Chris Patchell

Deadly lies, fractured relationships, and a relentless detective fuel this dark psychological crime thriller beneath Sweet Home’s quiet surface. Tragedy strikes the quiet town of Sweet Home, Oregon when star high school athlete, Braden Haines, is discovered dead. As the community reels from this shocking loss, Officer Lacey James is thrust into the harrowing investigation. Following closely on the heels of a recent fatal car accident involving another popular student, tensions run high, as Lacey delves into a tangled web of secrets and lies to uncover the motive behind Braden’s tragic death. As Lacey peels back the layers of deception, she uncovers disturbing clues. Blocked messages, troubled relationships, and hidden desires all point to a chilling reality—a bombshell accusation regarding another missing teen. Fans of Kendra Elliot, Lisa Regan, and Mary Burton will love Kill Her, the riveting fifth installment of the award-winning Lacey James series! ___________________________ Praise for Kill Her: ★★★★★ “Lacey James is a great character, tough and with a probing mind.” ★★★★★ “Patchell kept me on my toes the entire time, forcing me to keep turning the pages in order to find out what happened next.” ★★★★★ “This book has a great case that had cool twists and turns.” ★★★★★ “This is an exciting addition to the Lacey James series.” ★★★★★ “Very fast-moving with lots of twists and turns.” ★★★★★ “I love how work and the personal relationships are intertwined in her books.” ★★★★★ “Lacey James is a detective that cares and does not give up when life comes at her from all sides.” ★★★★★ “The main character, Lacey, is such a strong force that is so persistent.” ★★★★★ “Lacey James is such an awesome character, strong, reliable, determined and tough enough to do what must be done.” ★★★★★ “It’s a gripping, chilling and enthralling read.”

An abandoned child, buried secrets, and a fiercely protective detective collide in this small-town psychological crime thriller set in Sweet Home, Oregon. Readers' Favorite Award for Best Crime Fiction & Wind Dancer Film Award. The discovery of an abandoned child forges a chilling link with an infamous cold case. It’s early morning in Sweet Home, Oregon. Officer Lacey James speeds down an empty highway when a young girl appears out of nowhere. She’s alone and terrified. Unable to speak. Lacey begins searching for her parents but soon, the investigation hits a dead end. Enlisting the help of outside agencies, a task force is formed. Who is this child? Where does she come from? And why haven’t her parents stepped forward? As the mystery surrounding the girl’s identity begins to unravel, a shocking truth about the child’s past is revealed. A link to an infamous cold case thrusts Lacey into a media firestorm, the likes of which, Sweet Home has never seen. Will revealing the truth endanger the girl’s life? Can Lacey return the child safely to her family, or will she be the next one to die? _________________________________ Praise for Hide Her: ★★★★★ “The Lacey James series is one of my favorite series!” ★★★★★ “I loved the twists the story took, and I love that the story moved forward quickly.” ★★★★★ “I can’t get enough of Lacey and her ‘realness’.” ★★★★★ “Another good one. Very good book of police work and complications in the case.” ★★★★★ “Storyline has depth, humor and mystery and flawless writing.” ★★★★★ “This is one of my favorite mystery/suspense series.” ★★★★★ “Also the characters are easy to identify with and admire.” ★★★★★ “It was a gripping story of a lost child.” ★★★★★ “This series gets better and better each novel.”

Small-town murder, toxic secrets, and a relentless detective collide in this dark psychological crime thriller set in Sweet Home, Oregon. A brutal murder. A town full of lies. A killer hiding in plain sight. When Officer Lacey James is called to the scene of a brutal murder, she doesn't recognize the victim. Jonathan Jones - JJ is new to Sweet Home. Everyone Lacey talks to in the close-knit community claims he was a good guy, but someone is lying. Someone wanted JJ dead. And someone else knows why. On the hunt for the murderer, Lacey reconstructs the victim's trail. A bar fight. A bloody footprint. A faulty timeline. Together with her partner, Eli Davidson, Lacey pieces together the clues while keeping track of the witnesses' lies. Each twist in the case raises new questions about the victim. About the motive behind the crime. Until Lacey and Eli unearth a piece of salacious gossip that sends the investigation reeling down a dark and dangerous path. Will the killer be punished? Or will the hunt for the truth land Lacey in the crosshairs of a killer? Tell Her is the gripping third book in the Lacey James Mystery series. If you’re a fan of high-stakes female detective stories with quirky characters and the kinds of twists that you won’t see coming, then you’ll love this book. _______________________________________ Praise for Tell Her: ★★★★★ “This series keeps getting better and better.” ★★★★★ “Seeing how Lacey handles all going on in her personal life and still managing to perform her duties shows her strength of character.” ★★★★★ “Really good police case with lots of surprises.” ★★★★★ “This story rolls at a really nice pace with well planted twists and turns.” ★★★★★ “Just when I thought I figured it out, bam! Chris hits with another bombshell.” ★★★★★ “The twists and turns kept me guessing - and I couldn't put the book down.” ★★★★★ “The main character Lacey is an amazing woman, mother and police officer.” ★★★★★ “Glad to see a strong female lead.” ★★★★★ “It was definitely a page-turner. I couldn’t put it down.” ★★★★★ “This powerfully written story grabs you immediately and doesn’t let go.”

