Who is Alexander Steele?

Excerpts from The Alexander Steele Murder Mystery Series

Monday, August 7, 2017

Who is Alexander Steele?

Who is Alexander Steele?

Alexander Steele is a fictitious, street savvy, African American detective who grew up on the rough streets of Philly. Forget everything you know about gritty, skirt cashing, chain-smoking, broke detectives, of the past. Steele (as his friends like to call him) is a unique breed of detective. When he's in the danger zone Steele fly’s solo but behind the scenes, he often relies on the computer expertise of his best friend/hacker Stan. With Stan’s assistance, Steele has solved dozens of cases from Montreal to Mexico.

After years of car chases and matching wits, bullets and verbal jabs with drug kingpins, murderers, and terrorist the thirty-something private investigator is being prodded by his longtime girlfriend to "get out of the business before its too late."

As difficult as it has been the handsome P.I. has stayed true to his choice of committing to a monogamous relationship with interior decorator Shakia. In an attempt trade in his lifestyle of danger for a profession with a much lower causality rate, Steele opened a posh member’s only club in the Mt. Airy section of Philly. It was an unusual choice for a man who doesn't drink or smoke. Steele’s quirky, hefty; childhood friend Sugar Bear is the club manager. Sugar Bear competence as manager has never been an issue but his attraction to astrology and conspiracy theories often annoys Steele.

Shakia’s relief has quickly turned to frustration because the back booth at Steele’s popular club has turned into his new base of operation. Steele is approached by a never-ending stream of potential murder mysteries clients, some too good to pass up. It becomes apparent that his reputation will not die as quickly as the enemies he has put in the local cemeteries. 

Read & Listen

Switch between reading the Kindle book & listening to the Audible narration with Whispersync for Voice. 

The author presents three short stories of fictional private detective Alexander Steele. The predominant setting for most of these stories is the city of Philadelphia and the surrounding area.

"Legacy of Death"

On a hot, muggy night in Philly, a couple was brutally murdered on an isolated rooftop. According to rumors, the couple stashed a small fortune in gold that was never recovered. Twenty years later after new clues and another body surfaces, Alexander Steele is hired to solve this cold case.

     From the Author

I grew up watching movies like Shaft, The Mack, and Three the Hard Way.  As much as I enjoyed seeing these strong men of color on the big screen I wanted more. About ten years ago I created Alexander Steele, a streetwise African American detective born and raised in Philly. Can a successful PI have a monogamous relationship? Can he still hang with childhood friends while solving dangerous cases? Does he have to have vices like alcohol, drugs or cigarettes to be considered cool?  I think the answer may surprise you. 

You would be mistaken if you classified these stories as for African Americans only. Alexander Steele has been described as a cross between Sherlock Holmes and James Bond. If you love a good mystery I suggest that you give this series a look or should I say a listen. The Alexander Steele Murder Mystery Series is now on Audio Books.   

FREE Preview

Philly Murder Mystery Series - Audio Preview
Alexander Steele Mystery Series Volume #1
Kindle - t.ly/AD7Rm

Audio - t.ly/dZ0eL

https://youtu.be/xzf7evKjARE

 #Philadelphia #Free #Preview

Switch between reading the Kindle book and listening to the Audible narration without losing
your place with Whispersync for Voice.

Sync your book across different devices and always pick up where you left off.

Save on Audible narration and get a reduced price when you buy it together with the Kindle book.

Listen on the Kindle App (iOS/Android).
You can also listen on the Fire Phone, Fire tablets, Kindle Touch, Kindle Keyboard, and Audible App (iOS/Android/Windows).

Audio Preview of Blackout an Alexander Steele Murder Mystery

Murder Mystery The Deadly Gamble Suspects

Murder Mystery The Deadly Gamble Suspects

Murder Mystery The Deadly Gamble Suspects


The bodies of Mrs. Matthews and Sam the pool boy were found on the grounds of Amber Hill Manor.  With no visible signs of foul play and no witnesses, Alexander Steele had his work cut out for him. Did I mention that the shed was locked from the inside?



http://amzn.to/2zt5LMF

Murder Mystery The Deadly Gamble Suspects

Murder Mystery The Deadly Gamble Suspects



The bodies of Mrs. Matthews and Sam the pool boy were found on the grounds of Amber Hill Manor.  With no visible signs of foul play and no witnesses, Alexander Steele had his work cut out for him. Did I mention that the shed was locked from the inside?



http://amzn.to/2zt5LMF

Late Night for Steele at the Art Museum

Excerpt from The Deadly Ring

Chapter 4 

Revelation

There was a chill in the air. After twenty minutes he turned up the collar of his windbreaker and walked from the library over to the parkway. Steele sat on the very top step of the Art Museum.

