Special X Series by Michael Slade

IT BEGAN WITH HORROR. THEN IT GOT WORSE.There were still traces of extraordinary beauty in the woman's brutally violated body--but there was no way of knowing how beautiful she had been.Her head was missing.She was the first--but there were more to come.Many more.A killer was loose and no woman was safe...a killer who eluded even renowned Detective Robert DeClercq as he and the police combed the lower depths of the sexual underground on two continents.. moreIT BEGAN WITH HORROR. THEN IT GOT WORSE.There were still traces of extraordinary beauty in the woman's brutally violated body--but there was no way of knowing how beautiful she had been.Her head was missing.She was the first--but there were more to come.Many more.A killer was loose and no woman was safe...a killer who eluded even renowned Detective Robert DeClercq as he and the police combed the lower depths of the sexual underground on two continents...a killer whose lust for women, whethery they were "bad" or "good," went beyond even twisted sex and hideous death. less

Dressed in a cape and top hat, with a bone white face and madman's eyes, the Ghoul crawls from the London sewers to kill - bloodily, perversely, inexplicably.In Vancouver, the horror rock group Ghoul cavort onstage, their act a bizarre and violent front. But, for what? Drugs? Snuff films? Dirty money? Contract killings?Inspector Zinc Chandler of Special X thinks he knows... moreDressed in a cape and top hat, with a bone white face and madman's eyes, the Ghoul crawls from the London sewers to kill - bloodily, perversely, inexplicably.In Vancouver, the horror rock group Ghoul cavort onstage, their act a bizarre and violent front. But, for what? Drugs? Snuff films? Dirty money? Contract killings?Inspector Zinc Chandler of Special X thinks he knows.Is there a connection between London's orgy of killings and Vancouver's underworld sleaze?The answer could lie in the dark obsessions and twisted Cthulhu Mythos fantasies of an old Rhode Island family whose tainted past will not lie quiet in its grave. less

From the mastermind behind Headhunter comes a thriller that compares to such classics as Psycho and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Three enigmatic story lines intertwine to culminate in an ultimate climax, as this horror whodunit follows the bloody footsteps of a serial killer through the streets of San Francisco--and through history--each chapter drawing readers closer to the secret behind Cutthroat.

From the bestselling author of Cutthroat comes a nerve-shattering thriller combining the legend of Jack the Ripper, the terrifying secrets of the Tarot, and a "mystery weekend" on a secluded Canadian island, whereurder becomes all too real.

The brutal murder of his beloved mother has left Detective Nick Craven in shock. But being accused of the crime rips open a devastating nightmare. Then another murder occurs, and the victim is one of Craven's associates. Someone has targeted the elite members of the Mounted Police, and evidence points to an insider. Enter veteran investigators Robert DeClercq and Zinc Chandler, who have to unravel the most chilling case of their careers... moreThe brutal murder of his beloved mother has left Detective Nick Craven in shock. But being accused of the crime rips open a devastating nightmare. Then another murder occurs, and the victim is one of Craven's associates. Someone has targeted the elite members of the Mounted Police, and evidence points to an insider. Enter veteran investigators Robert DeClercq and Zinc Chandler, who have to unravel the most chilling case of their careers.From the blood-soaked secrets of the Craven household to a terrifying journey into deepest Africa, these two top-notch detectives will match wits with a killer who has vengeance on his mind and death in his heart. And with each step they take toward the horrifying truth, the killer waits, and watches... less

Decades ago, Inspector Robert DeClercq suffered a tragedy when his young daughter was kidnapped and killed after he was unable to save her. Only now, with a young girl named Katt in his life, can he put his demons to rest... moreDecades ago, Inspector Robert DeClercq suffered a tragedy when his young daughter was kidnapped and killed after he was unable to save her. Only now, with a young girl named Katt in his life, can he put his demons to rest. Until DeClercq's Special X Team receives a shrunken head, heralding the return of the Headhunter -- a psychopath who left a trail of headless bodies in his wake eleven years earlier -- or is it a copycat killer? While the team seeks the answer, Katt is kidnapped, luring DeClercq away from his comrades into a deadly web of revenge! less

On a remote island off the coast of Seattle, a man lies buried alive. Miles away, his captor--the elusive killer known only as Mephisto--listens through a transmitter to his victim's dying screams, waiting for him to reveal a secret only he knows. But learning the secret is only the beginning of Mephisto's maniacal game....Tracking the madman are two detectives. In Canada, Superintendent Robert DeClercq, a man who has experienced horror up close... moreOn a remote island off the coast of Seattle, a man lies buried alive. Miles away, his captor--the elusive killer known only as Mephisto--listens through a transmitter to his victim's dying screams, waiting for him to reveal a secret only he knows. But learning the secret is only the beginning of Mephisto's maniacal game....Tracking the madman are two detectives. In Canada, Superintendent Robert DeClercq, a man who has experienced horror up close. In America, Jenna Bond, a young detective who has never known true horror--until now.Together they will uncover a trail of clues that will lead them to Mephisto, and into the bloody past in which he exists. Because there the most terrifying secrets are buried, lying amidst the bones of the dead.... less

The game begins in Seattle, where a hanged woman is found with one leg missing. Then, in Vancouver, a corpse is found with both legs missing. The clue that binds these horrific crimes together is a game of "Hangman" crudely drawn at each location--painted in the victim's blood.The victims, it seems, were jurors on a controversial case years ago, in which a man was sentenced to death--by hanging... moreThe game begins in Seattle, where a hanged woman is found with one leg missing. Then, in Vancouver, a corpse is found with both legs missing. The clue that binds these horrific crimes together is a game of "Hangman" crudely drawn at each location--painted in the victim's blood.The victims, it seems, were jurors on a controversial case years ago, in which a man was sentenced to death--by hanging. Two cops on both sides of the border--Canadian detective Zinc Chandler and American detective Maddy Thorne--are up against a killer whose every move means death. To stop him, they must solve the riddle of the hangman--before the madman makes his final, murderous move...and wins the game. less

