A House Just Came on the Market - by Chuck Storla

Book Synopsis

Welcome to the Estates at Chestnut Lake, home of perfect lawns, matching houses, and an inconvenient murder or two.

This hilarious and compelling whodunit mystery has the "crime close to home" feel of Only Murders in the Building and is perfect for readers who loved Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect and Finlay Donovan Is Killing It.

Brad Hanson's life in his suburban Atlanta subdivision is unremarkable. He investigates insurance fraud, which is as dull as it sounds, though if he's able to get a good bonus this year, his wife, Rhonda, will finally get to have her new kitchen. His highest achievement in life is being secretary and de facto parliamentarian on the homeowners association board, which is the center of all the neighborhood drama.

As frustrating--and heated--as the arguments over tennis court resurfacing and dog droppings may be, much like his subdivision compatriots, Brad would never kill a neighbor, but... he might enjoy thinking about it from time to time. (Who hasn't?)

When someone murders cranky old Inga Oskarsdotter--a frequent source of complaints to the HOA board--a literal smoking gun turns Brad into the chief suspect. But Brad is not waiting around to be arrested--after all, he is an investigator by trade--and he takes it upon himself to find the real killer. Then the body count starts to rise.

One thing is sure: A murderer on the block is not good for property values.

About the Author

After graduating with a bachelor's degree in liberal arts, Chuck Storla considered following his muse until he saw her checks bounce because of insufficient funds. Instead, Chuck joined a well-known and occasionally well-run computer manufacturer. Upon leaving the corporate world, he rediscovered his inner artist. Chuck also discovered the great thing about being a writer is that the barrier to entry is incredibly low. He has learned humor can be an effective way to deal with anger while avoiding almost all legal consequences. His short piece of fiction, "I Chat, Therefore I Am," was runner-up for the 2023 Terry Kay Prize. You can find other examples of his writing in past editions of The eQuill, a publication of the Atlanta Writers Club.