Homicide Detective Solicits Media Appearances with Ransom Notes

MORGAN HILL, CA, August 16, 2010 (Press-News.org) Has author Wayne Farquhar gone too far with his book promotion? In a plan almost as shocking as the ending of the book, the seasoned homicide detective will be sending ransom notes and a copy of his book to popular media figureheads including Dennis Miller, Matt Lauer and Oprah and many more in an effort to gain media exposure for his exciting new crime thriller Blood Over Badge.

"I think my plan is a great way to meet some of my favorite celebrities as well as connect the genre of my book with an actual crime," says Farquhar. "There is no criminal act involved and the notes are non-threatening. My publisher is wholeheartedly going along with the stunt."

Crime and legal thrillers have long since been staples of American fiction. Famous crime thriller novelists include Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane, Ed McBain - and dozens of others; however, most crime authors tend to be writers by trade and have little or no hands-on experience in law enforcement so they do research to keep it real. In the case of new crime-thriller author, Wayne Farquhar, who wrote the newly released Blood Over Badge, his experience is just the opposite. He had on-the-job experience to tell his taunt tale of murder and intrigue set in the City of San Francisco. He is a police lieutenant with the San Jose Police Department who also happens to be an excellent writer.

Blood Over Badge tells the story of two police detectives, Jack Paige and Casey Ford, who are assigned to catch a cold-blooded murderer and rapist who killed the Mayor of San Francisco's daughter. The story unfolds in a gritty, realistic way as the detectives must solve the crime and understand how an unrelated murderer locked up in the stench-enclosed walls of Angola Penitentiary is related to the cruel and evil killer and rapist now on the run from California to Texas. What is the relationship to the killing of the Mayor's daughter? Nothing is obviously connected - and the reader must get to the end to unravel the mystery.

Farquhar parlayed his detective and crime experience to not have to rip a story straight from the headlines. He lives the reality of criminal behavior in his daily job experience. "I didn't have to look far to come up with an exciting and relevant story idea," said Farquhar, who brings a gritty reality to the story that gives it an almost documentary-style approach to fiction. In fact, the realistic storytelling could actually mislead the reader into believing it's a true story; but Farquhar assures it's not based on any one event in particular. He says it's an idea that just came to him. The situation, descriptions and detective work and techniques are based on what is like to be a real detective.

Farquhar's years of experience working for the San Jose Police Department definitely influenced how he wrote the book and the factual information included in many of the chapters. One might compare it to the popular television series CSI; however, even CSI often bares only a remote resemblance to true-life situations. "Blood Over Badge is the real deal," he says. "I've done the job. I've been out in the field. I wrote it like it is - no varnish for entertainment purposes. It's very informational about how crimes are solved, but it's also a great and unexpected storyline too. It's not your typical murder mystery."

The book's attention to details keeps reader sucked into the story while it provides a realistic portrayal detective work most readers will not find in other crime thrillers. From the autopsy descriptions to the specific detective work - readers will be left both intrigued and disturbed. "Detective work - real gritty and harsh stuff - isn't sexy or glamorous not the way the entertainment industry would have you believe," says Farquhar. "I really wanted to capture the truth of law enforcement, but also keep readers deeply vested in a gripping storyline. I believe Blood Over Badge accomplished those goals."

Blood Over Badge is available for $17.95 at 3L Publishing (www.3LPublishing.com) and Amazon (www.amazon.com) or the Blood Over Badge website (www.bloodoverbadge.com). It will be distributed to major bookstores nationwide in summer 2010.

Contact: Michele Smith
Mobile: 916.230.8569
Email: Michele@mcommunicationsinc.com