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A Trace of Gold
(Originally published as Bright and Yellow, Hard and Cold)
In “A Trace of Gold” (formerly published as “Bright and Yellow, Hard and Cold”), forensic scientist Sean McKinney embarks on a dangerous mission to catch a serial killer targeting associates of the Barker-Karpis gang from the 1930s. With his determination to exonerate an innocent man, McKinney puts his own life in jeopardy and must navigate a corrupt system to bring the true killer to justice.
The novel takes readers on a journey through two eras of Chicago crime, from the gritty underworld of the 1930s gangsters and gun molls to modern-day Chicago. Blending crime fiction with historical fiction, “A Trace of Gold” offers a vivid portrayal of the city’s criminal past and present, with a thrilling plot full of twists and turns. As the body count rises, McKinney risks becoming the next victim in the killer’s deadly game.
” A story this complex is hard to pull off, but author Chapman has the right stuff. A former forensic scientist himself, he knows that in a good novel crimes aren’t committed by cardboard characters, and they aren’t solved by them, either. The best fiction reveals great truths, and there are plenty to be had in Bright and Yellow, Hard and Cold. My favorite comes from McKinney: “Law is man’s attempt to civilize society. Science is man’s attempt to reveal truth. Forensic science, then, is the intersection of civilization and truth.””—Betty Webb, Mystery Scene
“Chapman brings scientific realism and very human passions to work in his first novel, a thoroughly engaging thriller.” —Steve Steinbock, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
“…combines the author’s trademark forensic authenticity with a vivid historical mystery to offer compelling portraits of Chicago crime in two eras.” —Linda Landrigan, Editor of Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine
“Chapman…blends his expertise in analyzing evidence with a cunning plot. [He] obviously knows his stuff, from what happens at the bench in the lab through what happens in court, a stark contrast to many mystery writers who just skirt along the edges of forensics… [he] also knows his history and vividly brings to life the old Karpis/Barker bank-robbing gang of the 1930s…McKinney is a complicated hero, absolutely at home fighting the system. An intriguing and enlightening read.” —Connie Fletcher, Booklist
“Bright and Yellow, Hard and Cold has a unique crime story to tell, keeps it gripping, and makes one wonder what Mr. Chapman has up his sleeve for the next novel.” —James Burt, ForeWord Reviews
“In its simplest, this is Chapman’s ode to the forensic scientist, but if you dig deep there are facets of Bright and Yellow, Hard and Cold that will have you questioning what effect greed has on us all.” —Alan Senatore, Cold Hill Review
The Blue Silence
In “The Blue Silence,” forensic scientist Sean McKinney faces one of his toughest challenges yet when he’s called upon to help find his daughter’s missing college roommate. Struggling to adjust to being an empty nester, McKinney travels to New Orleans to investigate, but when his own daughter is kidnapped, he’ll stop at nothing to bring her home safely.
The novel seamlessly transitions from modern-day Chicago to the Reconstruction Era in Louisiana, offering a glimpse into the state’s haunting past and the dark secrets that still lurk in its murky waters. In this gripping crime story, McKinney must venture into the treacherous Louisiana swamps to face a deranged killer in a heart-pounding finale that takes readers on a ride through the dangerous bayou, where the most deadly predators aren’t always the gators.
“Loved the setting in New Orleans and the backstory about the manuscript that travels back to another time. A good story, full of selfish, ruthless people and one great dad.“
—Stephanie C, Educator
“I love books that take me from where I am and rocket me into the story within the first two pages. Tim Chapman does that with The Blue Silence. Having got my attention, I devoured the book and particularly enjoyed the quality of his storytelling and the two stories
running in parallel.”
—Kevin B, Reviewer
“I like the way the two tales, three generations apart, are twined together to form a more interesting whole. The bad guy is wholly bad, but the other protagonists are well rounded and sympathetic.
We push the envelope of credibility a time or two but it keeps the adrenaline pumping.”
—Bonnye F, Reviewer
“A good read with a captivating storyline. A book it is difficult to put down. Keeps you enthralled from start to finish.”
—Felicity K, Reviewer
Kiddieland and other misfortunes
“Kiddieland and other misfortunes” takes readers on a wild ride through a series of unconventional and unforgettable tales. From a former hit man who must return to his violent ways to save his beloved, to an advertising executive who abandons her family to live as a forest nymph, to a young girl grappling with the gift of divine power, these stories explore themes of family, class, crime, and love.
