The MacKay Mysteries
Death on the Line
He signed on to map the New World, not solve a cold-blooded homicide. But his dream job just became his worst nightmare…
An outcast with no formal education, Angus MacKay's dream comes true when he sails to the Colonies to assist Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon on their ground-breaking expedition.
However, the contentious Maryland-Pennsylvania border has seen plenty of turmoil following eighty years of skirmishes pitting neighbors against each other. Tensions reach a boiling point when Angus stumbles over a dead body.
When an incompetent sheriff is determined to arrest Angus, the game changes from drawing a line on the ground to defining the line between good and evil. Will he catch the real culprit before it's too late? Or will it be his head in the noose?
From the treacherous crossing of the stormy Atlantic to the wild, untamed wilderness of Colonial Pennsylvania, Death on the Line is a rich, entertaining tale of a moment in American history and a young man's quest to make something of himself—book 1 of The MacKay Mysteries.
Gold Medal – First Place, Historical Mystery, BookFest, 2024
Silver Medal – Second Place, Historical Fiction, Global Book Awards, 2024
Bronze Medal – Third Place, Best Regional Fiction, Mid-Atlantic, Independent Publishing Book Awards (IPPY)
Secret of The Old Tower
A family secret. Two dead bodies. The penalty for murder is death.
In the autumn of 1768, Angus MacKay returned to London full of hope for the future after five years in the American Colonies. Part of a ground-breaking expedition, he expected to arrive home a hero, but his lack of formal education leaves his dreams shattered, the doors to success firmly closed.
Yearning to prove his worth, Angus returns to Scotland, to a childhood home torn apart by rebellion, where he discovers a family he believed dead. When a man plummets to his death as Angus arrives, he is catapulted into intrigue.
Secrets are dangerous, testing loyalties and family ties. It seems everyone has a motive. Who can he trust? Can Angus make sense of it all and unravel a solution? The stakes have never been higher.
Escape from the streets of London to the Scottish Highlands of the 18th century, to a land rich in folk traditions and superstitious locals. Secret of the Old Tower is Book 2 in The MacKay Mysteries.
Sign of Nine Stripes
The third time's a charm. Or so he believes. With an offer of employment in hand, he crosses the Atlantic for the third time. What could go wrong?
1769. Six years ago, Angus followed his heroes to America. Five years later, he returned to London with no prospects and no future. Now, Angus returns to the Colonies, believing his chance for success lies there.
This time will be different. He has a job. His friend, Liam, and an uncle he believed dead are there. And a beautiful Native lass is there. Angus is confident that he's finally on his way to making a life for himself.
But there's an undercurrent of danger running throughout the colonies. Smuggling, protests, and secret organizations are the norm. New taxes and restrictions are being enforced. People are taking sides against each other.
Angus doesn't want to choose sides. But when a dead body is delivered to his employer's home, what choice does he have?
Featuring cameos from legendary figures such as Benjamin Franklin, Sign of Nine Stripes is a novel of liberty and revolution, bringing to life a cast of heroes and events leading up to the American Revolution—book 3 in The MacKay Mysteries.
Traitor in the Lake
Straighten your step, keep your tongue more still, for loose talk bends another’s will.
I know the paths your feet have gone—tread wisely now, ere trust is gone.
Angus MacKay thought he had left danger behind. With a good position, a growing family, and a quiet life in Pennsylvania, the colonies seemed full of promise.
But whispers of rebellion spread across the frontier, secret societies plot in back rooms, and friends demand he join their cause. Having witnessed the result of open rebellion, Angus tries to remain neutral—until he agrees to deliver one coded message. Where was the harm in that?
When the recipient turns up dead and Angus is accused, he and Joel find themselves caught in a web of spies, suspicion, and betrayal. In a world where no one can be trusted, survival may demand more than silence.
Set in the uneasy years between the Boston Tea Party and Lexington and Concord, all is far from quiet in the American Colonies. The MacKay Mysteries continue with danger, deception, and the hidden struggles of a people on the brink of war.