Nikki Hunter Series by Nancy Skopin

Private Investigator Nicoli “Nikki” Hunter has lost enthusiasm for the bar and restaurant surveys that pay the bills but no longer challenge her. When the brutal murder of socialite, (and stripper), Laura Howard lands on her desk, she finally encounters a case worthy of her talent.Murder on the Menu is the first in a series of mysteries featuring Nikki Hunter... morePrivate Investigator Nicoli “Nikki” Hunter has lost enthusiasm for the bar and restaurant surveys that pay the bills but no longer challenge her. When the brutal murder of socialite, (and stripper), Laura Howard lands on her desk, she finally encounters a case worthy of her talent.Murder on the Menu is the first in a series of mysteries featuring Nikki Hunter. The only child of a Cossack and a former nun, Hunter is a smart, tenacious thirty-five-year-old, who lives aboard a sailboat in the San Francisco Bay Area and works out of a ground floor office in the marina complex where she lives.When the Howard murder goes unsolved, the victim’s mother contacts Nikki, who agrees to a preliminary investigation, and discovers that Laura was about to inherit several million dollars. The list of suspects grows as Nikki delves into Laura’s past. Nikki befriends Homicide Detective Bill Anderson, and he confides to her that three recent murders, including Laura’s, have peculiar similarities.Nikki enlists the aid of her best friend and fellow boat-dweller, Elizabeth Gaultier, and while the two are conducting interviews they discover they’re being tailed by another PI. When the interviewees start turning up dead, Nikki tells Detective Anderson everything she’s uncovered, but it’s too late. Nikki has already become the killer’s next target. less

Private Investigator Nicoli “Nikki” Hunter, has recovered from a near fatal encounter with a multiple murderer, and is happy to get back to her regular bar and restaurant surveillance jobs. Unfortunately, the universe has other plans. One evening, (as she’s acting as a decoy/victim to attract a bartender bent on sexual harassment), Jack “The Cat” McGuire pulls up an adjacent bar stool and tells her a story that will alter the course of her life... morePrivate Investigator Nicoli “Nikki” Hunter, has recovered from a near fatal encounter with a multiple murderer, and is happy to get back to her regular bar and restaurant surveillance jobs. Unfortunately, the universe has other plans. One evening, (as she’s acting as a decoy/victim to attract a bartender bent on sexual harassment), Jack “The Cat” McGuire pulls up an adjacent bar stool and tells her a story that will alter the course of her life. Murder Over Cocktails is the second mystery featuring PI Nikki Hunter, a thirty-six-year-old gun-toting brainy beauty who excels at getting into other people’s business. Hunter's office is in a marina complex in Redwood City, California, where she also lives aboard a forty-six foot Cheoy Lee sailboat. Jack McGuire is a professional cat burglar who stumbled upon videotapes of five gruesome murders while robbing the killer’s house. In Murder Over Cocktails, Nikki divides her time between the complexities of her regular surveillance work and Jack’s case. He can’t go to the police for obvious reasons and, after their chance meeting in a bar, he hires Nikki hoping she can find a way to stop the predator before more lives are lost. At Nikki’s urging Jack returns to the killer’s home, steals and copies the tapes, and brings them to her office. Seeing the horror first hand, Nikki commits herself to stopping the monster who is responsible. Initially Nikki attempts to enlist the aid of her sometimes significant other, Redwood City Homicide Detective Bill Anderson, but he’s a by-the-book kind of cop, unwilling to break the rules, even for Nikki. So without any help from Bill or the police, Nikki must once again play the decoy/victim, this time putting her life on the line to catch a sadistic serial killer in the act. less

An unrelenting PI, a former flame, and an inspired assassin ...Dinner & A Murder is the third book in a mystery series featuring Nicoli "Nikki" Hunter, a Private Investigator specializing in covert bar and restaurant surveillance. After surviving two attempts on her life, Nikki decides to do something normal for a change and attend her high school reunion. While there she becomes reacquainted with an old flame, Paul Marks, who is now an air traffic control supervisor... moreAn unrelenting PI, a former flame, and an inspired assassin ...Dinner & A Murder is the third book in a mystery series featuring Nicoli "Nikki" Hunter, a Private Investigator specializing in covert bar and restaurant surveillance. After surviving two attempts on her life, Nikki decides to do something normal for a change and attend her high school reunion. While there she becomes reacquainted with an old flame, Paul Marks, who is now an air traffic control supervisor. Nikki agrees to meet Paul the following day, and over lunch becomes convinced that something is terribly wrong. After a few beers and a little persuading, Paul confides that three controllers reporting to him have died in the last two months, under suspicious circumstances. Nikki insists on looking into the deaths and, with the help of her mentor, Sam Pettigrew, soon discovers that Paul himself is the target of a ruthless assassin. So much for normal. In an effort to save Paul, Nikki must, once again, put her own life on the line. less

PI Nicoli 'Nikki' Hunter is blindsided when someone close to her is murdered, and their body dumped in an alley. Detective Bill Anderson catches the homicide and, knowing Nikki, doesn't even attempt to discourage her from conducting her own investigation, which, in this case, takes a village. Nikki enlists the aid of her friends and the marina community to unravel the complicated web of events that led to murder, served cold... morePI Nicoli 'Nikki' Hunter is blindsided when someone close to her is murdered, and their body dumped in an alley. Detective Bill Anderson catches the homicide and, knowing Nikki, doesn't even attempt to discourage her from conducting her own investigation, which, in this case, takes a village. Nikki enlists the aid of her friends and the marina community to unravel the complicated web of events that led to murder, served cold.Murder Served Cold is the 8th book in award winning author Nancy Skopin's Nikki Hunter mystery series. less

“An intuitive detective, a kidnapped child, and an assassin with a heart of gold …”In Murder Al Dente, PI Nicoli “Nikki” Hunter once again gets herself in hot water when she’s hired by a multimillionaire boat owner, (and sex toy manufacturer,) to find out who’s trying to kill him. Nikki has barely begun her investigation when he’s found dead aboard his mega yacht. The cause of death appears to be suicide, but Nikki knows better and believes it’s up to her to bring his killer to justice... more“An intuitive detective, a kidnapped child, and an assassin with a heart of gold …”In Murder Al Dente, PI Nicoli “Nikki” Hunter once again gets herself in hot water when she’s hired by a multimillionaire boat owner, (and sex toy manufacturer,) to find out who’s trying to kill him. Nikki has barely begun her investigation when he’s found dead aboard his mega yacht. The cause of death appears to be suicide, but Nikki knows better and believes it’s up to her to bring his killer to justice.As she’s delving into her deceased client’s background, a woman calls asking for help. Her four-year-old daughter has been abducted and the police have no leads. Realizing that time may be running out for the little girl, Nikki agrees to take her case as well and embarks on what turns out to be a truly labyrinthine journey to save a child’s life.Murder Al Dente is the 9th novel in award winning author, Nancy Skopin’s, Nikki Hunter mystery series. less