The Detective Jake stories are detective novels in which Detective Jake Stalb, his partner, and his co-workers spend their days solving homicide cases. In Detective Jake: The Search for Truth, the case involves a drive-by shooting. The standards of detective novels are all present in the story - crime scenes, evidence, autopsies, suspects, motives, etc. Readers will be led through the crime solving process and, in the end, be told who committed the crime.
     The Search for Truth is my first attempt at such a story. When you read it, you'll find the path to the suspect is easy to follow. One reason for this is to introduce anyone new to crime dramas to the processes involved in solving crimes. In Detective Jake: Ripped, the next book in the series, there will be more suspects, more possible motives, and not enough evidence to make the killer obvious. If you enjoy trying to pick the killer, you can get your refresher course in forensic science and interrogation, as well as your introduction to the homicide team, by reading The Search for Truth. In the novels which follow, put your detective skills to the test.
     The "plus" means my novels are more than just about crimes and cases. I like to use my analytical skills and picking who I think the killer may be, but there's more to a man or woman in law enforcement than their ability to catch a criminal and put them behind bars. My novels are also about the people behind the badge. These people have families, personal problems and triumphs, and are active members of their communities. By sharing the characters lives and backgrounds, I give readers the chance to experience the joys and failures which happen once they leave the office.
     By combining the professional and personal lives of the characters, they become more real. Some people have told me they can more closely associate with the characters when they read about them doing normal, every day things. I agree. It's better to read about the interactions between a husband and wife and be able to see the depth of their love than it is to read a couple sentences which say things such as "Jake really loves Clarissa". While, hypothetically, I could write that "Detective McCoy works just as hard at the homeless shelter on her weekends off", I think it better demonstrates her compassion for people by writing a more detailed account of her weekend work.
     The main focus of the novels is still the homicide and the steps taken to find the killer. The rest adds something extra so readers can learn more about what motivates each character.