Kramer and Shadow Crime Mysteries by Greg Smith - Book Tour + Giveaway
The Pits
Kramer and Shadow Book 1
by Greg Smith
Genre:
Crime Mystery, Action, Thriller
Crime Mystery, Action, Thriller
THE PITS, a contemporary crime novel, tells the story of Captain Kramer,
USMC, a compassionate, intelligent man, who rescues a pup from the
scene of a car bombing while on deployment to Afghanistan. The pup is
named Shadow, and accompanies Kramer back to Oceanside, California.
They commit themselves to a campaign which has them fighting for
their lives during an FBI operation to bring down a crime boss based
in Florida.
USMC, a compassionate, intelligent man, who rescues a pup from the
scene of a car bombing while on deployment to Afghanistan. The pup is
named Shadow, and accompanies Kramer back to Oceanside, California.
They commit themselves to a campaign which has them fighting for
their lives during an FBI operation to bring down a crime boss based
in Florida.
You Can Run
Kramer and Shadow Book 2
Captain Kramer, USMC, and his faithful four-footer partner, Sgt. Shadow,
USMC, both survive their first operation assisting the FBI in
bringing down the empire of a major crime boss in America. But more
is in store for the two Marines in yet another FBI operation to tie
up loose ends from the previous op. This time the action is more
intense and proves too costly for the Marines.
USMC, both survive their first operation assisting the FBI in
bringing down the empire of a major crime boss in America. But more
is in store for the two Marines in yet another FBI operation to tie
up loose ends from the previous op. This time the action is more
intense and proves too costly for the Marines.
Lex Talionis
(An Eye For an Eye)
(An Eye For an Eye)
Kramer and Shadow Book 3
A woman out for revenge. America took her husband. America will pay 10,000 fold!
Only Kramer and his Anatolian Shepherd, Shadow, stand in her way. But will they be enough to stop her?
LEX TALIONIS
(An Eye For An Eye)
Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
It is rare for most
people to experience the real meaning of ‘dead weight.’
It was equally strange for
the thought to come to mind as Kramer muscled the man into a sitting position
against a garishly painted door. It wasn’t the first time he’d needed to handle
the dead. He studied his handiwork. For all intents and purposes, the figure
appeared to be asleep.
Kramer surveyed the alley
and the ancient balconies overhead checking for witnesses. No one. A last
glance at his handiwork, then he slipped away from the scene.
He had to catch up with his
target. The man he was following had entered the medina, or old walled city, of
Tangier from the port and headed directly into the warren of alleyways. He was
wearing white cotton slacks and a bluish grey lightweight jacket and a white
fedora all of which made him somewhat of an easy figure for Kramer to tail.
Although his Global Security
Corporation partners, Darci Tucker and his wife, Maria, hadn’t said as much
when they pressured him gently into this assignment, Kramer was well aware that
it was done out of their concern for him.
The flight from Los Angeles
to London to Amsterdam had provided the retired United States Marine major more
than enough time for circumspection and for the ugly truth to reveal itself.
Losing his parents and his fiancée, FBI Special Agent Sarah Hunter,
thirty months ago, had decimated Kramer’s life and left him intolerable company
for anyone, especially his close friends. Darci and Maria needed a break from
him as much as he needed a new focus and a chance to reprioritize his life.
So here he was in Tangier,
Morocco, three weeks after leaving LA, tailing a man they suspected had ties
with Shelley Harper—a woman at the top of INTERPOL’s ‘most wanted’ list as well
as those of most governments worldwide. For Kramer though, the reasons for
hunting down the elusive Harper were by far more personal than anyone else’s.
Ahead a shaft of sunlight
snapped off a bluish grey jacket and white fedora. Kramer quickened his pace. A
minute later he stood at the junction of four alleyways.
As he scanned the crowds
strolling the centuries old terraced alleys, Kramer was oblivious of the many
things the Moroccan port of Tangier offered travellers—the sense of exotic
mystery, interesting history, beautiful vistas and unspoiled beaches.
One of his favorite movies, The
Bourne Ultimatum, had used the medina for one of its glamorous backdrops
but it hadn’t prepared Kramer for the spice-filled air with its intriguing
aromas that permeated the ancient city.
He overheard a tourist
enquire after Bab Haha from a street stall owner who waved a dark olive skinned
arm at one of the intersecting alleys. Kramer instinctively glanced in that
direction and happened to catch sight of his target. He lit out after Fedora.
