Nashville private investigator Jared McKean has a son with Down syndrome, a best friend with AIDS, an ex-wife he can’t seem to fall out of love with, and a weakness for women in jeopardy—until one frames him for murder.
His DNA and fingerprints are found at the murder scene, his voice is on the victim’s answering machine, and the victim was killed with a bullet from his gun. To make matters worse, his teenage nephew comes out of the closet and runs away to join a dangerous fringe of the goth subculture.
Now Jared must find a way to clear his name, hold his family together, and solve a case that could cost him his life.
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"As the title implies, a fast-paced book with many twists and turns. Great characters, dialog and sense of place (Nashville). I know it's corny, but I couldn't put it down because I had to find out who set the protagonist up and why."
— J. (5 out of 5 stars)
“This is a first-rate PI novel that opens with one of the best-constructed frame-ups I’ve ever read…Written in spare, note-perfect prose, with a knockout plot and characters who don’t go away when you close the cover, this is a terrific book. I hope there’s going to be a lot more of Jared McKean.”
— Timothy Hallinan, Edgar Award nominee“Terrell’s voice on the page has the sound and pace of great mystery writers like Dashiell Hammett and Lawrence Block but does it with originality and avoids clichés. I don’t know of a single current writer who has both that perfect ear for the genre and the ability to make it seem fresh and new at the same time.”
— Michael Orenduff, critically acclaimed and award-winning author“Racing the Devil is a fast ride through modern-day Nashville. Terrell’s got a real ear for dialog, the characters are compelling, and the plot nicely twisted. What a terrific start for a talented new writer. I recommend it highly.”
— Sallie Bissell, critically acclaimed author of In the Forest of Harm“A promising debut…Jared comes across convincingly as a savvy and sympathetic good ol’ urban detective who, despite his own difficulties, is ever ready and able to defend people or animals in trouble.”
— Publishers Weekly“This character-driven PI debut is intriguing because of the protagonist’s complicated family. Their presence is important to the story line and makes for a memorable read. Watch for a sequel soon.”
— Library Journal“A smart story, well constructed and well told. Jared is a solidly designed lead character, and, given that the novel is billed as a Jared McKean mystery, it seems likely the author intends the private eye to anchor a series. Not a bad idea, if subsequent novels can keep this one’s nice balance of character and story.”
— Booklist“A bright new talent feeling her way into a promising series.”
— Kirkus Reviews“The stuff Hollywood movies are made of. Suspense, intrigue, hi-fi action—all the ingredients of a staple thriller are there in the correct proportions in Racing the Devil…Terrell delivers a punching thriller that’s pure Hitchcockian in suspense.”
— New Mystery Review“I read Racing the Devil in two evenings—kept me up past midnight. I was hooked from the first page to the last page and the ending was most satisfactory—a fun read [with] a lot of good twists and turns. Wow. I know we don’t have to live the scenes to write them—God help romance writers if we did—but Terrell’s knowledge and command of the language of the seamier side…was totally real and added much to the story.”
— B. J. Mountford, author of the Shackelford Island Mysteries“Jared McKean is one of the most emotionally developed new private eyes…The successful merging of the personal side of Jared’s life and the murder mystery made this an absolute favorite for me.”
— Jochem Steen, Sons of Spade blog" I was hooked as soon as I picked it up. Finished it that night. Great story. Would love to read more.Passing it on to family now to read. Thanks for the book will look up more from Jaden Terrell now to read. "
— Debbie, 3/8/2013" Easy quick read. Local color. Looking forward to the next book! "
— Lisa, 2/25/2013" I could not put this book down, it was a fast paced book with lots of twists. I highly recommend this book! "
— Kayla, 2/11/2013" I won this as a first-read so I was skeptical. Liked it from the first page. Kept me interested throughout the whole book. Easy to read. Letting my husband read it now because I knew he would like it. "
— Vicky, 4/11/2012Jaden Terrell is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Private Eye Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and the Tennessee Writers Alliance. The former special-education teacher is the executive director of the Killer Nashville crime literature conference and a SEMWA Magnolia Award winner. A graduate of the Citizen Police Academy and the FBI/TBI Citizen Academy, Terrell has a red belt in Tae Kwon Do and is certified in equine sports massage therapy.
Nick Sullivan has narrated audiobooks for over twenty years and has recorded over four hundred titles. An Audie Award winner, he is also the recipient of numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards. His TV and film credits include The Good Wife, The Affair, Bull, Boardwalk Empire, 30 Rock, Our Idiot Brother, and Private Life.