2024 Rare Bird by Gene Murray NEUF

Arthur McCullough, a part-time detective, is hired by his octogenarian client to investigate the murder of his roommate. It is his adamant contention that the roommate, also an octogenarian named Walter Rupert, was killed during a robbery and that the target of the robbery was a book that had been in Ruperts family for several generations. However, very few people have ever seen the book, it cant be found, and no one seems to know why it is valuable. McCullough, nicknamed Bird because of his appearance and some personal quirks, reluctantly agrees to investigate.In tracking the missing book, he meets some of the best and worst that New York City has to offer. By combining his limited detective skills, luck, and a generous helping of common sense, he is able to find a copy of the elusive heirloom. But even after the book is found, the questions remain; why is the book valuable, and why was Walter Rupert killed? The final explanation of its value involves family hatreds, assassination, and a precious heritage turned sour.

I am a retired special education professional living and writing in upstate New York. This is my second novel published by Wings ePress. Over a long life, Ive been a smiling toddler, a reluctant student, a crossing guard, body surfer, and Mickey Mantle wannabe. I have a family, nuclear in more ways than one, that I care for deeply and worry about in the traditional wee small hours of the morning. They are the star around which my wobbly planet orbits.Writing has become the activity that keeps me balanced in these unbalanced times.