Point and Shoot:

[Point and Shoot has been named a Finalist in the Mystery category of the 2015 Eric Hoffer Book Awards.] Point and Shoot is a detective murder mystery with a twist. Private Investigator, former cop and bodyguard Lock Tourmaline’s personal life is a mess. He continually tries to help both his present wife, Janice, who is dying of cancer, and his ex-wife, Lori, who is on a self-destructive path of drug use and shacking up with the wrong men. Neither woman is impressed with Lock's attempt to help. His wife begins to withdraw, while his ex-wife demands his help even though she finds him contemptible. The story opens with the assassination of a Korean drug lord during a meeting with a rival. The mystery is in finding who is responsible for the murder — and the list of suspects is extensive. The plot is often mixed up with Lock's private struggles. When Lock's investigation into the murder points to people in his personal life, the story becomes explosive. The anchor in his roiling sea of troubles is Lock's martial arts mentor, known only as Grandfather. Oddly, Grandfather’s sole means of support is working as a bouncer for a local BDSM dungeon. It is there that he meets a young mistress less than half his age who becomes the love of his life. Grandfather holds the key to smoothing out Lock's messy life and seeks to bring him to a more spiritual use of his martial arts training. The main story line and the numerous subplots weave together in the end to a logical, though unexpected, resolution.

G. D. Baum is a graduate of the Sarah Lawrence Writing Program. He has achieved a third degree black belt in Shaolin Kempo Karate. Previously, he was ranked sixth in the United States in forms for his Division by NASKA (North American Sport Karate Association). In his spare time, he teaches Tai Chi Chuan. Mr. Baum would welcome your comments about his novel. He can be reached at gdbaum100@yahoo.com.