Candy Man Killer

Former Boulder Police Chief Mark Beckner has released another action-packed crime thriller for readers who enjoy crime mysteries and drama. In the Candy Man Killer, a serial killer has reappeared after almost two years to again terrorize some of Chicago’s west side neighborhoods. For years, the killer has stumped and frustrated detectives. Following the most recent killing, the department transfers young Detective Juan Garcia to the West Side Precinct, one of Chicago's most crime-ridden neighborhoods. Garcia is assigned to work with seasoned veteran Detective Mike Ricci to find the sinister killer. Garcia soon learns that Detective Ricci has a unique perspective on the killings involving young men who are being brutally murdered. The detectives are in a race to find the mysterious killer who works under the cover of darkness.

In an odd twist, the killer leaves a calling card at each scene: the murder weapon! What message is being sent by the killer? Is the man dressed in black the killer? Is it the Snowman? Someone else? Garcia and Ricci work frantically to find the killer before he strikes again. Amid the turmoil, unbeknownst to Garcia, Ricci is keeping a secret from him. Meanwhile, Garcia struggles to balance work with family life. Welcome to Chicago’s dark side as the detectives hunt down this serial killer in an action-packed thriller.

After retiring from the Boulder Police Department following 36 years in law enforcement, I began my new career as a writer of fictional crime dramas. My stories evolve from my imagination, as well as from my time as an investigator. While each story is fictional, the police and forensic work depicted are based on real-life experiences. I rely on the knowledge and experiences I have gained over my long tenure, as well as my continued interest in actual cases, to add realism to my stories.I was somewhat nervous about my new adventure. Would people like what I wrote? Would my stories be interesting enough for readers? Well, this is now my seventh book and eleventh crime thriller. My first three books comprised more than one story. My latest book, Candy Man Killer, is my fourth full-length novel. The feedback and reviews of all my books have been very positive. Maybe I'm doing something right. I now split my time between Colorado in the warmer months and Arizona in the winter months with my wife, Sally. We have two married children, a daughter and a son, who still live full-time in Colorado. We have five grandkids. I hope you enjoy the Candy Man Killer.