About this item
Baltimore police officer Fia McKee is put on leave for excessive use of force after interfering in a crime that turns deadly. Given a second chance, she is sent to work undercover for the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau (TRPB) at the Gulfstream Park in Florida, where she works as an exercise rider. Her assignment is to watch and report back on two racetrack workers who have been suspected of illegal activities and whose horses continue to outperform all expectations, winning their owners unseemly amounts of money in the races. To complete her cover story, Fia moves in with her semi-estranged brother, Patrick, who lives near the racetrack. Her investigations are complicated when her niece, Jilly, disappears after a shadow gang takes Jilly's beloved horse. Now Fia must work two angles -- first to find out what's really going on with the men who might or might not be gaming the system, and second to bring the men who prey on horses to justice. Along the way, Fia encounters Cuban gangs living off the grid, a (very handsome) do-gooder who's close on their trail, and a cabal of super wealthy gamblers who will stop at nothing to ensure they always win.
About the Author
Sasscer Hill: Author, Amateur Jockey, Horse Breeder and Mystery LoverSasscer Hill, a former Maryland racehorse breeder, trainer, and rider, uses the sport of kings as a backdrop for her mysteries. Her "vivid descriptive"prose about greed, evil, heart, and courage propelled her "Nikki Latrelle" novels to multiple award nominations, including an Agatha, a Macavity, and the Dr. Tony Ryan Best in Racing Literature Award. Her 2020 novel, TRAVELS OF QUINN, is "A heart-stopping thriller of a murder mystery"- Charles Todd, Anthony, Edgar, and Barry Award winning author.Born an Irish American gypsy Traveller, can Quinn escape a dreaded marriage contract and the life of crime forced upon her? People ask me in what order should they read the Nikki Latrelle books. The first three "Nikki Latrelle" mysteries, are FULL MORTALITY, RACING FROM DEATH, and THE SEA HORSE TRADE. They are marked on the covers as book 1, 2, and 3. But while I was waiting for St. Martin's press to bring out the two "Fia McKee" books I produced for them, I wrote and self-published the fourth Nikki book, "RACING FROM EVIL, a Nikki Latrelle Mystery Novella; The Prequel." Though it was written last, ideally, it should be read first. I had always wanted to go back and tell the story of Nikki racing through the streets of Baltimore on a bitter cold night to escape from her evil stepfather, climb the razor wire fence into Pimlico, and find a life for herself. So, I did. TVG's racing commentator, Caton Bredar told me Racing from Evil is one of her favorites!I am currently working on the fifth Nikki Latrelle novel, SHOOTING STAR. My recent series from St. Martins Press, featuring Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau agent "Fia McKee,"debuted with FLAMINGO ROAD in April of 2017, and won the $10,000 annual Dr. Tony Ryan Award, for Best Book in Racing Literature! The second book in the "Fia McKee" series, THE DARK SIDE OF TOWN, won the Carrie McCray Competition for Best First Chapter of a Novel, and was a runner up for the prestigious Claymore award. Trade reviews for THE DARK SIDE OF TOWN: "Filled with sense-laden descriptions and ever tightening suspense, this is gripping mystery fare and a terrific successor to the racecourse mystery world first carved out by Dick Francis." - Booklist, Starred Review "Fans of horse racing and everyone else will find this tale of love, lust, greed, and family ties an enjoyable ride."-Publishers Weekly "Sound racing lore mixes with sex and murder to provide a blood-soaked edge-of-your-seat thriller"-Kirkus. "The second book in the Fia McKee series delivers another high-octane trip into the professional world of horse racing. The sights, sounds and activity of the racetrack all come to life [with] a heroine who can hold her own in room full of bad guys." - Romantic TimesBorn in Washington, D.C., Hill earned a BA in English Literatur
