Jay Waitkus

Tainted Monarch (novel)

Synopsis
With its straight-shooting detective, Nolan Sand, and shady antagonist, Russ Morrison, Jay Waitkus' debut effort fuses classic elements of hard-boiled crime fiction with modern-day storytelling. Short chapters, conflicted characters, and plenty of duplicity keep the pot boiling, and the ending will change what readers think they know.

Excerpted from the back cover
"Billionaire Russ Morrison is a corporate kingpin with a habit of making enemies as quickly as money. When business rival Dieter Smythe’s vice president, Amy Clarkston, turns up dead, however, Russ’ arrogance and penchant for lying land him in hot water with the case’s lead investigator, Detective Nolan Sand...With the truth elusive and Sand plagued by doubts, even after an arrest is made, a ruthless killer closes in on the deal of a lifetime…and prepares to strike again."

Media
"Tainted Monarch is a tightly-wound, fast-moving, ever-changing novella….[A] good, short read." ― Charles Kleinpeter, The (MS) Gulf Coast Writers Association 

"Coldhearted billionaire Russ Morrison…is suspected of killing a business rival…It’s up to police detective Nolan Sand to solve the case." ― The South Florida Sun-Sentinel

"This book represents many of the influences in [Waitkus'] life. Mystery writers Raymond Chandler and Mickey Spillane were major influences." ― The Boynton Times

"A fast-paced mystery....Waitkus uses his background in newspaper reporting to craft a tightly-woven story." ― Authorship

In the Depths of Shadows (novel)

Synopsis
Jay Waitkus' study of evil is everything a topnotch crime thriller is supposed to be: engrossing, gritty, and smart. Intriguing characters, high-stakes conflict, and plenty of duplicity provide the fuel for the story – and will keep readers turning pages at a breakneck pace.

Excerpted from the dust jacket
"One by one they disappear, young women stolen from their lives, then callously tortured and cut in half. A serial killer with a shocking motive is in the midst of a blood-spattered frenzy, and fear is running rampant. Feeding the carnage, headline-starved reporters unwittingly inspire false confessions from society's forgotten crevices, and perverse imitators seeking a spotlight of their own. The madness and the bloodlust refuse to stop. And if Sand can't cut them off at their source, the killing won't stop, either..."

Media
"The debut mystery novel of former journalist Jay Waitkus, In the Depths of Shadows is a brutal suspense story of an unflappable police detective racing to stop a brutal serial killer. An intricate and deftly woven story of morbid torture and vicious murder, a woman with a hidden past, and the hideous darkness of the human spirit at its worst, In the Depths of Shadows is a superbly crafted, vividly written, riveting read from beginning to end." ― Midwest Book Review  

"The pace of this new tale is lively, and Waitkus a newborn master storyteller." ― Charles Cooper, author of The Daughter   

"A police detective investigates the slaying of a corporate executive and a serial killer with a stunning motive." ― Publishers Weekly

"The longest month in the life of unflappable police detective Nolan Sand is about to take him on a perilous odyssey [stemming] from a violent murder spree enveloping the city streets." ― Advance

"Did Jay Waitkus, a former reporter, leave the world of journalism because he was offended by violence? Hardly. In fact, the plot of his first novel, In the Depths of Shadows, sounds like something you might read in one of today's papers." ― Whispers

The Session (short story)

Synopsis
A serial killer recounts his life to a psychiatrist in a disturbing tale of psychological horror.

Media
"A quick read that will leave you with more questions than answers." ― Firstprint, Featured Book

"Recommend[ed]." ― MightyWords.com, starred review

Dividing Line (novel)

Synopsis
Combining elements of classic pulp with razor-sharp dialogue and breakneck pacing, Jay Waitkus' latest novel is a pulse-pounding, adrenaline-charged thriller filled with intrigue, suspense, and complex, memorable characters. Cutting a swath of violent action leading into a slam-bang, jaw-dropping finale, Dividing Line is a first-rate adventure from an author who knows how to deliver.

Excerpted from the dust jacket
"One-eyed mercenary Jack Skye has forged an illustrious and lucrative career hunting down murderers and terrorists throughout the globe. In contrast to his often nomadic life, however, he has also forged a series of long-standing ties to the city of Newgate, an urban metropolis that serves as a refuge from his violent and dangerous profession. Jack's two worlds have never intersected before. But all of that is about to change..."

Media
"A covert government operative ignites a war between two criminal empires." ― Publishers Weekly

"Jay Waitkus releases his second thriller with Dividing Line (National Writers Press) this month. In this novel, the hero is mercenary Jack Skye, on assignment from a black ops unit sanctioned by the U.S. to remove a ruthless dictator from power." ― The South Florida Sun-Sentinel  

"Combine a very good plot with great dialogue, and this is the book you get! Jay Waitkus definitely knows how to tell a great story." ― Terry Conrad, author of Fugue

"Mercenary Jack Skye and his girlfriend Lia Constantin find themselves in the crosshairs of...the most powerful underworld cartel on the Eastern Seaboard.” ― Advance   

"With the rapidity of his dialogue-driven style, Waitkus molds a super spy/gun-for-hire in the inevitable employ of the US government. The breakneck pace of his writing is perfectly suited to the adventure genre.” ― Charles Cooper, author of Chasing Emerson

"Written by journalist Jay Waitkus, Dividing Line is a suspenseful, action-packed novel about Jack Skye, a one-eyed mercenary whose dangerous work hunting murderers and terrorists comes back to haunt his personal life. He and his girlfriend become dragged into a ruthless war of attrition with a powerful underworld mob, and a seven-figure bounty is placed on his head, a figure so high that it catches the intrigue of an international assassin eager to test his skills to the limit. Meanwhile, a rival military strongman and master of a multibillion cocaine empire plunges into his own fray with the mob, planting Jack squarely in the middle of an internecine war. An explosive thriller from cover to cover." ― Midwest Book Review 

The Guarantor (short story)

Synopsis
A boxer's manager promises him that he will win his next fight in a compelling story delving into competing interests and the pursuit of greatness. 

Media
"What the manager does parallels his nonfiction counterparts in…the extent that one may go in order to secure victory."  ― Saddo Boxing

Brood of Thieves (novel)

Synopsis
The latest entry in the Nolan Sand franchise sees the intrepid detective pushed to his limits amid a bevy of mysterious crimes. Fortunately for Sand, he has plenty of backup with new partner Talia Draper in tow. With rapid pacing and crisp dialogue, Jay Waitkus delivers another first-rate mystery novel.  

Media
"Detectives Nolan Sand and Talia Draper navigate a web of crime and deception in Brood of Thieves, a gripping thriller that plunges readers into the heart of a dangerous underworld."― NewInBooks.com