There were no tourists at the famous Philadelphia landmark at four a.m. so he took advantage of the view and the quiet. Replaying the mental pictures in his mind he realized the yellow and white box of sandwich bags seemed out of place among the food wrappers at the victim’s home.

Steele was tired; the number of cases he had taken on over the past year was catching up on him.

The next morning he had overslept but with the much-needed rest came clarity. Right smack in the middle of his shower, it was as if the heavens opened and the angels sang. All the live chess pieces had fallen into place.

Book Reviews Trailer


Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy
Sr. Lawrence Johnson
Audible Audio Edition
$0.00 with Trial
http://amzn.to/2vMzmld

Listen to free samples on Amazon

Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy Audiobook United Kingdom #UK

Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy Kindle Edition India #India

#Philly #Philadelphia #MurderMystery #audiobooks #eBooks

Steele Has a Mexican Standoff at Jeweler's Row

 Excerpt from The Deadly Ring

Chapter 3

Standoff 

Steele was on the move. He had no problem finding the jewelry shop. Steele peered inside the window of the small shop and witnessed a man and a woman arguing near the back.

The sign on the front door window said closed but since the door was unlocked he let himself in. As Steele entered the shop he didn’t recognize who the woman was but the man with the long black hair in the ponytail was bad news. His name was Nickolas D'Angelo aka Notorious Nick. The shop was in disarray. Draws were left open and the contents of several boxes had been dumped onto the glass counters and floor. The arguing stopped when they saw Steele headed their way. He could see the young lady was upset and had been crying. Nick stood at about 5’ 10”. He was lean and muscular with biceps that bulged through his tight black tee shirt.

Nick turned to Steele and smiled. “Alexander Steele, I always knew one day you would stick your nose into our business affairs. I heard about your little run-in at the cemetery this afternoon.”

Steele hunched his shoulders, “the funeral business is a little slow these days so I thought I’d help them out.”

Nick’s smile vanished faster than an ice sickle in front of a red-hot blowtorch. “That was my cousin, you bastard.” 

Trailer 


Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy
Sr. Lawrence Johnson
Audible Audio Edition
$0.00 with Trial
http://amzn.to/2vMzmld

Listen to free samples on Amazon

Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy Audiobook United Kingdom #UK

Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy Kindle Edition India #India

#Philly #Philadelphia #MurderMystery #audiobooks #eBooks

Books > Literature & Fiction > African American > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Gunfight at the Graveyard in Mt Airy

 Excerpt from The Deadly Ring

Chapter 2 

Message from the Grave

Alexander Steele took the Schuylkill Expressway and headed uptown to Chelten Hills Cemetery. It was a quiet spring afternoon at the cemetery where bodies of the dearly departed rested.   The one thing you could always count on at cemeteries was peace.  On this day that peace would soon erupt into a deadly encounter, an encounter loud enough to almost wake up the dead.

Steele felt uneasy.  Something was off.  The birds were singing and the sky was blue but there was a chill in the air.  A sense that something was not quite right, a sense that has kept him alive through dozens of deadly cases.  As he scanned the gravesite for anything that looked out of place Steele couldn’t help notice how nervous the caretaker was as he watched the three gravediggers milling around the new gravesite waiting for the backhoe operator to maneuver the big yellow machine into place. For a brief moment, Steele caught a glimpse of flashing light from behind a tree on the north mound about four hundred feet away. The reflection of the sun bouncing off a watch or maybe eyeglasses from the uninvited guest in the distance.

Steele began making his way toward where he had seen the light flash.  When he reached the halfway point a short man in dark clothing bolted from behind a weeping willow and began running away up the grassy mound as fast as he could. Steele was in hot pursuit. When the man with the glasses realized he couldn’t outrun Steele he turned suddenly, pulled out his gun. He fired three shots in Steele’s direction. In one fluid motion Steele dove and rolled behind an old gray, four-foot-high headstone and quickly drew his weapon. He crouched down behind the small wall of granite and carefully peered around the side. He noticed the gunman was still running further up the mound. When the gun-toting attacker stopped at the top of the hill and turned to fire again Steele was ready. He pumped two rounds dead center into the man’s chest causing the assailant to drop his weapon and roll slowly in Steele’s direction. By the time Steele reached his attacker the man was barely alive. Steele held his gun close to his chest. He kneeled next to the man who was bleeding profusely from his wounds.

