Just completed – the manuscript for my debut novel, PENANCE (Mystery)

What do you do when you’re down on your luck, working two jobs, and find a computer bag with documents of an investment opportunity?

Justin Sanders—maintenance man by day, bartender at night—lives on a barrier island off the coast of South Carolina, trying to make sense of his life. He had spent time in jail, which cost him his career, his marriage, and his daughters. Justin, former Air Force and airline captain, finds the computer bag, reads through the documents, and meets with a group of stockbrokers. They tell him the documents are evidence of insider-trading and must be turned over to the SEC. One of the brokers is an incredible woman who invites him to lunch. They share a connection, both immediate and compelling, and spend the next few days together.

The mastermind behind the illegal plan learns what Justin has done, and he knows he’ll go to prison if the documents get to the SEC. He sends his experts to eliminate the evidence and kill everyone Justin has talked with. But Justin and his new girlfriend seem to be in the right place at the right time to avoid the hitman … until they aren’t.

PENANCE (76,500 words) is a captivating mystery but also a heartbreaking love story with a stunning ending. It’s where Sheelah Kolhatkar’s Black Edge about insider-traders collides with Laura Dave’s The Last Thing He Told Me.