P L A N X
The new thriller by Rory Tate
When a suspicious explosion rocks a lab on a University campus in Montana, officer Cody Byrne is tasked with finding next-of-kin for one of the victims, a professor of Shakespeare. From this simple beginning she pulls the strings to unravel a secret jealously guarded by very powerful people. She won't give up her hunt, even as she battles wartime demons from her tour in Iraq, as she discovers she's chasing down her own identity, as well as a dead man's.
"PLAN X is both thrilling and sophisticated In a serpentine story that races from small-town Montana to the vaulted halls of Windsor Castle, nothing is as it seems, including the works of the great Shakespeare himself. Former military and current police officer Cody Byrne is unforgettable- a heroine you want to root for. I love this book "
"-New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author J. Carson Black"
"Rory Tate weaves a thrilling police procedural as officer Cody Byrne investigates the death of a Montana professor who may have been hiding one of the biggest secrets in academia- or perpetuating one of the biggest frauds- one that could scandalize the royal family of Great Britain. An entertaining read "
"-Robin Burcell, award winning author of THE BLACK LIST"
"A book to keep you up at night. Once begun it must be read through. Exciting, spellbinding, and riveting are words that come to mind. The best mystery/crime/spy novel I have read recently. One of the best of all time." "- book blogger and author, Ruth Ann Hixson"

The sequel to the much-loved Blackbird Fly is here at last
Merle Bennett is spending another summer in France, vacationing with her four sisters and one friend, lawyers all, tramping around the backroads of the Dordogne. The sixth member of their walking tour is a law colleague, Gillian Sargent. She hasn't made a good impression on the Bennett sisters, being annoying and secretive and upsetting the delicate karma of sisterhood. When Gillian finds an injured dog along the roadside and wants to keep it for her own, the idyllic summer trip of sisterly bonding and wine-drinking turns dark and dangerous. Who else is after this dog? Why is she so special? And what secret is Gillian Sargent keeping so close to her chest that her co-workers call her 'The Girl in the Empty Dress?'
Lise McClendon introduced Merle Bennett in Blackbird Fly, taking readers on a journey of self-discovery for Merle as her late husband's life opened up its secrets. He left her a stone house in the Dordogne he never mentioned, his family estate. Merle's efforts to fix up the abandoned ruin, extract a squatter, and discover the family secrets help her through her grief.
Now, back in this corner of southwest France of dark, oaky wine, rocky hills, foie gras and earthy truffles, she juggles sibling bickering, her teenage son, two boyfriends, and the law. All she wants is to unwind in the golden light of France. But France has a few tricks up its sleeves again. Thanks to a sad, dirty little dog and a woman with too many secrets.