Hooker Avenue

Hooker Avenue

HOOKER AVENUE  is the second in the Queen City Crimes series, which sees the return of attorney Jessie Martin in upstate New York's Hudson Valley. Jessie is on her way home during a pop-up thunderstorm when she spots a woman drowning in a storm drain. She pulls over to save the woman—only to discover that no good deed goes unpunished.   Responding to the scene is Jessie's former best friend, Detective Ebony Jones. Ebony and her partner are investigating a string of disappearances of sex workers, and the assault matches the other crimes with one difference—the victim is still alive.    Before Jessie can make amends with Ebony, she's thrown into a dilemma. A former rival has offered her a job in his law firm, and as an unemployed single mother, she can't say no. But this also means she can't help Ebony with her case. Jessie's employer is now the attorney of record for the victim, Lissie Sexton, and Lissie has gone into hiding, which places the two old friends on opposite sides of the law.   As the evidence builds, Jessie's personal life goes into a tailspin. She's being stalked by the killer she helped put away, and the man in her life is ready to take their relationship to the next level. With her allegiance being pulled in every direction and horrific revelations coming to light, will Jessie be able to figure out where her loyalties lie and stop another killer plaguing the Hudson Valley before her own life hangs in the balance? "A worthwhile beach read for summer vacation."—USA Today Network "In this ambitious sequel, Millman certainly doesn't skimp on the action - every page seems to reveal a new drama or explain an old one, and the tale's pace never lags."—Kirkus Reviews "Hooker Avenue is a solidly intriguing mystery, and the author does an excellent job of creating compelling characters that draw the reader into the narrative."—The BookLife Prize "Jode Millman's second book in the Queen City Crime Series is an intriguing and suspenseful police procedural. It's inspired by the crimes of serial killer Kendall Francois, christened the "Poughkeepsie Killer" by the press, who murdered eight sex workers before he was caught in 1998. Blending the genres of thriller, romance, and mystery with suspense, relationships, crime, office politics, courtroom drama, and high stakes, this book will keep you engaged and entertained while giving you a fascinating look into how these complicated investigations unfold."—Chronogram Magazine "So many skeletons are banging on the closet doors to be set free, in this heady mix of sizzle, punch, and danger. And, even more intriguing, it's all based on a true crime."--Steve Berry, International and New York Times bestselling author of THE KAISER'S WEB "Dark, dangerous and deviously suspenseful, Hooker Avenue kept me turning pages late into the night. I adored the fascinating cast of characters and the rich Hudson Valley setting. A truly terrific book!"-- Alison Gaylin, USA Today Bestselling, and Edgar Award-winning author of THE COLLECTIVE FINALIST - RWA/KOD Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense WINNER - INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD for Crime Fiction FIRST PLACE - CLUE AWARD FINALIST - AMERICAN FICTION AWARD FINALIST - SILVER FALCHION AWARD WINNER OF THE 2022 INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD FIRST PLACE IN THE 2022 CLUE AWARD FINALIST FOR THE 2023 RWA/KOD DAPHNE DUMAURIER AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE FINALIST FOR THE 2023 SILVER FALCHION AWARD 2023 AMERICAN FICTION AWARD FINALIST Being a Good Samaritan is hazardous. Amid a violent Hudson Valley thunderstorm, Jessie Martin discovers a woman lying unconscious in a roadside ditch. The badly beaten victim, Lissie Sexton, a local prostitute, claims she's escaped the attack of a killer. Jessie's more than a casual driver who passes by; she's a criminal-defense attorney. And Lissie is more than an ordinary hooker. She's the key witness in a cold case under investigation by Jessie's estranged longtime friend, Detective Ebony Jones. And now Ebony can't find her witness. Jessie's new boss has sent Lissie into hiding. If Jessie reveals Lissie's location she compromises her client, her firm and her professional ethics. If she doesn't, she risks alienating not just Ebony but the entire police department backing her. Jodé Millman is the multi-award winning author of THE MIDNIGHT CALL, and the best-selling SEATS: NEW YORK Theatre guidebooks. She's an attorney, a reviewer for Booktrib.com, the host/producer of the Backstage with the Bardavon podcast, and creator of The Writer's Law School. Jodé lives with her family in the Hudson Valley, where she is at work on her next novel in her "Queen City Crime" series- novels inspired by true crimes in the valley she calls home. Discover more about Jodé and her work at www.jodemillman.com.