Detective Shannon Rourke Series by Stewart Matthews

You can’t bury the dead without digging up the past. What was another murder in Chicago? A dead man clutching a pint of whiskey on the Ashland Avenue sidewalk wasn’t new. It shouldn’t have been enough to keep troubled Detective Shannon Rourke and her brother from making their escape to Sweden. Shannon’s plan to put half a world between herself and her checkered past in Chicago is already rolling when she arrives at the crime scene, ready to pass the case off to another detective... moreYou can’t bury the dead without digging up the past. What was another murder in Chicago? A dead man clutching a pint of whiskey on the Ashland Avenue sidewalk wasn’t new. It shouldn’t have been enough to keep troubled Detective Shannon Rourke and her brother from making their escape to Sweden. Shannon’s plan to put half a world between herself and her checkered past in Chicago is already rolling when she arrives at the crime scene, ready to pass the case off to another detective.But she didn’t expect the victim to be her brother’s best friend. When her ex-mobster brother hears about it, he gives her an ultimatum: stay and solve the case or he will. Now, Shannon is determined to leash her inner demons and finish the job, but if she fails, her brother will be the one to pay the price. less

Jennica Ausdall enjoyed all the perks of being a wealthy widow in an opulent home, lavish cars, and enough money to treat everyone around her like human garbage. So, when she’s murdered in the parking lot of her son’s exclusive prep school, the list of suspects is long enough to paper over Wrigley Field. When Detective Shannon Rourke is called out to the scene, she catches a break. The murderer was careless. A series of clues clearly point to a specific person close to Jennica... moreJennica Ausdall enjoyed all the perks of being a wealthy widow in an opulent home, lavish cars, and enough money to treat everyone around her like human garbage. So, when she’s murdered in the parking lot of her son’s exclusive prep school, the list of suspects is long enough to paper over Wrigley Field. When Detective Shannon Rourke is called out to the scene, she catches a break. The murderer was careless. A series of clues clearly point to a specific person close to Jennica. But after Shannon arrests her primary suspect, she begins to doubt her own evidence. Her open and shut case might go deeper than anyone is willing to believe. Now, Shannon is left with a choice. She can go with the quiet, easy conviction, or risk the career she's given up everything for on the word of a lowlife two steps from a jail cell. less

They’d kill for a lie. But for the truth, they’ll die. Detective Shannon Rourke is chasing the deadliest criminal she’s ever known: her brother. Michael Rourke is a hit man exiled from Chicago’s Irish Mob, and he’s just violated the agreement keeping him alive. Although it feels like a betrayal, Shannon knows that arresting Michael is the only chance she has to save him. But before Shannon can track him down, she catches a case for a triple murder in an abandoned rail yard on the Chicago River... moreThey’d kill for a lie. But for the truth, they’ll die. Detective Shannon Rourke is chasing the deadliest criminal she’s ever known: her brother. Michael Rourke is a hit man exiled from Chicago’s Irish Mob, and he’s just violated the agreement keeping him alive. Although it feels like a betrayal, Shannon knows that arresting Michael is the only chance she has to save him. But before Shannon can track him down, she catches a case for a triple murder in an abandoned rail yard on the Chicago River. Her only cooperative witness is a homeless guy named Hairy Harry who's a little ... unreliable. While Shannon combs though the massacre at the homeless camp, the Irish Mob is sweeping every back alley and dive bar in the Windy City. They’re closing in on the brother who always protected her. She’s saved Michael from his demons before, but this time is different. This time, they’re coming after Shannon, too. less

In a city of lies, the truth can be deadly. Detective Shannon Rourke was born unlucky. While a blizzard dumps on Chicago, she's the detective called to investigate a dead girl found in The Loop. This isn't another run-of-the-mill Chicago murder. The dead girl is the tip of an iceberg-a deep, dangerous past better left below the surface. A sane person would quietly let the case drift away. But Shannon Rourke isn't a quitter. Soon, she's engulfed by danger... moreIn a city of lies, the truth can be deadly. Detective Shannon Rourke was born unlucky. While a blizzard dumps on Chicago, she's the detective called to investigate a dead girl found in The Loop. This isn't another run-of-the-mill Chicago murder. The dead girl is the tip of an iceberg-a deep, dangerous past better left below the surface. A sane person would quietly let the case drift away. But Shannon Rourke isn't a quitter. Soon, she's engulfed by danger. And while trying to pull up the truth, Shannon's personal demons threaten to isolate her, making her easy prey for a serial killer who seems to be targeting her too. less

She took an oath to uphold the law, but oaths can be broken. Chicago PD Detective Shannon Rourke is falling apart, but by now, she’s used to it. Her misfortune, however, has infected the people she loves. Her boyfriend worries she's concealing a dark secret, and his daughter is tormented by memories of a deranged serial killer--who targeted the girl because of Shannon... moreShe took an oath to uphold the law, but oaths can be broken. Chicago PD Detective Shannon Rourke is falling apart, but by now, she’s used to it. Her misfortune, however, has infected the people she loves. Her boyfriend worries she's concealing a dark secret, and his daughter is tormented by memories of a deranged serial killer--who targeted the girl because of Shannon. She needs a break from work before she snaps, but her problems have to wait when she’s called to a puzzling crime scene on Chicago’s deadly West Side. With a killer dropping fresh corpses every day, she fights to keep her demons shackled while she goes on the hunt. A single misstep could turn her misfortune into deadly tragedy--not only for herself, but for the family she loves. less