The dying man now partially covered in leaves took shallow breaths as he slowly moved his head side to side. Steele moved closer to his face, “Who sent you,” he asked.

The man tried to speak but no words came out. Steele tried again, “who do you work for?

Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy
Sr. Lawrence Johnson
Audible Audio Edition
$0.00 with Trial
http://amzn.to/2vMzmld

Listen to free samples on Amazon

Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy Audiobook United Kingdom #UK

Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy Kindle Edition India #India

#Philly #Philadelphia #MurderMystery #audiobooks #eBooks #SouthPhilly #NorthPhilly #WestPhilly #WesrOakLane #Germantown #SouthWestPhilly #Onley

Stan and Steele view the Philadelphia Library Crime Scene

 Excerpt from The Deadly Ring
Chapter 1
Fatal Encounter 

As the two sat sipping hot coffee in front of the big screen Stan pulled up an image of the main branch of the Philadelphia Library on Vine Street just off the Parkway. He put down his cup and began tapping on the black keyboard.

“The police picked up a guy around two a.m. on the steps of the library the same night your friend from the Vatican was supposed to be there. His estimated age was between 62 and 70. No ID. Died from a heart attack. This could be your guy.”

Steele stared at the picture of the building on the screen. He noticed the gray security camera’s mounted on the corners of the building. “Stan, can you hack into the library's security system?

Stan quipped, “Is the Pope Catholic?”

By the time Steele was about to pour his third cup of hot, strong, Arabian coffee Stan put down the keyboard, clapped his hands as he rose slightly from the sofa. “Yes! I still got it bro.”

Steele and Stan watched quietly as a balding, grey-haired man sat nervously on the library steps. It was a clear night. The grainy footage was in black and white. It was like watching a silent movie from the forties. The only difference was the clock timer clicking down the seconds and minutes in the bottom left-hand corner. 11:45, the man got up and walked out of the camera’s view. 11:50 he returns and waits until 11:57 when he is approached by a man in dark clothing with his back turned to the camera. A brief conversation takes place then some completely unexpected catches Steele by surprise. A sudden flash of light appears near the second man’s hand and the older balding man lurched backward and falls onto the steps like a rag doll. Seeming unfazed by the motionless man the attacker looks around then quickly rummages through the old mans pockets before running off into the night.

Steele rose from his seat, “Stan, stop the tape!”

Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy
Sr. Lawrence Johnson
Audible Audio Edition
$0.00 with Trial
http://amzn.to/2vMzmld

Listen to free samples on Amazon

Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy Audiobook United Kingdom #UK

Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy Kindle Edition India #India

#Philly #Philadelphia #MurderMystery #audiobooks #eBooks

Steele's New Client from Italy is Desperately Trying to Recover a Valuable Ring

Excerpt from Case of the Deadly Ring
 Chapter 1

Fatal Encounter

Once the men entered Steele’s house, Julius showed Steele a photo of a gold ring sitting on top of a white sheet of paper the size of a 3x5 card. There was a phone number written in the bottom left corner. At the top of the picture in the background was a copy of the Philadelphia Inquirer dated last week.

After giving him a few moments to examine the image, he asked, “Mr. Steele, are you familiar with this ring?”

Steele nodded that he was not. Julius paused then spoke in a somber voice, “this is the Anello Piscatorio, the Ring of the Fishermen,” he explained. “To be more precise, this ring belonged to Pope John Paul I. A new gold ring is cast with each new pope’s Latin name inscribed in raised letters around the upper rim. John Paul’s papacy ended abruptly in September 1978 after serving only 33 days. There are those among us who suspect foul play.

The ring is also used as a seal, a notary of sorts. It is a potent symbol. If it were to fall into the wrong hands, the damage to the Papacy could be significant. If word of this ever got out….” Julius DiBona slowly shook his head.

“Under normal circumstances for obvious reasons, the Camerlengo crushes the ring in the presence of other Cardinals.”

Steele pointed to the picture. “Who sent you the photo, and how much is he asking for the ring?”

DiBona hunched his shoulders; “I don’t know who or where he is. When I called the number on the photo, the man on the phone didn’t want to give his name. He said his life was in danger because of the ring. All he would tell me is that he brought it from a man name Nickolas D’Angelo.”

                                                Alexander Steele Murder Mysteries Review Trailer

Alexander Steele Mysteries is now available on Audible audiobooks. Most of our short stories ebooks are only $0.99.

US
Listen to free samples on Amazon

Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy Audiobook United Kingdom #UK

Alexander Steele Mystery Trilogy Kindle Edition India #India

#Philly #Philadelphia #MurderMystery