The OC — D.P. Lyle

Thrill-a-minute crime fiction -- infused with wry humor

Restaurant owner and former professional baseball player Jake Longly is hoping for a few weeks of fun with Nicole Jamison in the warm Orange County, CA sun -- The OC, baby. After that, they'll be on their way to LA for the filming of Nicole's sure-to-be-a-hit screenplay.

On arrival, they discover that Nicole's friend Megan Weatherly, a local TV reporter, has picked up an anonymous stalker. Megan downplays any real danger, but her new intern Abby, as well as Jake and Nicole, don't agree. Bit by bit, as the harassment escalates and the shadowy man invades Megan's world, Jake calls in the big guns from back home in Alabama: Ray and Pancake. But will Ray's military black ops experience and Pancake's technical skills be enough to expose the predator in time?

The stalker is no fool and likely has a predatory history. He makes no mistakes and manages to cover his trail completely. So, how do you identify and locate the untraceable? How do you protect Megan from a potentially lethal phantom?

Suddenly the sunshine and safety of The OC seem more facade than reality. Jake and crew must punch through that facade and dig into the dark world of celebrity stalking. The clock is ticking.

Perfect for fans of Carl Hiaasen and Janet Evanovich

While all of the novels in the Jake Longly Thriller Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is:

Deep Six
A-List
Sunshine State
Rigged
The OC