Fiddler and Fiora Mystery Series by A.E. Maxwell, Elizabeth Lowell

“A. E. Maxwell wrote one of the smartest, most consistent PI series in recent memory. Big plots, great villains, and a kickass private eye with plenty of humanity. The toughness of Robert B. Parker’s early Spenser novels blended with the wry humor and scope of Ross Thomas. Wholly original, endlessly entertaining. The books of A. E. Maxwell are a forgotten treasure... more“A. E. Maxwell wrote one of the smartest, most consistent PI series in recent memory. Big plots, great villains, and a kickass private eye with plenty of humanity. The toughness of Robert B. Parker’s early Spenser novels blended with the wry humor and scope of Ross Thomas. Wholly original, endlessly entertaining. The books of A. E. Maxwell are a forgotten treasure.”—Tim Maleeny Back in print for the first time in fifteen years, the first thriller featuring failed violinist-turned-private investigator Fiddler and his beautiful banker ex-wife Fiora. Fiora needs Fiddler’s help when her twin brother’s smuggling operation might get him killed. less

“Unlike too many other fictional PI’s, Fiddler has aged well. . . . The plots are well-hewn, the dialogue crackling, the bad guys among the very baddest. . . . From the yachty Newport crowd and the oenophiles of Napa to the dream-seeking denizens of L.A., Maxwell’s books provide a sort of literary amber, capturing the scene and saving it for posterity.”—Bob Morris “One of the most interesting and engaging private eyes since Robert Parker’s Spenser... more“Unlike too many other fictional PI’s, Fiddler has aged well. . . . The plots are well-hewn, the dialogue crackling, the bad guys among the very baddest. . . . From the yachty Newport crowd and the oenophiles of Napa to the dream-seeking denizens of L.A., Maxwell’s books provide a sort of literary amber, capturing the scene and saving it for posterity.”—Bob Morris “One of the most interesting and engaging private eyes since Robert Parker’s Spenser.”—Advertising Age “Excellent characterization and dialogue...action-packed and thrilling...The book has aged remarkably well, with issues such as illegal immigration and terrorism that could have been ripped from today's headlines. Busted Flush has done the crime fiction world a real favor by finding forgotten gems such as this and reprinting them.”—Maddy Van Hertbruggen, Reviewing the Evidence The second Fiddler & Fiora thriller, back in print. A Jewish Iranian friend of Fiddler’s is being blackmailed by terrorists and needs Fiddler’s help. less

“The writing is lean and restrained, and Fiddler...gives Travis McGee a real run for his money.”—Los Angeles Times “Maxwell manages a slam-bang climax...and the California wine business background is unusual and entertaining.”—Publishers Weekly “Evokes with grace, elegance and love the colors, smells and sounds of Napa Valley wine-making.”—Vanity Fair “By far [Maxwell's] best, a California thriller with very realcharacters and dialogue and a violent, unexpected ending you won't soon forget... more“The writing is lean and restrained, and Fiddler...gives Travis McGee a real run for his money.”—Los Angeles Times “Maxwell manages a slam-bang climax...and the California wine business background is unusual and entertaining.”—Publishers Weekly “Evokes with grace, elegance and love the colors, smells and sounds of Napa Valley wine-making.”—Vanity Fair “By far [Maxwell's] best, a California thriller with very realcharacters and dialogue and a violent, unexpected ending you won't soon forget.”—Palo Alto Times Tribune Back in print, the third Fiddler & Fiora crime novel. Five months into their rekindled relationship, Fiddler and his blonde dynamo of an ex-wife Fiora find themselves in Napa Valley wine country. It's there that Fiddler gets drawn into former flame Sandra's vineyard woes. A run of bad luck and bad business might seem like coincidence, but when a rare and deadly parasite suddenly infests all the best vineyards—Sandra's included—the entre valley's industry is counting on Fiddler and Fiora for help. A. E. Maxwell is the pseudonym of Ann and Evan Maxwell. Ann is now best known as New York Times bestseller Elizabeth Lowell. less

Named by TIME magazine as one of the best suspense novels of the year “Fiddler is to California what Spenser is to Boston and Travis McGee is to Florida. Tough, smart guys who know that sometimes, what looks like paradise, is pure hell.”—Paul Levine, best-selling author of Illegal “Maxwell’s work is engaging and wonderfully articulated.”—Robert B. Parker “Maxwell’s style is sexy and hard-hitting.”—Publishers Weekly Back in print, the fourth Fiddler & Fiora crime novel... moreNamed by TIME magazine as one of the best suspense novels of the year “Fiddler is to California what Spenser is to Boston and Travis McGee is to Florida. Tough, smart guys who know that sometimes, what looks like paradise, is pure hell.”—Paul Levine, best-selling author of Illegal “Maxwell’s work is engaging and wonderfully articulated.”—Robert B. Parker “Maxwell’s style is sexy and hard-hitting.”—Publishers Weekly Back in print, the fourth Fiddler & Fiora crime novel. When an American customs agent who once saved Fiddler’s life dies suspiciously on the US-Mexican border, Fiddler heads south to look into the death. less