The author of “A Trace of Gold” and “The Blue Silence” delivers a collection of engaging and thought-provoking stories that delve into the human psyche. At once familiar and bizarre, the characters in “Kiddieland and other misfortunes” will stay with readers long after they turn the final page. With its blend of humor, suspense, and emotion, this collection is a must-read for fans of literary fiction and short story collections alike.
“Fans of Tim Chapman’s Bright and Yellow, Hard and Cold will rejoice at the return of Sean McKinney. But there is more here. So much more. In this collection of literary gems, Chapman’s powerful writing shines. His deep and touching stories resonate with real emotion. The heartbreaking “What We Do For Love” and “A Flash of Lightning,” the timeless revenge of “Dirty Water,” the tenderness of “The Gentile Grift” — and of course, the gut-wrenching climax of the title story “Kiddieland” — add up to a volume of stories that are so good you’ll want to read them all in a single sitting. But don’t! Savor the complex nuances of each story individually. Then you will truly appreciate what an incredible treat Kiddieland and other misfortunes really is.”
—J. Michael Major, author of One Man’s Castle
“Tim Chapman is a writer’s writer. His prose, his plots, and characters are some of the best you’ll ever see. This guy can WRITE!”
—Libby Fischer Hellmann, author of Nobody’s Child and Set the Night on Fire
“Tim Chapman is equally adept writing in the spheres of sci-fi, horror, mystery, personal relationships, and childhood memories. A rich mixture of stories indeed!”
—Robert Goldsborough, author of Archie in the Crosshairs, a Nero Wolfe mystery
“A riveting collection of accidental heroes, the lonely and the lost, unexpected cruelties and unlooked-for redemptions…Tim Chapman’s tales in Kiddieland and other misfortunes draw you in from the first page and don’t let you go.”
—D. M. Pirrone, author of Shall We Not Revenge and No Less In Blood
The Rich and the Dead
Selected by Nelson DeMille, The Rich and the Dead is a collection of mystery/thriller short stories focused on the wealthy upper echelons from some of today’s top writers.
The truly wealthy live in another world. From their multi-national businesses to their palatial mansions to their exotic vacations at glamorous places all around the world, they do everything in a big way. And sometimes, that even includes crime. In this anthology, you’ll read about a wealthy writer who plots murder his hopeless agent, an aging actress who clings to her past of wealth and fame, and a spoiled rich boy who steps into dangerous territory with his mean antics, among others. The Rich and the Dead features mystery and crime stories set among the upper crust of society, going behind the scenes of the lifestyles of the two percent of the world that controls sixty percent of its riches–and just how far they’ll go to stay on top.
Featuring stories by Nelson DeMille, Ted Bell, Peter Blauner, Karen Catalona, Tim Chapman, Lee Child, Michael Connelly, Frank Cook, David DeLee, Joseph Goodrich, Daniel J. Hale, Roberta Isleib, Harley Jane Kozak, David Morrell, Carolyn Mullen, Twist Phelan, S. J. Rozan, Jonathan Santlofer, Elaine Togneri, and Angela Zeman.
More Anthologies!
I have stories in both of these fine anthologies!
Taking Flight is a collection from the Blackbird Writers group (of which I am a member) and offers a spectrum of gritty, cozy, modern, and historical stories from: Anne Louise Bannon, Valerie Biel, Laurie Buchanan, Tim Chapman, Amanda Marbais, Sharon Michalove, Tracey S. Phillips, Joy Ann Ribar, Saralyn Richard, and Laurie Stevens.
Tales of the Fantastic from the University of Tampa Press is the 18th volume in the Studies in the Fantastic series, a journal devoted to the speculative, fantastic, and weird in literature and other arts. “Three Things” by Dennis Kaplan; “The Law of Unintended Consequences” by Tim Chapman; “God is Alive and Well Somewhere in the Vicinity of the Andromeda Galaxy” by David Sheskin; “The Children” by Tara Williams; “Between Fire and Water” by James Callan; “Stormy” by Jim Krusoe; “The Truth Extraction” by Carla Ward; “Old Trudy” by Daniel David Froid; “‘The genre’s secret lab’: An Interview with Neil Clarke” by Steven Mollmann; “‘Cut to the bone’: An Interview with Grady Hendrix” by Christina Connor; (Peter Hutchings Award Winner) “Survival and Recovery: Addiction and the Therapeutic Potential of Horror Writing” by Alex Herod; “The Woman Who Buys Children” by Gabriela Rábago Palafox, Translated by M. Elizabeth Ginway and Enrique Muñoz-Mantas
The books on this page can be ordered by your favorite local bookstore
or though the world wide web at:
BOOKSHOP.ORG
BLACKBIRD WRITERS
BARNES & NOBLE
AMAZON