Synopses & Reviews
When sleek Emily Davies begs Elvin Suggs to trail her philandering husband, Nick, it seems like an easy request. Dimond "Di" Redding and Elvin are eager to get started on the first case for their new business, Grapevine Investigations. Along with help from their fellow Vietnam vet, Cobra Glynes, they follow the cheating husband straight to St. Louis' notorious "no tell motel"—The Coral Court. From the start, Di distrusts Emily, a nurse at People's Hospital. She can't explain why she's uneasy, until she spots Emily at the Coral Court Motel, with a well-known plastic surgeon. The mousy desk clerk, Waldo E., knows his "regulars," but he refuses to divulge his secrets to the investigators. When one of his guests turns up dead in her own apartment, he still won't talk, not even to police detective, Reggie Combs. The victim's sleazy landlord is quick to point the finger at Emily's cheating husband. After another body turns up, this time at the Coral Court Motel, Elvin and Di discover there's no escape until they see this twisted case through to the bitter end.
Review
“Applewhite has created an engrossing tale that presents the setting almost as one of the cast of characters. If you like neatly rendered, nicely plotted fiction, you’ll finish St. Louis Hustle in one sitting. For those who know little or nothing about St. Louis, Applewhite’s novel is the perfect gateway to the Gateway City.” —John Lutz, author, Single White Female
Review
"Applewhite isn’t afraid to stretch the boundaries of noir fiction, as when she saddles a glamorous adulteress with the daily care of two young children. These kinds of odd juxtapositions add interest and depth." —Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Claire Applewhite's new novel, The Doctor's Tale, is populated with a cast of compelling characters starting with a young intern, Dr. Thomas Anthony Spezia. Like all good characters, Spezia is at once unique and relatable, worth your time and attention as he tries to learn the ropes at a St. Louis public hospital that serves as a backdrop for mayhem and mystery." —Richard H. Weiss, editor, St. Louis Beacon
Review
"Some of the story is based on well-researched historical facts. Don’t plan on putting it down once you start reading!" —Nancy Smith Gibson, author, Betrayal on the Brazos
Synopsis
Struggling to comprehend his new and sometimes cruel reality involving poverty, disease, drug addiction, and racial tension, the young intern, Thomas Spezia, is not prepared for the rigors of training and the gritty reality of St. Louis City Hospital. When his mentor, Dr. Skelton, assigns the case of Lori Raines, a terminally ill patient, Thomas becomes overwhelmed by her needs and the demands of her philandering husband and so he embarks on a treacherous road to self-discovery that indelibly transforms his life. Everyone has a dream, but every dream has a price. Thomas must answer the question that gnaws at him, day and night: Has the price become too high?
Synopsis
Blending well researched history and exciting fiction, this novel of adventure, danger, and romance begins with an expedition to the remote diamond quarry originally located by the great adventurer Henry Stanley in 1887. The site of the mine is so secluded and dangerous that expeditions are limited to one in 1966 and another in 2010. The fearless explorers face angry pygmies wielding poisoned arrows, unwelcoming wild animals, an unforgiving river, and rebel insurgents who are determined to take any uncovered diamonds.
About the Author
Claire Applewhite, award winning mystery writer and Acquisitions Editor for Smoking Gun Publishing, LLC and Sunflower Press, is a graduate of St. Louis University. Her published books include The Wrong Side of Memphis, Crazy For You, St. Louis Hustle, Candy Cadillac and Tennessee Plates. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. She has served as a Past President of the Missouri Writers Guild and Board member of the Midwest Chapter, Mystery Writers of America. Organizational memberships include the St. Louis Metropolitan Press Club, St. Louis Writers Guild, Sisters in Crime, Ozark Writers League and Active member, Mystery Writers of America. Websites: www.claireapplewhite.com, www.clairedunoir.com, www.smokinggunpublishing.com and www.thesunflowerpress.com