In the peaceful California coast city of Playa Maria, crime writer Zoey Kozinski joins a local police officer for a ride-along in hopes of breaking through her writer’s block. But during a routine traffic stop, the cop is shot, the victim of a brutal homicide. Zoey realizes she is the only witness and the number one target on the killer’s hit list. PTSD kicks in, sending her into a tailspin. It doesn’t help that she lives on an illegal cannabis farm and that her estranged mother has just arrived. Even the police officer’s widow points a finger at the writer, claiming she was a distraction, and the police department knew it. Lurking on the fringes is a man who stopped briefly at the crime.

Good Samaritan or sinister suspect? For her safety, Zoey needs to find out.

Crime Writer will be published on Sept. 9 by Level Best Books. It will be available to purchase in paperback and from other retailers on that day.

“Vinnie Hansen’s One Gun unspools a long, exquisite crescendo of foreboding and dread as clouds gather for a chilling, unexpected climax. Top-notch writing, sensitive touch, and heart-wrenching choices. Hansen is an author to watch.”
—James W. Ziskin, Anthony, Barry, and Macavity award-winning author

“In One Gun, Vinnie Hansen weaves a spell with a modern-day tale of suspense, pulling the reader into a riveting quest to see if justice will be served.

“When a gun used in a burglary falls into the wrong hands, a chase begins to find the gun before it and its owner can cause more mayhem. But of course things never go as planned when a gun is involved.

“The beautifully described setting is the central coast of California, where hidden forces drive the have-nots to desperate measures, and the criminal justice system is often on trial along with the criminals.

“A bravura outing by the author of the popular Carol Sabala mysteries.”
—G.M. Malliet, Agatha Award-winning author of the St. Just, Max Tudor, and Augusta Hawke mysteries