three female songwriters who worked in his club are found in his best friend and business partner’s hometown, and the police come knocking on Cafton’s door in the middle of the night and haul away a beaten and bloodied suspect. The spotlight may have shifted to Cafton and his friend in the murder investigation, but nothing is that simple or easy in the music industry.

238 pages, Paperback

First published November 24, 2012

About the author

It all started so innocently. I was laid off my job. I had some time on my hands, and some experience under my belt. But that experience was writing non-fiction: business, healthcare, and economic development. You know the drill.

So I started kicking around the idea of writing fiction, a mystery, to be exact. I had no idea how much work or fun that would be. What do they say about fools treading...?

The culmination of my experiment is a fun, Southern Lit, cozy murder mystery, With A Bullet.

The Wild Rose Press liked it, published it, and the second in the series is in the works.

It all started so innocently, like so many milestones in our lives.

Reviews

[Marilou George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jacki Moss has created an intriguing and insightful portrayal of the music business in Nashville as well as a compelling story of a mother and son who aspire to become famous. New Song Café is an entertaining and thought provoking story of mystery and family drama that will keep you engaged throughout.

Midge Merriepennie had big dreams of going to Nashville and being a Country Music star. Her dreams were derailed along the way and she becomes embroiled in a violent marriage while living in Hulleytown, Alabama with her 10 year old son Cafton. One night her circumstances took a severely violent and unexpected turn. Fearing repercussions from the night's events she packed up her son and herself loaded up the DeSoto and headed for Birmingham, Alabama. Midge and Cafton begin their journey both emotionally and physically as a team determined to make their way and break into the Country Music scene.

The main character Cafton Merriepennie is very loyal to his mother and his friends. He has a true nurturing side that comes into play all throughout the book. He is conscious of the needs of people around him and feeds the homeless on a weekly basic. He also has a strong determination to make a name for himself and his mother and works diligently to achieve his goals. His roommate and friend Bynum is also a significant and meaningful character in this story. The remaining cast of characters have a great sense of realism and are woven into this story in a smooth and calculated way.

The creative descriptions of the South and the history of the area during the times portrayed in the book are detailed and enable you to feel as if you are there. A very interesting element is the country music industry itself and the lengths that are taken to make it big in Music City, USA.

I enjoyed this book very much! It has a strong plot and moves effortlessly as you are drawn into the story.