In the Line of Duty
A hero has fallen, and hard-edged detective Madison Knight will stop at nothing
short of finding justice — even if it means risking her own life.
Releasing 9.26.16
For more information, visit Author Carolyn Arnold's website.
In the Line of Duty by Carolyn Arnold
Series: A Detective Madison Knight Mystery, #7
Genre: Police Procedural, Mystery/Suspense
Publication Date: September 29, 2016
Publisher: Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc.
Hardcover: 254 pages
ISBN-10: 1988353254
ISBN-13: 978-1988353258
ISBN-13: 978-1988353258
Paperback: 352 pages
ISBN-10: 1988353246
ISBN-13: 978-1988353241
eBook File Size: 4730 KB
ASIN: B01HZVSQPW
Ties That Bind — Book 1 in the series.
The hunt for a serial killer begins…
Detective Madison Knight concluded the case of a strangled woman an isolated incident. But when another woman’s body is found in a park killed with the same brand of neckties, she realizes they’re dealing with something more serious.
Despite mounting pressure from the sergeant and the chief to close the case even if it means putting an innocent man behind bars, and a partner who is more interested in saving his marriage than stopping a potential serial killer, Madison may have to go it alone if the murderer is going to be stopped.
Ties that Bind, the first book in the series, is FREE.
Justified — Book 2 in the series.
Madison Knight should have ignored the call. Now she is spending Christmas Eve dealing with her least favorite thing… blood and lots of it.
When a female victim is found in her home, it has Madison and her partner tapping into the vic's personal life. With a rash of former business partners and lovers, all of whom wanted her dead, there are not enough hours to question them all.
But trying to find the person who had the most motive isn't all that's on Madison's mind. As she struggles to establish balance in her own life, she knows she has to get her focus back. Justice requires it.
Sacrifice — Book 3 in the series.
Finding justice comes at a high price…
When the son of business tycoon Marcus Randall, washes up on the shore of the Bradshaw River, Detective Madison Knight must sacrifice everything including her career to find justice for the "perfect murder."
With Marcus Randall already on the radar of the Secret Service for fraud and counterfeiting, the investigation sheds new light and they require the full co-operation of the Stiles PD. But with power and money to back him, Marcus has a reach that extends right inside the police department.
If Madison's going to find out the truth, she'll have to sort through the lies and balance diplomacy with politics.
In trying to solve a new murder, Detective Madison Knight may have to dishonor the blue wall of silence when findings in a past case are called into question.
Found Innocent — Book 4 in the series
Sometimes the pursuit of justice becomes personal…
There's one code when it comes to the wall of blue… and Madison Knight may have to cross it.
Any good cop knows you never report a brother for mishandling a case or accuse him of misconduct, but in order to find justice, Madison may not have a choice.
Lacy Rose had one goal for her twentieth birthday — to be found innocent of past sins--but her life is cut short.
When Lacy's remains are found in a garden and the investigation becomes connected to a closed case, Madison must face her past. The lead detective on that case was Madison's ex-fiancé. At the risk of jeopardizing departmental relationships, and churning up the attention of an old flame at the same time, Madison must push hard before the guilty are found innocent.
Detective Madison Knight’s obsession with a cold case comes to a deadly conclusion. With a rising body count, Madison finds out her own life is at risk.
Just Cause — Book 5 in the series.
Sometimes cold cases are deadly…
The past threatens the future and puts Detective Madison Knight's life in danger.
A cold case pits Madison against the Russian Mafia, but things take a swift turn when the unthinkable happens — a new threat arises and has Madison hunting down an unknown killer.
While trying to make sense of the clues, bodies are piling up, and the brass is hungry for explanations. In addition, Madison must balance all of this while nursing an injury, talking out her emotions with a therapist — a bureaucratic necessity — answering to an eager journalist, and facing an internal affairs investigation.
As the answers come together, Madison narrows in on a possible link between the Russian Mafia and someone within the Stiles PD.
Will she have the courage to confront the person she believes is playing both sides, even though they hold a position of great power?
Things are about to be shaken up, and, for Madison, that means she just might have to let go of the past to embrace her future.
Three murders occur within the span of twenty-four hours, but Detective Madison Knight is adamant they’re not looking for a serial killer. But can she prove it?
Deadly Impulse — Book 6 in the series.