Kramer’s situational
awareness was as keen as ever but he couldn’t be certain that his unfortunate
assailant had merely been a street thug or someone protecting Fedora. The
assignment was supposed to be a simple task of arriving at an address in Cairo
where GSC had been informed they would locate the fedora-wearing courier. From
there all Kramer need do was to shadow the man to his next meeting and capture
everything on video, upload the file to Maria at GSC headquarters in California
and await further orders.
It all sounded simple
enough. Right up to the point that joker jumped Kramer in the medina alley
flashing a dagger. That part wasn’t in the script.
A gap in the buildings
afforded him a glimpse of the ancient fortifications of the Tangier Kasbah that
loomed over the medina. Moments later Kramer found himself standing before Bab
Haha. It proved to be one of the several doors or gates that lead into the
Kasbah.
Kramer glanced at the map to
the left of Bab Haha that highlighted the walk tourists could take around the
Kasbah. Overall, the ancient fortified area looked surprising small.
He spotted Fedora weaving
through the populace and followed it. Houses lavishly decorated with sculptures
of cherubs, colorful shutters and balconies flanked the alley that took him
into the Place du Méchouar. He fended off the hordes that descended upon him
begging for money or trying to sell something, dodged past the snake charmers
and dancers, and skipped around gawking groups of tourists.
At first he Fedora intended
to enter the Kasbah Museum but then he ducked through an unassuming door off to
its side. The sign over the entrance welcomed Kramer in several languages to
enter Les Fils du Detroit, helpfully translated underneath as The
Sons of the Strait. He stepped in and found himself transported back in
time.
The ten by sixteen feet room
proved to be a tiny café. Several people, mainly locals, occupied the two
narrow rug-covered bench seats that ran the length of the room. The walls were
covered in Moroccan tapestries and numerous old framed photographs hung
precariously above the patrons’ heads. A couple of circular, hand beaten bronze
tables took some valuable space from the narrow floor and carried several small
glasses of mint tea.
The customers paid scant attention to Kramer
as he joined them. They continued sipping their hot drinks while a group of
four elderly Arab-Andalusian musicians held a jam session at the far end of the
room. The authentic melodies and ambiance recreated Morocco’s rich, cultural
past.
Kramer accepted a glass of
tea and whipped out a tourist guide from his back pocket. He pretended to read
it, glancing occasionally at the musicians when, in fact, his focus was really
on his target seated opposite.
The man was in his mid-30s,
olive skin, lanky, sported a pencil-thin moustache, and wire-rimmed glasses
that framed deep-set dark brown eyes. Thick black, wavy hair flowed from under
the fedora and skimmed the collar of his jacket.
He leaned close to an older
gentleman dressed in the traditional neutrally colored Moroccan djellaba; a
long, loose, hooded garment with long sleeves. The craggy weather-beaten face
was topped by a black bernousse, or Fez, and a silvery white beard completed
the classical Arabic countenance. Both men were deep in conversation.
Kramer shifted slightly to
align himself with his target. Once back in his hotel room he would upload the
image and audio file from the second button on his shirt.
Darci Tucker, CEO of Global Security
Corporation, had designed the ultra high-tech surveillance device. His wife,
Maria, would work her digital wizardry to garner every bit of intelligence from
it in order to create the next link in the chain that would hopefully lead them
closer to Shelley Harper.
All three had a score to
settle with the woman.
The advent of retirement opened a whole new world to me and now that it
has come to pass, I am turning my artistic bent from graphic design
and illustration to that of writing.
has come to pass, I am turning my artistic bent from graphic design
and illustration to that of writing.
To date I have published three books, KILLING SOFTLY (an erotic mystery
thriller), and begun an action crime series centered on two
characters, Captain Kramer, USMC and his Anatolian Shepherd dog, Sgt.
Shadow, USMC. Book One of the series is THE PITS, Book Two is YOU CAN
RUN, and at the time of this bibliography rewrite, I am working on
Book Three, LEX TALIONIS.
thriller), and begun an action crime series centered on two
characters, Captain Kramer, USMC and his Anatolian Shepherd dog, Sgt.
Shadow, USMC. Book One of the series is THE PITS, Book Two is YOU CAN
RUN, and at the time of this bibliography rewrite, I am working on
Book Three, LEX TALIONIS.
The Kramer and Shadow series is an action, adventure, crime thriller
series that encompasses the world and has our two Marines fighting
hard against organized crime at many levels - but always involving
do-or-die confrontations.
series that encompasses the world and has our two Marines fighting
hard against organized crime at many levels - but always involving
do-or-die confrontations.
My hope is to establish a fan base for my writing so that my readers can
have an active role in helping me grow and develop as an author in
the years to come. I invite you to join me in this adventure.
have an active role in helping me grow and develop as an author in
the years to come. I invite you to join me in this adventure.
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