The photos pinned to the Strategy Wall in Chief Superintendent Robert DeClercq's office prove that he and his colleagues are up against a monster this time — or is it monsters?First there's the baffling murder by incineration of eight people in Britain, which seems to have been done simply to steal a corpse. Next it's two Canada Customs officials who are killed so the corpse can be smuggled into Vancouver... moreThe photos pinned to the Strategy Wall in Chief Superintendent Robert DeClercq's office prove that he and his colleagues are up against a monster this time — or is it monsters?First there's the baffling murder by incineration of eight people in Britain, which seems to have been done simply to steal a corpse. Next it's two Canada Customs officials who are killed so the corpse can be smuggled into Vancouver. Mixed in with these mysteries is a local porn king, a network of wealthy connoisseurs obsessed with made-to-order snuff videos, and a slew of deformed bodies that are being dumped around the Gulf Islands.Then there's the madman the Mounties don't know about. The psycho to end all psychos, who has confounded them before. And this time he's looking for diabolical revenge... less

Isolated in Ashworth House, an asylum for the criminally insane, is the Ripper. He believes he's the notorious butcher who terrorized Whitechapel more than a century ago. He talks of time travel, infinity, and the occult. In the black hole of his imagination, he reenacts the crimes. In the darkness of his heart, he still craves the thrill of the kill. Thank God he can't escape... moreIsolated in Ashworth House, an asylum for the criminally insane, is the Ripper. He believes he's the notorious butcher who terrorized Whitechapel more than a century ago. He talks of time travel, infinity, and the occult. In the black hole of his imagination, he reenacts the crimes. In the darkness of his heart, he still craves the thrill of the kill. Thank God he can't escape.But with such an ingenious mind for murder, the Ripper doesn't have to -- and the ghastly crimes he can manipulate from his padded cell are taking Zinc Chandler and the Special X investigators on a trail of unspeakable carnage that leads to the idyllic Cook Islands, where human sacrifice and cannibalism is more than a dark and perverted chapter in its history. It's tradition.Come and get it. less

In the closing days of World War II, Hitler summons SS-General Ernst Streicher to his Berlin bunker to discuss the Third Reich's only hope to win the war – the Wonder Weapons controlled by Himmler's dreaded SS. When an overnight raid by the Allies forces Streicher to abandon his underground Mittelwerk factory assembling V-2 rockets, it sets in motion a monstrous conspiracy that still lies hidden today... moreIn the closing days of World War II, Hitler summons SS-General Ernst Streicher to his Berlin bunker to discuss the Third Reich's only hope to win the war – the Wonder Weapons controlled by Himmler's dreaded SS. When an overnight raid by the Allies forces Streicher to abandon his underground Mittelwerk factory assembling V-2 rockets, it sets in motion a monstrous conspiracy that still lies hidden today. In present-day Vancouver, the RCMP's Special X squad is on the hunt for a pair of Nazi-inspired killers. A Nazi swastika is carved into each victim's forehead. When Special X turns to the FBI for links to the swastika signature in the United States, the black world of the Pentagon picks up the clue and ties it to the long-kept secret of what crashed at Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947. Moving between wartime Germany and the manhunt in Vancouver, SWASTIKA revolves around a deadly four-sided cat-and-mouse game embroiling the Mounties, Pentagon hit men, and the Nazi psycho killers. "CSI: NAZI GERMANY. The attention to detail in SWASTIKA makes for an unsettling read. Slade knows his trade well, and is able to get inside the head of a grizzled cop and a psychotic neo-Nazi with equal skill. Fans won't be disappointed." - Montreal FFWD Weekly "An action-packed, techno-conspiracy thriller. It is no small testament to Slade's ability that he can craft a genuine emotional core amidst such a maze of plotlines." - Calgary Herald "A perfect blend of historical background, police procedure, and lightning-fast action, with a dash of horror. Slade's skill at intertwining the past and the present is uncanny. Don't start SWASTIKA unless you can finish it. You won't want to put it down." - Crime Spree Magazine "Michael Slade has a reputation for conducting extensive research before beginning to write his novels. The scenes in Hitler's bunker and the V-2 rocket factory are so descriptive that it's difficult to know where historical fact leaves off and fiction begins. The story races along like a hound on the scent. SWASTIKA will please anyone who enjoys a good thriller with a historical bent." - Quill & Quire "Slade blends crime genres like no other writer. SWASTIKA is a clever whodunit that will challenge the sharpest readers." - Hellnotes About the Author: Criminal lawyer Michael Slade has acted in over a hundred murder cases. He specializes in the law of insanity, and argued the last hanging case in the Supreme Court. Reader’s Digest says: "The Slade books have developed a strong following among police officers because of their strict adherence to proper police procedure." Slade was guest speaker at the international Police Leadership Conference and at several RCMP regimental dinners, and was guest of honor at the World Horror Convention in Seattle. less

He is a Kamikaze. His target: a survivor of the bomb crew that incinerated Hiroshima more than half a century ago. She is an executioner. Her target: those responsible for her father's murder during the fall of Hong Kong, 1941. But they have something more frightening in common than revenge. It's beyond belief. But believing in it is the only way to stop them.

A bulldozer on a construction site uncovers the remains of a World War II bomber, and so begins a treacherous international journey that spans the crucifixion of Jesus at Golgotha to modern archaeological discoveries.