Fiddler and Fiora: Book 5I had been on the road for weeks, trying to burn out my anger at Fiora for pulling in the FBI rather than letting me handle a case my way. Then a flat tire and a cold wind sent me into the shelter of a Santa Fe art gallery.No problem, right? A tire is a tire is a tire.Wrong again.Before I was done, I found myself hounded by the IRS, forced off the road by Fiora, and under a cold-blooded murder’s gun... moreFiddler and Fiora: Book 5I had been on the road for weeks, trying to burn out my anger at Fiora for pulling in the FBI rather than letting me handle a case my way. Then a flat tire and a cold wind sent me into the shelter of a Santa Fe art gallery.No problem, right? A tire is a tire is a tire.Wrong again.Before I was done, I found myself hounded by the IRS, forced off the road by Fiora, and under a cold-blooded murder’s gun. Along the way, there was a tax scam, a dead art professor, and a missing painting worth millions.The good news was that Fiora and I were together again.The bad news was that we could die that way."An unbeatable duo." --Faye Kellerman"The writing is lean and restrained, and Fiddler, growing from book to book, gives Travis McGee a rea; run for his money." --Los Angeles Times less

Fiddler and Fiora: Book 6Fiora has a lot of good ideas. Turning us into a non-violent “consulting partnership” wasn’t one of them. Especially for a damn bank.Banks are Fiora’s specialty.Guns are mine.But it’s hard to say no to the woman you love. So we found ourselves neck deep in an old family bank whose stupid go-go son thought he could play with the fast crowd in Newport.Only problem was, the son couldn’t keep up... moreFiddler and Fiora: Book 6Fiora has a lot of good ideas. Turning us into a non-violent “consulting partnership” wasn’t one of them. Especially for a damn bank.Banks are Fiora’s specialty.Guns are mine.But it’s hard to say no to the woman you love. So we found ourselves neck deep in an old family bank whose stupid go-go son thought he could play with the fast crowd in Newport.Only problem was, the son couldn’t keep up. Pretty soon he was playing scrub woman for dubious millions brought to him in brown paper shopping bags.That was bad enough, but we could have handled it. Then a task force of hungry cops started circling and we found ourselves drowning in a flood of warring interests, folks with guns, and dirty money.And I had pretty much promised Fiora no violence…"Maxwell is good, really good, able to create believable, engaging, and original characters and set them plausibly into a story of nonstop suspense." --Chicago Sun-Times less

A Fiddler and Fiora Mystery: Book 7Fiora had decided to sell her investment business so we could become “partners.” I wasn’t sure about the partner bit, but I was real sure I liked having her close by.So what was the problem?Good question.By the time I figured out the answer, a good man was dead, I had inherited the cursed sword that had indirectly killed him, and someone was trying to kill Fiora and me the direct way…all in the name of better international relations... moreA Fiddler and Fiora Mystery: Book 7Fiora had decided to sell her investment business so we could become “partners.” I wasn’t sure about the partner bit, but I was real sure I liked having her close by.So what was the problem?Good question.By the time I figured out the answer, a good man was dead, I had inherited the cursed sword that had indirectly killed him, and someone was trying to kill Fiora and me the direct way…all in the name of better international relations."Smooth, fast-paced, intricate, and...satisfying." --Publishers Weekly"Highly recommended...The relationship between Fiddler and Fiora is like an alliance between a hurricane and a tornado: a lot is going to happen, and it will all be interesting...If you've been hunting for mysteries with the action and intelligence of John D. MacDonald's best, look no further." --Mystery News less

Fiddler and Fiora: Book 8I keep thinking the past is dead. I keep being wrong.Long ago I had killed one of Uncle Jake’s murderers. I didn’t know the second hit man’s name, so I had filed it under Unfinished Business and gone on with my life.Then someone sent me a letter with the second name in it. That was a temptation I couldn’t ignore.I was doing fine not killing Jake’s second hit man until someone stole my Detonics at a fancy Hollywood party, started killing people, and framing me... moreFiddler and Fiora: Book 8I keep thinking the past is dead. I keep being wrong.Long ago I had killed one of Uncle Jake’s murderers. I didn’t know the second hit man’s name, so I had filed it under Unfinished Business and gone on with my life.Then someone sent me a letter with the second name in it. That was a temptation I couldn’t ignore.I was doing fine not killing Jake’s second hit man until someone stole my Detonics at a fancy Hollywood party, started killing people, and framing me. It complicated my life, but it didn’t make me angry.Then a task force put Fiora in jail.I quit being nice."Sexy and hard-hitting." --Publishers Weekly"Gives Travis McGee a run for his money." --Kirkus less