Snowbound suspense, a stranded victim, and a relentless small-town cop collide in this psychological crime thriller set in the freezing Oregon mountains. Winner of the 2022 Next Generation Indie Book Award for best novella. A killer storm. A missing woman. A race through the snow. A New Year’s Eve party is the perfect time for Audrey Drummond to reconnect with old friends. She hitches a ride to the party with her high school ex. What begins as a trip down memory lane ends up in a stone-cold nightmare when Audrey is abandoned on a mountain road. Bitter cold, black as sin, miles from help. Audrey’s disappearance thrusts Officer Lacey James into action. But with few clues to go on, and the storm conditions growing more treacherous by the minute, the quest to find Audrey takes a dark and perilous turn. Time is running out, and the killer storm isn’t the only deadly threat Lacey faces in a desperate quest to save her. Save Her is the action-packed second book in the Lacey James Mysteries series. If you like high-stakes survival stories, then you’ll love this suspenseful tale. _____________________________________ Praise for Save Her: ★★★★★ “This book is a page-turner, and you won’t be disappointed!” ★★★★★ “This one is a true nail-biter, and had me holding on for the ride!” ★★★★★ “I love Lacey James and her fight for life and love!” ★★★★★ “She’s as smart as she is tough.” ★★★★★ “I love police officer Lacey James. She’s a smart, strong, and determined female lead.” ★★★★★ “New Year’s Eve, a snowstorm, an ex-boyfriend, a missing woman, all set the scene in a well-written mystery that you’ll be glad you picked up.” ★★★★★ “She is a confident and ever-pressing officer and she will capture your hearts with her perseverance and never give up attitude.” ★★★★★ “This is an intense race against time.” ★★★★★ “This second book in the Lacey James series is action packed.”

Small-town secrets, a hidden predator, and a relentless detective collide in this dark psychological crime thriller set in Sweet Home, Oregon. BookFest Gold Medal for Best Police Procedural/Female Detective. A stolen hammer. A dead suspect. A terrifying trail of murder. Sweet Home, Oregon. Detective Lacey James needs to solve her marriage problems. But with her focus on a culprit escaping after a robbery call, she’s alarmed when she discovers his getaway car hides a chilling collection of rope, gloves, zip ties, and a gun. But her success in hunting him down turns into horror when the man grabs a firearm, killing a fellow officer before himself. As her only lead lies silent on a slab, the dedicated investigator’s suspicions are confirmed after discovering a woman connected to the case is missing. And fearing time is running out for the kidnapped victim, Lacey follows clues to a gruesome scene warning her she might already be too late. Can she unravel the truth before the morgue claims another corpse? Find Her is the nail-biting first book in the Lacey James small-town crime thriller series. If you like sharp-witted heroines, frightening psychopaths, and eye-popping twists, then you’ll love USA Today bestselling author Chris Patchell’s riveting tale of suspense. __________________________________ Praise for Find Her: ★★★★★ “Find Her has all the earmarks of a top-notch psychological thriller.” ★★★★★ “This fantastic small-town crime thriller is well-written with interesting storylines that captivate your attention the entire time.” ★★★★★ “Excellent detective work by Lacey James, I loved her dedication to solve the crime and not give up on finding her.” ★★★★★ “It is a cleverly plotted story with plenty of drama, both crime and personal, some angst, mystery, and thrilling suspense that brings you to the edge of your seat.” ★★★★★ “Lacey James is very relatable as a modern woman who does her job well while trying to hold everything together in her personal life.” ★★★★★ “Lacey is strong, smart, and capable.” ★★★★★ “The view into the mind of Noah was interesting and chilling.” ★★★★★ “I love the small-town start to the first book in the Lacey James series. What starts out as a robbery sure takes a dark turn.” ★★★★★ “Officer Lacey James is a great character – tough, believable, tenacious.” ★★★★★ “This is a very good start to the Lacey James series.”

Marissa Rooney stands in her daughter's empty dorm room, a half-used vial of insulin clutched in her trembling hand. Brooke has been missing for days. Her roommate hasn't seen her since that night in the bar. And if Marissa has Brooke's insulin, it means that Brooke does not. But Marissa isn't alone in her terror. A phantom from her past is lurking in the shadows, waiting in the night, and holding her family captive... In the dark.

Becky Kincaid ventures out in the middle of a snowstorm to buy a car seat for her unborn baby and never makes it home. When a second pregnant woman disappears, Marissa Rooney and the team at the Holt Foundation fear a sinister motive lurks behind the crimes. Lead investigator Seth Crawford desperately searches for the thread that binds the two cases together, knowing that if he fails, another woman will soon be gone. While Seth hunts for clues, a madman has Marissa in his sights and she carries a secret that could tear her whole world apart. Can Seth stop the killer before he reaps his...dark harvest?