Looks aren’t the only things that can be deceiving…
When a sixty-eight-year-old woman is found dead outside the hospital in a wheelchair with an anti-abortion sign strapped to its back, Detective Madison Knight expects it to be an open-and-shut case. On the surface, there are no signs of foul play, but the deeper she digs, the more convoluted the homicide becomes. And when two more bodies appear, including those of a girl just barely old enough to drink and a homeless man, the direct links between the three murders are anything but simple.
Without a consistent MO, Madison doesn’t buy that a serial killer is on the loose, despite the conviction with which her ex-fiancé and fellow detective try to convince their superior. But Madison already has enough to juggle without having to defend her reputation. Debilitating flashbacks of being held hostage by the Russian Mafia mere months before haunt her on an almost daily basis, and the promises she made to herself while in captivity are becoming more and more difficult to keep. Learning to trust is hard enough without constant reminders of what destruction — fatal or otherwise — trusting the wrong person can cause.
Now, as both personal and professional friction within the department mounts, she and her partner, Terry, must figure out what motivation could span generations to cause someone to murder these people. But catching this killer is like grasping at straws, and grabbing the wrong one could mean losing not only her pride but also her boyfriend, her credibility, and her faith in humanity…
He devoted his life to seeking justice. But would she get any for him?
In the Line of Duty — Book 7 in the series.
In the Line of Duty — Book 7 in the series.
Slated for release September 29 2016.
It was an ordinary day for police officer Barry Weir. It was the end of shift, he was tired, and he just wanted to get home to his wife and kids. But someone had other plans for him, shooting him down and forcing him to make the ultimate sacrifice.
When news of Weir’s murder reaches the department, it leaves Detective Madison Knight and every cop in the Stiles PD itching for revenge. It cuts Madison’s boyfriend, colleague, and Weir’s childhood friend, Troy Matthews, deepest of all, driving him away from everyone he loves just when they need one another the most.
With evidence pointing to a gang-related drive-by, Madison and her team investigate the town’s seedy underbelly in search of justice for their fallen brother. But the deeper they dig, the more convoluted the case becomes. Now they need to figure out if this was a random shooting as part of a gang initiation, a straight-up hate crime, or a targeted kill. But with members of the Stiles PD under attack, they have to do it fast… before more officers pay with their lives.
In the prequel to the Detective Madison Knight Series, defense attorney Bryan Lexan takes on a Russian mafia boss for a client and may be in way over his head.
Life Sentence — Bonus Prequel.
A defense attorney’s worst nightmare…
“If I pay with my life, you will pay with yours.”
Defense Attorney Bryan Lexan may have just taken on the case which will cost him his life. When his client, a Russian mafia boss, is convicted of first-degree murder, he vows to make Bryan pay.
Meanwhile, Jessica Pratt has always prided herself on being a modern woman–you know, the kind who doesn't need a man to make her feel complete. So when she finds herself torn between two, she realizes that not all decisions are based on facts. If they were, her boyfriend, Bryan, would be the logical choice. He has the family name, wealth, and a stake in a successful law firm. Only thing is, when she meets Mason Freeman, the chemistry between them is irrefutable and he won't take no for an answer.
With both of them caught up in a struggle for survival, and a powerful enemy on their heels, they'll need to decide where their loyalties lie.
Please note: This book is a romantic suspense. Madison Knight of the best-selling police procedural series has more of a secondary role in this book. This story provides insight into Madison’s background and the series that was inspired by her.
The Excerpt
THE BULLET MEANT FOR HER head ricocheted off a stair. The thunderous ping of metal against metal rang in Madison’s ears, reassuring her, along with the shooting pain in her legs, that she was still alive. But alive for how long was the question.
When the guns had fired, she dropped to the ground, slamming her knees onto the concrete.
She willed her eyes to open, despite the searing agony that made it easier to keep them closed, and she was forced to face reality.
Her bullet had found purchase in Sergey’s side, and he sat on one of the steps, a hand to his wound, staring at her blankly. His eyes were clouded over and distant.
She surmised he was experiencing the same euphoric feelings as she. Her heart beat adrenaline through her system, its pulse drumming in her ears.
She was alive but was she shot?
She looked down at her body and couldn’t see any blood.
Having faced a fifty/fifty chance of survival, she had come out the other end.
Anatolli pulled up on her short hair, his fingers digging into her scalp. “Get up!” He thrust the barrel of a gun to her face with enough force it skewed her jaw and her teeth bit the inside of her cheek.
A warm metallic flavoring coated her tongue and she spit out blood, the pressure of the gun was unrelenting.
“Get up! Or you die!”
