Long Gone Man — Phyllis Smallman

Set in the Pacific Northwest, this series follows a homeless woman who calls herself Singer Brown. A musician who sings on the street for coins, Singer watches the ebb and flow of life around her. With a knack for being in the right place at the wrong time, Singer is one of society's invisible people. But being unseen is an incredible advantage when you're digging for secrets.

Long Gone Man is the first book in this new series, and has won the Gold Medal Award for 2014 from the independent Publishers Association in the Mystery/Thriller category.