Hurt Jill Shannon once, shame on you. Hurt Jill Shannon twice, and she'll bury you six feet under. After running fast and far from her painful childhood, Jill Shannon has made it. She has a successful career and is married to Detective Alex Shannon. Together they live out what seems to be a perfect life in Seattle. The vow she made as a teenager to never again be a victim lies dormant-until one day a reporter lures her to his hotel room under the pretense of an interview-and suddenly it all comes rushing back. Jill seeks revenge on the reporter, triggering a series of events that leads Jill down a wormhole of retribution, forcing her to spin an ever-widening web of lies. Meanwhile, Alex is on the case of a series of murders that began as cyber relationships. There seems to be a familiar fingerprint on these crimes, but Alex refuses to believe that the murderer could be so close to him. For those who couldn't put down The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo comes a thrilling ride a la Mr. and Mrs. Smith, where husband and wife stand on opposite sides of a divide created by lies and rooted in a dark and deadly past. Deadly Lies is Book 1 of the Jill Shannon Murder Series

Some secrets are worth dying for. Others are worth killing for. Five years after the brutal slaying of her husband, software executive Jill Shannon is ready to take the next step in her life. But with her wedding to prosecuting attorney Conner Manning just eight weeks away, her future father-in-law's political ambitions for her fianc threaten all her hopes. Jill's past holds dark secrets. Secrets she can't afford to have exposed under the relentless lights of a political campaign. When Phoenix Detective David Shaw turns up at Jill's door asking questions about a reporter's murder, he has no idea what a lethal Pandora's Box he's just opened. Was the womanizing reporter killed by a jealous husband, or was it related to his drug use? Or did it have something to do with the secret expose the reporter was working on? Jill Shannon looks like a dead-end lead but Shaw can't shake the feeling the beautiful widow has secrets she's not sharing. Jill is caught between the sins of her past and the shattered hopes for her future. Shaw finds himself drawn deeper into a twisted labyrinth of lies and danger. One thing is clear: some vows are made out loud in front of witnesses. But some vows are made in silence, and witnesses can't be left alive. Vow of Silence is book 2 of the Jill Shannon Murder Series.

She's armed. He's dangerous. Together, can they stop a killer from tearing a small island community apart? When wise-cracking cozy mystery author, Austin Martell, left his hometown on Whidbey Island for the bright lights of New York, he vowed he would never go back. But some promises are impossible to keep, and when Austin discovers that his mother has suffered a serious accident, he has no choice but to return. Austin soon learns that her accident may be no accident at all, and secrets that were laid to rest after his brother's tragic death off the coast of Deception Bay, have now begun to surface. Austin finds himself in the center of a real-life murder mystery, when Police Chief Ellie Sharpe uncovers a curious connection between the author and the death of a local businessman. Born and raised on Whidbey and trained as a New York cop, Ellie is smart, and tough, and determined to solve the mystery behind the killing before more people die. Sparks fly as the two pair up to figure out who is responsible for the murder. The closer they come to discovering truth, the more desperate someone is to keep the sins of the past from coming to light. Someone close to Austin harbors a deadly truth. Can Ellie unmask a killer before Austin becomes one more secret buried beneath the waves of Deception Bay?

Vows made in silence will scream the truth. Five years after the brutal slaying of her husband, software executive Jill Shannon is ready to take the next step in her life. But with her wedding to prosecuting attorney Conner Manning just eight weeks away, her future father-in-law's political ambitions for her fianc threaten all her hopes. Jill's past holds dark secrets. Secrets she can't afford to have exposed under the relentless lights of a political campaign. When Phoenix Detective David Shaw turns up at Jill's door asking questions about a reporter's murder, he has no idea what a lethal Pandora's Box he's just opened. Was the womanizing reporter killed by a jealous husband, or was it related to his drug use? Or did it have something to do with the secret expose the reporter was working on? Jill Shannon looks like a dead-end lead but Shaw can't shake the feeling the beautiful widow has secrets she's not sharing. Jill is caught between the sins of her past and the shattered hopes for her future. Shaw finds himself drawn deeper into a twisted labyrinth of lies and danger. One thing is clear: some vows are made out loud in front of witnesses. But some vows are made in silence, and witnesses can't be left alive.

Becky Kincaid ventures out in the middle of a snowstorm to buy a car seat for her unborn baby and never makes it home. When a second pregnant woman disappears, Marissa Rooney and the team at the Holt Foundation fear a sinister motive lurks behind the crimes. Lead investigator, Seth Crawford, desperately searches for the thread that binds the two cases together, knowing that if he fails, another woman will soon be gone. While Seth hunts for clues, a madman has Marissa in his sights and she carries a secret that could tear her whole world apart. Can Seth stop the killer before he reaps his dark harvest

Marissa Rooney stands in her daughter's empty dorm room, a half-used vial of insulin clutched in her trembling hand. Brooke has been missing for days. Her roommate hasn't seen her since that night in the bar. And if Marissa has Brooke's insulin, it means that Brooke does not. But Marissa isn't alone in her terror. A phantom from her past is lurking in the shadows, waiting in the night, and holding her family captive... In the dark.