Her legs were unsteady and her head spun. She couldn’t go out like this. She had fought too hard for her life to end this way.
“Go to hell, you son of a bitch!” She slammed the heel of her shoe into his instep and moved to the side.
Anatolli yelped out in pain, but she heard him cock the hammer on the gun.
A revolver. Six bullets. Six opportunities to die.
The barrel was pushed against her skull.
She pinched her eyes shut and images of her life played out, interspersed with meaningless thoughts. How would Sergeant Winston spin this to the media? Would he miss her beyond their regular confrontations, for which she knew he thrived on, or would he be able to move on quickly?
Her grandmother entered her vision and spoke from beyond the grave, telling her it wasn’t her time yet.
Anatolli applied more force behind the weapon. “You are going to die.”
“Stop!” Sergey eased himself off the step he had been perched on.
Swallowing hard, she knew the delay in killing her meant only one thing — they would make her suffer until a bullet to the head seemed like a welcome escape.
The haze cleared. Where was her gun? She had pulled the trigger and ducked out of the way to avoid the one aimed at her head. If she could find her weapon, she’d have a chance…
As Sergey inched toward her, with gritted teeth, he swore in Russian. He resembled a rushing bull setting out after a waving red cape.
Her only chance was to reach her weapon, but the odds were stacked against her. If she were to make a bet with Terry, they’d likely both wager she’d leave in a body bag.
The gun came away from her head, but she still sensed that Anatolli held it aimed at her.
She looked around, taking in the space.
She was in the warehouse of the Russians’ main business front, Homeland Logistics. Men were around when she first came in, but now all seemed silent, except for her and her two Russian opponents.
She remembered pulling the trigger and catapulting herself to the ground.
The left side of her hand tapped a pulse. She lifted it, but it fell limp, as blinding shivers of pain raced through her arm. But with the throbbing came clarity. She had banged her hand on the metal step as she fell.
She fought the urge to cradle her wrist to her chest. She had to remain strong.
Her eyes fell to the floor just beyond the staircase, where her gun lay, at least four feet away. There was no way for her to reach it before they killed her.
She lifted her arms in surrender.
“Get to your feet.” Sergey spat in her face.
Instead of humiliating her, it fueled the anger raging beneath the surface. She would see their entire operation come down — even if she did so single-handedly.
She rose to her feet, keeping her arms above her as she moved.
“Do you want me to kill her, boss?” Anatolli pushed the barrel into her lower back. “Or we could watch her flop around like a fish.”
“Hvatit!”
Anatolli lowered his gun.
Sergey spoke more words in Russian and Anatolli linked her arms behind, in his hands. Pain from her left wrist made her want to vomit, but it hardly deterred the man. He adjusted his grip and pulled her back into his chest.
“You are going to pay.” Spittle from his mouth sprayed her cheek in a fine mist.
Anatolli pushed her up the stairs while Sergey led the way and struggled with each step.
They went into a large office, the size of the chief’s, but, unlike his, they didn’t accessorize to impress. Their focus was on necessity and usability.
The floor was a dark hardwood and contrasted with the lighter oak of the executive desk that stood at the one end. A flat-screen monitor sat on its top, to the right, and a desk calendar was in the middle. There were hand-written scribbles all over its surface in a variety of colors.
Next to the desk, numerous filing cabinets lined the wall. The room was devoid of artwork, except for a framed map of the world on the wall behind the desk and three clocks, set to different time zones, on the facing wall.
What had Madison’s real attention was the doorway that came off the back of the room. This is where they were taking her.
Anatolli shoved her into the darkness and she momentarily lost her footing.
“Sit!” he barked.
At the same time, Sergey switched on a light. Its brightness momentarily blinded her as Anatolli pushed her toward a chair in the middle of the room. Chains were attached to the arms and legs of it, and there was a collar that would secure around their victim’s neck while they worked out their sadistic pleasure on them. The floor was concrete and stained with splotches of dark crimson.
Blood.
More bile rose from her throat and mingled with the copper taste in her mouth.
Madison felt this sensation at a murder scene, and she felt it here, too. Lost souls cried out to her. Her mortality knew, beyond the sight before her, that lives had been brought to an end in this room, and that this particular road to hell had been paved with pain.
Anatolli thrust her into the chair.
“You’re never going to get away with this.”
Both Russians laughed.
“You are nothing special. Besides we have waited way too long.” Sergey gestured for Anatolli to continue.
Anatolli secured her wrists, but when he bent to tie the shackles at her feet, she instinctively lifted her leg, connecting her knee with the cartilage of his nose.
