I’m delighted to welcome author James L’Etoile back to Colloquium! And Detective Nathan Parker is also back in Served Cold, the third installment in the riveting series.
Readers were introduced to Detective Parker in Dead Drop. While investigating the deaths of undocumented migrants in the Arizona desert, he discovered a connection to the unsolved murder of his partner. Parker found himself on the other side of the border caught up in border violence and politics as he pursued evidence and justice in the dark and deadly world of human smuggling. As Parker sought to apprehend the Sun Valley Sniper in Devil Within, Billie Carson — who quickly became a popular and beloved character with the release of the first volume in the series — insisted Esteban Castaneda, the Los Muertos leader who murdered Parker’s partner, was in the vicinity.
Now, a cargo trailer packed with dead, undocumented migrants has been found abandoned at a freeway rest stop. The dead all wore identical clothing, were the same age, and definitely weren’t destined for the fields. Parker uncovers a diabolical connection between the migrants and a high-tech computer firm handling sensitive government information that could jeopardize the lives of thousands if it falls into the wrong hands . . . like those of Castaneda, who surfaces yet again. Will he and Parker face off in a final showdown? Parker promised revenge as his partner bled out in his arms. And everyone knows that revenge is a dish best served cold.
When a Character Has Something to Say?
Here we are with the release of the third book in the Detective Nathan Parker series upon us. Served Cold brings Parker face-to-face with the man who murdered his partner. He’s obsessed over revenge for years, but when that chance comes, Parker discovers it’s a complicated path and the cost —
“Hey, hang on here one darned second.”
Me: Billie, can this wait? I’m trying to get folks up to speed on the next Nathan Parker novel.
Billie: “You mean the next Billie Carson novel. On account of that’s what it should be called.
Me: Billie, we’ve talked about this.
Billie: You’ve flapped your gums about it and it don’t make it true. This here is my story. Who found the first bodies in Dead Drop? Huh? Tell me that, writer boy.
Me: You did. But —
Billie: And who led you by the nose to figure out who was behind the stealin’ and cheatin’ at the Immigrant Coalition?
Me: Billie, I’m just trying to tell everyone about Nathan’s new story.
Billie: Nathan, Nathan, Nathan. Is that all you ever yap about? Sure he’s a cop and all — and a good one — but without me, he’d be a lizard without a rock to sun himself.
Me: What?
Billie: I’m sayin’ Parker don’t get nowhere without me guidin’ him along. He gets to soak up all the credit while I done the work. You wanna tell them about Served Cold — go ahead. Try tellin’ that without me.
Me: I did give you more time on the page in Served Cold. Isn’t that enough?
Billie: That mean you’re gonna call it a Billie Carson Thriller, in big letters on the cover. I like that word, thriller. Just think of all the marketin’ potential. A Billie Carson beer cozy with every book —
Me: We can’t do that, Billie.
Billie: Why not? Don’t everyone got a right to keep their beer cold, ‘specially on these hot summer days?
Me: You’re going to have to settle for people knowing more about you. How you started as a coyote bringing undocumented across the border. Then the cartel took your route and wanted you to work for them.
Billie: You make it sound like I was one a them. The cartel preyed on them people who wanted a chance at a better life somewhere. I moved ‘em across and didn’t ask for nothin’ in return. The cartel would force them to smuggle their product and if theys were lucky, they’d be alive at the end of it all. Some weren’t.
Me: You went into witness protection because of it. But you dropped out when the cartel threatened a family you knew in Mexico.
Billie: Yeah, they did. I couldn’t have nothing happen to that family. They was good people. Din’t deserve no trouble comin’ down on them like that.
Me: In Served Cold, you connect with them again. They’re in danger.
Billie: Yeah, they reached out using a phrase only I would know. They was in trouble and I had to go help them.
Me: But you didn’t tell Detective Parker what you were doing?
Billie: It’s complicated. If Nathan knew, he’d never look at me the same.
Me: Your friendship with him means a lot to you, doesn’t it?
Billie: Nathan’s the one person who never judged me for bein’ what I am — livin’ how I do off in the desert by myself. If he ever found out about — about what I been hidin’ from him — he’d never forgive me.
Me: You ever just think about telling him? Come clean with it, he’s an understanding kind of guy.
Billie: Not about this. I tried to tell him before. It all goes back to the night his partner was murdered. There ain’t no talkin’ to him about that. I don’t know if he could ever forgive me.
Me: Like you said, it’s complicated.
Billie: You made it that way, you devious little twit.
Me: Ah, Billie, be nice. I have a keyboard with a delete key . . .
Billie: Whatever . . . Just sayin’ I should get somethin’ outta you dragging out my dirty laundry like this. A Billie Carson Thriller, ain’t a big ask.
Me: I’ll take it under advisement.
Billie: I know what that means, you word nerd.
*Billie slams imaginary screen door on the way out*
If you want to know what Billie was talking about, check out Served Cold. While it is the third in the Nathan Parker series, we do find out a lot about Billie and a huge secret she’s been hiding.
I’m happy to report that the publisher has asked for three more books in the series. So, maybe we’ll get to know even more about what Billie Carson has been keeping from everyone . . .
Billie: I heard that!
Meet James
James L’Etoile’s writing is influenced by his twenty-nine years “behind bars,” not as an inmate, but as the associate warden of a maximum-security prison, a hostage negotiator, and Director of the Division of Adult Parole Operations with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. His novels have been short-listed for or awarded Lefty, Anthony, Silver Falchion, and the Public Safety Writers awards. He also pens short stories and screenplays, and is a Director at Large for Mystery Writers of America and the Host of Authors on the Air.
Dead Drop and Devil Within are the first two installments in his outstanding Detective Nathan Parker series, while Face of Greed launched the Detective Emily Hunter series and will be followed up by River of Lies in 2025.
Connect with James at his website, or on Goodreads, X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram or BookBub.
Thank you, James!
Books by James L’Etoile:
Detective Nathan Parker Series
Detective Emily Hunter Series
2 Comments
Haha! This was awesome! Thanks for the fun read.
“I have a keyboard with a delete key . . .” LOL
Can’t wait to read this one!
Thanks for letting Billie rant here a bit. She is a fun character to write and it’s always good to remind her I have a keyboard with a delete key…