“Bitch!”
His hand swiped across her face and torqued her neck to the side. She wanted to fight back, but her eyes faded to black.
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The Review
Ties That Bind stars Madison Knight, detective in the Stiles P.D. The reader also meets her partner, Terry Grant, and her boss, Sergeant Winston, as well as her BFF Cynthia Baxter, the CSI Supervisor. Unfortunately, I didn't quite connect with the characters as I read Ties That Bind. For example, I never felt that Madison connected fully with Terry; they didn't seem like equal partners.
Ties That Bind has an interesting plot, with a twist at the end. The action is mostly told in third person, from Madison's point of view. Every so often there's a POV switch, and the reader gets a glimpse into the mind of the killer. His identity isn't given until the end, but bits and pieces of his motivation are slowly revealed. I like this technique, which reminds me of a similar technique in Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone series.
Ties That Bind and the rest of the Detective Madison Knight series should appeal to all fans of police procedurals and mystery/suspense. I think they will particularly appeal to fans of Carolyn Arnold's other series, and of TV's Law & Order, CSI, Blue Bloods, Rizzoli & Isles, and Hawaii Five-O.
Ties That Bind has an interesting plot, with a twist at the end. The action is mostly told in third person, from Madison's point of view. Every so often there's a POV switch, and the reader gets a glimpse into the mind of the killer. His identity isn't given until the end, but bits and pieces of his motivation are slowly revealed. I like this technique, which reminds me of a similar technique in Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone series.
Ties That Bind and the rest of the Detective Madison Knight series should appeal to all fans of police procedurals and mystery/suspense. I think they will particularly appeal to fans of Carolyn Arnold's other series, and of TV's Law & Order, CSI, Blue Bloods, Rizzoli & Isles, and Hawaii Five-O.
I enjoyed Ties That Bind by Carolyn Arnold, and award it Three Kitties.
Three out of five kitties
The Guest Post
Police Procedurals Respected by Law Enforcement
When I set out to write police procedurals, I was committed to making them as accurate and true to real life as possible — but my background isn’t in law enforcement. This meant that I’d have to do a lot of research and reach out to people that either work — or have worked — in law enforcement. I’m glad to say that I’ve been blessed with having a few contacts who fit into this category.
If I’m not sure of something from either a procedural or forensic viewpoint, I can reach out to these people for clarification. Some of them have even read early versions of manuscripts to ensure that procedures and terminology are correct.
More recently, I took part in my local police department’s Citizen’s Academy. As part of this, I received an inside look at seventeen divisions over a ten-week period. As an added benefit, each student was afforded a ride-along. And mine… Well, I went on the perfect one for a crime writer. As a whole, the academy afforded me firsthand — and hands-on — experience around police officers and will only serve to further strengthen interpersonal relationships among my characters.
My slogan “Police Procedurals Respected by Law Enforcement” serves not only as a standard to which I hold myself, but it’s something I can proudly claim because my books have earned praise from law enforcement professionals.
If I’m not sure of something from either a procedural or forensic viewpoint, I can reach out to these people for clarification. Some of them have even read early versions of manuscripts to ensure that procedures and terminology are correct.
More recently, I took part in my local police department’s Citizen’s Academy. As part of this, I received an inside look at seventeen divisions over a ten-week period. As an added benefit, each student was afforded a ride-along. And mine… Well, I went on the perfect one for a crime writer. As a whole, the academy afforded me firsthand — and hands-on — experience around police officers and will only serve to further strengthen interpersonal relationships among my characters.
My slogan “Police Procedurals Respected by Law Enforcement” serves not only as a standard to which I hold myself, but it’s something I can proudly claim because my books have earned praise from law enforcement professionals.
The Author
About Carolyn Arnold
Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.
Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.
She currently lives just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada.
Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:
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This is the perfect book series for fans of Law & Order, CSI, Blue Bloods, Rizzoli & Isles, Women’s Murder Club, and Hawaii Five-O.
Read in any order or follow the series from the beginning: Ties That Bind, Justified, Sacrifice, Found Innocent, Just Cause, Deadly Impulse, In the Line of Duty, Life Sentence (Bonus Prequel).
The Giveaway
Carolyn will be awarding $25.00 USD via PayPal International to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter, as well as 1 hardcover of Ties That Bind to another randomly drawn winner and 1 paperback copy of Ties That Bind to one more randomly drawn winner - all via rafflecopter. These are available to the US, Canada, and the UK during the tour.
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